...“Examine the relationship between sociology and social policy” Social policies are the actions of governments, such as legal laws. They have a direct impact on citizens, for e.g. may provide them with services or income. Social policies are created after Sociological research identifies social problems of society, for e.g. policies put in place to help vulnerable children (adopted/abused), as they are highly likely to end up in gangs, as drug addicts or prostitutes. According to Worsley (1977) a social problem is some piece of social behaviour that calls for collective action to solve it. In turn, policies help tackle social problems e.g. increasing payment for foster/ adoptive careers to reduce vulnerable children getting involved with crime. The founding fathers of sociology believed that sociology had a central part to play in society – in reforming social institutions, solving social problems and improving human condition. Comte (1798-1857) saw sociology as a practical subject, not confined solely to universities, but being applied to wider society to gain social progress. Emile Durkheim believed sociology contributing to social policy can solve question of order in society. Sociologists such as Giddens place a great emphasis on the practicality of studying sociology. The most significant outcome of sociology is that it allows us to understand the world around us, providing us with knowledge and insights. This understanding can take the form of factual knowledge which...
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...Assess the relationship between sociology and social policy Social policy is the actions, plans and programmes of government bodies which aim to deal with a problem or achieve a goal .e.g preventing crime and reducing poverty. Policies are often based on laws that provide the framework within which these agencies operate. The following essay will argue for and against the relationship between sociology and social policy. It can be argued that the relationship between social policy and sociology is not always consistent because sociological funding may not be implemented. This is because of a range of factors such as electoral popularity. This is the perception that social policy will not be used to if citizens will not like the policy. Also current government bodies and their ideologies will also influence the implementation of government polices. This means research findings may have to fit into the governments’ values and set of beliefs before the social policies can be implemented. Finally, funding sources are another important factor. This is the view that the government essentially influences what area of research the sociologists researches and it is essentially a reference to the phrase “He who pays the piper call the tune” this is the view that the policies suggestions are initiated by the government. The relationship between sociology and social policy according to Functionalists and Positivists such as Durkheim is that an objective and scientific approach should...
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...Assess the relationship between sociology and social policy In order to understand the role of sociology in relation to social policy, it is important to firstly distinguish between social problems and sociological problems. According to Peter Worsley, a social problem is some piece of social behaviour that causes public friction and private misery and calls for collective action to solve it. According to Worsley, a sociological problem is “any pattern of relationships that calls for explanation.” In other words, it is any piece of behaviour that we wish to make sense of. However even when sociologists conduct research into social problems, there’s no guarantee that policy makers will study their findings, or that any solutions they propose will find their way into social policies. Many factors may affect whether or not sociological research succeeds in influencing policy. Some of these include electoral popularity, interest groups, globalisation and cost. Different sociological perspectives hold different views of the nature of the state and their social policy it produces. As a result, each perspective tends to take a different view of the role of sociology in relation to social policy. Early positivists such as Comte and Durkheim took the view that sociology was a science and would discover both the cause of social problems and scientifically based solutions to them. As such, their approach was part of the Enlightenment project to use science ad reason to improve society...
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...Sociology has had some influence on social policy, and varies from government to government but the extent of which has been thoroughly debated. Social policies are put in place in order to address the needs of the population in terms of welfare, housing, health, education, law and order and employment. The influence sociology can have on social policy includes; electoral popularity, ideological policy and preferences of government, interest groups, globalization and its impact, critical sociology, costs and funding sources. However, there is a definite correlation between the sociological researches being compromised by too close a relationship with the funding bodies. Modern sociologists hold the view that sociological research has an impact on social policy by providing practical solutions to social problems such as unemployment, educational failure and so on. They share the view that this kind of research is able to address key issues within society, gain empirical evidence and find the root cause of such problems. On the one hand Positivists and Functionalists will state the view that social policies are ‘piecemeal social engineering’ and accept that sociological view do influence social policy making. Durkheim will hold the view that the meritocratic education system benefits society and promotes social cohesion and solidarity. He saw sociology as a way of restoring order in a society conquered by industrialization and strengthening integration and social stability. Linking...
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...Social policy is the actions, plans and programmes of government bodies and agencies aim to deal with a problem or achieve a goal.e.g preventing crime and reducing poverty. Policies are often based on laws that provide the framework within which these agencies operate. Sociologists findings may sometimes influence social policies but many other factors also play a part, such as political ideologies and the availability of resources. This essay will assess the relationship between sociology and social policy. Essentially, it can be argue that social policies are one of the most applicable ways in which sociology finds it simperative uses. This is because many sociologists argue that sociology should be used to solve sociological problems as defined by Peter Worsley “ a behaviour in which causes private misery or calls for collective action to solve it” This therefore means sociology can and should be used to investigate patterns of these behaviours and ways in which it can be resolved. Additionally, the relationship between sociology and social policy according to Functionalists and Positivists such as Comte and Durkheim is that a rigorous objective and scientific approach should be used in order to generate social facts which can be used by the government to develop generic nomothetic patterns of behaviour that can be used to implement policies that benefit society as a whole. As highlighted, Positivists and Functionalists adopt a positive relationship between sociology...
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...Social policies are the plans and actions of government agencies, which aim to address social issues, ranging from poverty to racism. Sociology has been linked to the beginning of social policies, especially in more recent years. For example, the concept of marketisation within the school system in the early 1990’s and the reduction in funding for Higher Education Tuition Fees was influenced by contemporary sociology. Donnison believes that there are four factors that he feels shape social policy. These are changing political agendas, changing circumstances, growing knowledge and new questions. There are different sociological opinions that view the relationship between sociology and social policy differently, which means there is no simple view. For example, social policies are introduced to the belief that they will improve society by tackling social problems: affecting the welfare of the population of the country where the policy is being introduced. However, Feminists and Marxists believe that social policy is not just about improving the welfare of citizens, as they believe it is about social control; deterring rather than helping individuals. Giddens’ supports Donnison by stating that there are four practical uses of studying sociology. These include: understanding social situations, being aware of cultural differences, assessing the effects of policies and increasing self-knowledge. By understanding social situations, we are able to understand the world around us...
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...Social policy is an applied version of Sociology. It is primarily concerned with improving and reforming society. It focuses on studying and also influencing how governments respond to social policy. Researching social problems such as poverty for example has proven hugely popular amongst many sociologists. For there is a high chance their research will be funded by the government, aiding in this common practical problem some sociologist’s face. According to Anthony Giddens (2001), there are four practical benefits of studying sociology. One being that it helps our understanding of social situations. Factual information can be gained on society that can then be examined using theory. So the factual knowledge provides us with facts, and the theoretical understanding provides people with an explanation for these facts. For example, a series of reports by Townsend in 1979 and later Mack and Lansley showed the extent of poverty in Britain and showed groups most at risk of it. The facts they produced can be understood in relation to theory. Sociologists uncovered the extent of poverty by devising deprivation models of poverty, proving that it can be fully understood in terms of what people normally expect to have. Giddens also believes that another benefit is the awareness of cultural differences aspect. Leading to the raising of needs of minority groups in society. Over time, sociologists have built up a picture of the social and economic exclusion suffered by disabled people...
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...Social policy refers to a government initiative, central or local, that aims to meet the welfare needs of the population. They govern many areas of social life such as educations and health and aim to address social problems such as racism and youth offending. Giddens (2001) states that there are four benefits to studying sociology which make up why it informs social policy. Firstly, sociological study can develop understanding of social situations both factually, allowing development of judgement or theory, and theoretically, enabling us to provide and explanation as to why something is happening. Secondly, it can inform policymakers of perspectives that are different from their own, such as the awareness of cultural differences, from this discrimination can be combatted, for example, governments have tackled discrimination against disability and ethnic minorities through social policy. Thirdly, sociological research helps to assess the results of policy initiatives, all government initiatives require evidence that programmes they have put into place are working. Finally, sociology may generate greater self-understanding, this knowledge allows people to reflect upon their experiences of life which may lead to questioning of government policies and creation of protest groups with non-government initiatives enabling people to liberate themselves, for example sociology has shown the extent to which homosexuals have been discriminated, as a result the gay community demanded gay...
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...SOCIAL POLICY Social Policy – actions that are taken by the government to maintain and improve the welfare of its citizens . MARXIST – TO CRITICIZE FUNCTIONALIST The Black Report * For example, this report, carried out in 1980 on class inequalities in health made 37 far-reaching policy recommendations for reducing inequalities * These included free school meals for all children, improved working conditions, better benefits for the disabled and more spending on housing * The Labour government had originally commissioned the report in 1977 but it was only completed in 1980, the year after Mrs Thatcher’s Conservative government came to power * The new government refused to implement the reports recommendations on grounds of cost and even tried to prevent its publication * The Labour government had originally commissioned the report in 1977 but it was only completed in 1980, the year after Mrs Thatcher’s Conservative government came to power * The new government refused to implement the reports recommendations on grounds of cost and even tried to prevent its publication Post Modernism * For them, sociology has no contribution to make to policy. * The role of sociology is to simply allow people to seek out an understanding of their personal lives within a specific social context * This is because post-modernists reject the modernist idea of ‘progress’; social research cannot be used to usher in the ‘good society’ TO CRITICIZE : ...
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...This article provides information about the importance of sociology to society! The most significance of sociology is that it studied the society social institutions scientifically. Of late the importance of sociology as the science of human relationship is being realised. The scientific study of society and the scientific promotion of human welfare has been neglected for long periods. Now the truly scientific study of society has been well under way. Sociology Image Courtesy : sociology.arizona.edu/sites/sociology.arizona.edu/files/images/soc_club_3.jpg As a matter of fact the study of social phenomena and ways and means of promoting what Giddings calls human adequacy is one of the most logical and reasonable of all subjects that ought to be made scientific. This century must be one of developing human and social welfare if we are to make social progress. It is, therefore, rightly thought by many that sociology may be the best approach to all the social sciences and therefore a key study for the present situation. As Beach says, sociology has a strong appeal to all types of minds through its direct bearing upon many of the critical problems of the present world. Giddings has suggested that just as economics tells up how to get the things we want to have, sociology tells us how to become what we want to be. Thus, sociology becomes as the scientific study of society, the representative of a great advice. Society is the largest organisation of the individuals...
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...SOCIOLOGY – AQA – UNIT 4 - CRIME AND DEVIANCE The exam is split into 3 questions: • Q.1 is a pure methods section which contains two parts a) 12 marks and b) 21 marks. You should spend 45 minuets on this question. • Q.2 is a method in context question. Part a) is for 9 marks [could also be a 3 and 6 mark question] and part b) is for 15 marks. You should spend 30 minuets on this question. • Q.3 is a theories essay for 33 marks. THIS QUESTION IS SYNOPTIC! You should spend 45 minuets on this question. Below is a list of all the areas and studies you need to know for each section of the exam. Don’t worry if you don’t know all the studies, each college/school are likely to teach slightly different ones, just make sure you know about that amount for each section. Q.1 For the first two pure crime parts you need to know: Functionalist theories of crime and deviance Durkheim – Social control, social regulation including suicide Merton-Strain theory, blocked aspirations Cohen – Status frustration Cloward and Ohlin – Deviant subcultures New Right/Right Realism James Wilson – Strict law enforcement needed Wilson and Kelling – Broken windows, zero tolerance Murray – Cultural deprivation, single parents and ineffective, the underclass Erdos – Families without fathers Subcultural theories Cohen – Delinquent subcultures Cloward and Ohlin – Delinquency and opportunity, criminal, conflict and retreatist...
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...Assess the relationship between Social Policy and Sociology. (33 Marks) Sociology is a subject that wants to study and understand society. Social policy or otherwise known as the law comes from research completed by sociologists, which is then proposed to the government. Social policy can be seen to change social problems such as the economy. Peter Worsley describes a social problem as “some piece of social behaviour that causes public friction”. For example poverty, educational under-achievement, and divorce can be seen as social problems that the government may be forced to tackle with social policies. Worsley thinks that a sociological problem is “ any pattern of relationships that calls for explanation”, meaning any piece of behaviour that we want to make sense of. For example why some families are richer than others? , Why people commit crime? Or why couples remain happily married? George Simmel was intrigued about the characteristics present in all social relationships and their different settings, be it in an office, in the family home or on a busy street. However many sociologists are interested in solving social problems through their research. They will conduct their research so it is aimed at the social problem they are most interested about. Government departments such as home office employ many sociologists. They will often have a direct input into making social policies. However sometimes sociological research does not effect social polices, and there are a number...
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...Why Study Sociology? What is sociology? Sociology is the scientific study of human social relationships and structures. Like biologists and other natural scientists, sociologists work by sets of rules through which they evaluate the arguments and evidence generated by empirical research. This doesn't mean sociological work is either narrow or lacking in practical significance. Our techniques range from computer simulation through survey research to participant observation of urban street corner life. Styles among sociologists vary from the scientific to the humanistic, from the applied to the theoretical. Sociology involves the observation and explanation of human behavior in a wide variety of areas. In addition to the specialties of social psychology, political sociology, and mathematical sociology, which have obvious ties to other social sciences, sociologists study such things as race relations, social stratification, the family, the community, ethnic minorities, sex roles, drugs, crime, population, leisure, sport, aging, mass media, developing nations, organizational structure, communication in small groups and in dyads. Is sociology for you? If you are actively concerned about the world you live in and want to do something constructive and useful in it - whether in law, business, education, medicine, urban or rural planning, etc. sociology provides our best means for understanding how "the system" works. Whether you want to change society radically, modify it, preserve...
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...knowledge about social life. A number of full time research sociologists are employed by universities, government agencies, foundations or corporations and many sociologists divide their time between teaching and research. Another task of the sociologist as a scientist is to clear away the misinformation and superstition which clutters so much of our social thinking. Sociologists have helped to clear doubts about hereditary, race, class, sex differences, deviation and nearly every other aspect of behaviour. By helping replace superstition and misinformation with accurate knowledge about human behaviour sociologists are performing their most important role. Sociologists make sociological predictions. Every policy decision is based upon certain assumptions about the present and future state of the society. Most social science prediction consists not of predicting specific developments as the astronomer predicts an eclipse but of forecasting the general pattern of trends and changes which seem most probable. All such predictions or forecasts should be offered with certain humility for no certainty attends them. Instead social scientists offer them as the best most informed guesses available upon which to base our policy decisions and expectations for the future. Sociological prediction can also help to estimate the probable effects of a social policy. Every social policy decision is a prediction. A policy is begun in the hope that it will produce a desired effect. Policies have often...
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...knowledge about social life. A number of full time research sociologists are employed by universities, government agencies, foundations or corporations and many sociologists divide their time between teaching and research. Another task of the sociologist as a scientist is to clear away the misinformation and superstition which clutters so much of our social thinking. Sociologists have helped to clear doubts about hereditary, race, class, sex differences, deviation and nearly every other aspect of behaviour. By helping replace superstition and misinformation with accurate knowledge about human behaviour sociologists are performing their most important role. Sociologists make sociological predictions. Every policy decision is based upon certain assumptions about the present and future state of the society. Most social science prediction consists not of predicting specific developments as the astronomer predicts an eclipse but of forecasting the general pattern of trends and changes which seem most probable. All such predictions or forecasts should be offered with certain humility for no certainty attends them. Instead social scientists offer them as the best most informed guesses available upon which to base our policy decisions and expectations for the future. Sociological prediction can also help to estimate the probable effects of a social policy. Every social policy decision is a prediction. A policy is begun in the hope that it will produce a desired effect. Policies have often...
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