For example education has a function to make sure people are educated and conform to works place norms. Functionalist sees the family as an important sub system. For example George Peter Murdock argues that the family performs four important functions; stable satisfaction of the sex drive, preproduction of the next generation, socialisation of the young and meeting its member’s economic needs. Other sociologists have criticised Murdock’s functionalist approach. Marxists and feminists reject his consensus view that the family meets the needs of both wider society and all members of the family.
Functionalism, Marxism and Feminism are common theories. Using the family and education system as examples, evaluate their effectiveness in explaining the social system. In this assignment, I am going to explain the theories of Functionalism, Marxism and Feminism. I will give examples that expand the definitions and show that such ideologies still have an impact on the society we live in. Functionalism is a macro theory, which looks at society as a whole rather than focuses on each individual.
The historical facet analyses the historical context of a subject matter to better understand the subject in the present. The purpose of history is not only “to study the past as an end in itself but as a way of reflecting on the present” (Holmes et al, 2003, pg. 10). Hence, the sociological imagination demands that it is not enough to examine the society merely in the present. The cultural aspect of the sociological imagination involves the “learned ideas, values, knowledge, rules and customs shared by members of a collectivity” (Holmes et al, 2003, pg 11).
They also believed that serenity comes to those whose will is in according with the World reason, the Logos. This type of thinking leads to reduction of frustration and anxiety. 5. What is the disinterested rational will, and why is it important to Stoic doctrine? Disinterested rational Will is a matter of having no personal attachments or motives.
Sociological Perspectives SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology Professor ______________ Date: Sociological Perspectives In the field of sociology, there are several approaches sociologists consider when studying humankind’s behavior. Sociologists contend that no single theory is correct by itself; rather, they draw on all of them for various purposes. Sociologists view the social world in diverse ways. For example, some see the world as stable and a continuing entity. Those who have this view contend they are impressed with the endurance of social institutions such as family (Schaefer, 2009).
SOCIAL THEMES AND PERSPECTIVES Feminism - Functionalism The focus of this assignment will be to compare and contrast two key sociological perspectives, Functionalism and Feminism in relation to the family. It will define both perspectives having identified the meaning of family. Finally it will evaluate the difference between the two perspectives. Shulman (2009:260) highlights the difficulties faced when defining the meaning of ‘family’. The confusion derives from the changing nature of modern relationships and whilst family is a group it is a special type of group, one which cannot be captured in a single definition.
Explain the meaning of the term observation (10 marks) An observation is watching behaviour in a real life setting and taking notes of the observation. Interpretivists prefer observation as it tends to produce qualitative data which is more valid. There are two different types of observation: covert observation which is when the researcher hasn’t told the participants that they’re being observed. The British Sociological association advised you should only use this method when there’s no other way of obtaining the data that the researcher needs. For example: Nigel Fielding used covert observation when researching the national front (far right wing political party) as he believed he would encounter hostility if they knew he was a sociologist.
Functionalism does not encourage people to take an active role in changing their social environment, even when such change may benefit them. Instead, functionalism sees active social change as undesirable because the various parts of society will compensate naturally for any problems that may arise _____________________________________________________________________ Conflict The conflict perspective focuses on the negative, conflicted and constantly changing nature of society, rather than the more recent developments in other theories, that are often positive. Unlike functionalists, conflict
Using material from Item A and elsewhere assess the strengths and limitations of questionnaires for the study of parental attitudes to education. [20] Firstly, the item claims ‘sociologists are interested in what these attitudes are and how they affect achievement.’ For sociologists, particularly positivists, questionnaires have many strengths that warrant them a useful research method when studying parental attitudes. However, for interpretivists the limitations of this method make it fairly useless as complex issues like this one require deep and meaningful studies. This essay will assess these strengths and weaknesses to conclude the suitability of the use of questionnaires when studying parental attitudes to education. One of the major strengths of questionnaires is their practicality.
Through her novels, Jane Austen shows how these factors effect parenting style and overall the success and life choices of the child. In today’s society there are many aid available to help the child raising process. They all share a common outline on what is considered proper childrearing and how to build a close bond with your kids for a positive relationship. However in Jane Austen’s era, parents seemed to take a different approach in having a very distinguished “Parent-Child” relationship and less like a companion with emotional ties. This set the stage, and greatly influenced the parenting figures found in Jane Austen’s novels.