Theory and Methods

Theory and Methods

1. paper 1

2. The 'BIG FOUR'

   • social policy
   • postmodernism
   • objectivity + values
   • is sociology a science?

3. SOCIAL POLICY

   • should sociology be used in policy making?
     • gov = has ultimate power - lots of factors to consider
     • functionalists - sees sociology as providing knowledsge to guide policy for good of society
     • social democrats - sociology as making policies make major chamges such as abolition of poverty
     • thatcher - 'no welfare dependency' - new right want end dependency on state, influence over state
     • new labour - influenced by Giddens '3rd way'
     • feminists - see policies reflecting patriarchy + use influence help feminist cause
     • marxists - critical of policies of capitalist state