Sociology and social policy

Social problem - Worsley (1977)

• Piece of social behaviour that causes public friction/private misery and thus requires collective action like gov’t policies

3 social problems

1. Crime

2. Poverty

3. Educational underachievement

Sociological problem - Worsley (1977)

• Pattern of relationships that calls for explanation

• Can be a social problem or not, e.g. both normal and abnormal behaviour are sociological problems but abnormal behaviour is also a social rpboelm

3 ways sociology impacts social policy

1. Provides evidence for a policy

2. Provides a theoretical framework for a policy (e,g. Giddens and TW, Murray and NR, Young and L.realism)

3. May have unintended consequences

7 factors that affect the influence of sociology on social policy

1. Electoral popularity (prison reform)

2. Alignment with gov’t ideology

3. Interest groups may be more powerful than research

4. Globalisation and IGOs (e.g. IMF SAPs > research)

5. Critical sociology regarded as too hostile/extreme (e.g. Marxism)

6. Cost of possible policies may be too high

7. Funding sources may affect research (he who pays the piper calls the tune)

1 indirect influence of sociology on policy + example

• Ideas may become part of the mainstream, influence public perspective on policies and thus influence gov’t

• E.g. Bowlby (1965) stressed the importance of young children’s relationship with their mother for their development, which has now become widely accepted

Burden (1998) — classification of something as a problem

• Often matter of political debate and can only be done by those in power

  • Social policies ≠ neutral attempts to deal with a problem

Positivism and functionalism - role of state

• Serve interests of all society

Positivism and functionalism - 3 aspects of social policies

1. Rational

2. Benefit all

3. Help society run more smoothly and efficiently e.g. education improves equality of opportunity and social integration, health and housing assist the family in its functions

Positivism and functionalism - role of the sociologist

• Provide state with objective scientific information about social problems

  • E.g. its cause, extent and cures

• The state then uses this information to base its policies on

Functionalism - social policies

• Should be piecemeal social engineering

  • Cautious approach

  • 1 issue at a time

CRITICISM of functionalism’s piecemeal approach — Marxist

• Social problems cannot be solved by social policies as they’re simply aspects of a wider structure (class inequality)

  • Instead: change basic structure of society

Social democracy — main aim

• Major wealth distribution from rich → poor

SD - Townsend (1979) - social policy

• Research social problems and made policy recommendations to eradicate them

  • E.g. poverty can be solved by increased public spending on health/education/welfare

SD - Black Report (1980)

• Class inequalities in health

• Commissioned by L but ignored by Thatcher

Black Report (1980) — 3 recommendations

1. FSM for all

2. Better working conditions

3. More spending on housing

CRITICISM of SD — Marxist

• No policy can solve capitalism, it must be abolished

  • Shown by T’s reaction to BR

CRITICISM of SD — PoMo

• Impossible to discover objective truth thus sociological findings not good base for policies

  • Sociologists = interpreters

  • Sociologists ≠ legislators

Marxism — view on the state

• Represents RC

• Serves interests of capitalism, not society

Marxism — 4 functions of social policies

1. Maintain labour force for further exploitation (e.g. NHS)

2. Ideological legitimise capitalist exploitation (e.g. welfare state)

3. Prevent revolution (welfare state ‘buys off’ W/C opposition to capitalism)

4. Can provide benefits but limited by capitalism’s crises of profitability in which welfare spending is massively decreased

Marxism — role of sociologist

• Criticise capitalist social policy by revealing capitalist exploitation!

  • NOT serve capitalist society

2 CRITICISMS of Marxist perspective

1. Impractical

2. Unrealistic

CRITICISM of Marxism - SD

• Ignores positive impacts of research on policy and outcomes

Feminism - role of policies

• Subordinate

Feminism - example of policy that subordinates women

• Nuclear family assumed to be normal → policies to support it → more difficult to live in other types of family

2 influences of liberal feminism on social policy

1. Learning materials in education

2. Teacher training

1 influence of radical feminism on social policy

1. Refuges for women excaping DV — women’s Aid Federation provides 500+ with gov’t funding

CRITICISM of liberal feminism - radical

• Reformist social policies cannot liberate all women

  • Need further-reaching changes that are impossible with current state

NR — role of social policy

• No much as state should only have a minimal involvement in society

  • Instead should restore individual responsability

NR — social justice policy group (2007) 3 policy examples

1. Marriage preparation

2. Parenting classes

3. Tax support for SAHMS

NR — 3 influences on polity

1. C

2. NL

3. Right realism

2 CRITICISMS of NR

1. Murray’s data is not valid

2. NR was influenced by politically sympathetic think tanks