Welcome to Sociology with Mrs Ashford. Objectives: Who am I? Who are you? Induction work, textbook, blog What is Sociology? Debate some hot topics and.

Welcome to Sociology with Mrs Ashford

Objectives:

• Who am I?• Who are you?• Induction work, textbook, blog• What is Sociology?• Debate some hot topics and get to know each

other.

Sociological perspectives

Induction TaskThis is due on 1st day of term without exception !

Sociology explores the social world around

us.It is the scientific study of society and human

behaviour.

What is Sociology?

C Wright Mills – The Sociological Imagination

• The ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and the larger society.

For example…Private v. Public Issues

How this...

Is linked to this...

The Sociology of Facebook

• There are more male members of Facebook but on average girls have more friends than boys, leave more comments and chat more

• The average fb user visits 40 times a month.• On average people only leave comments for

and chat to around 5% of their ‘friends.’

The Sociology of mobile phones

• Until recent years more males owned mobile phones than females but the girls have now caught up!

• On average teenage girls use their mobile phones for texting and calling more than boys.

• Boys on the other hand are more likely to explore new technologies offered like apps.

Questions !!

• What makes you angry about society? • Banker’s bonuses• What makes you glad about society? • Tolerance, human rights laws which

protect us, movies

• Your turn !!

In groups – Debate in as many different ways as you can the following things.

Should the government ban private schools and tutoring to pass 11+ exams so that every child has equal opportunities in the uk?

Will males and females ever be equal? Are they already equal? Are their differences due to biology or society?

What would be the best way to tackle crime, preventing poverty or increasing prison sentences to act as a deterrent? Do people choose to commit crimes of their own free-will?

Would more people work for a living if benefits were reduced? Is it fair that some people are rich and some are poor – can the poor be blamed for their situation?

Do investment bankers deserve £million bonuses? Is it fair that some jobs seem easy but pay well while other really hard jobs are poorly paid?

Functionalism

• Society is seen as a web of systems which all rely upon each other for example the family, the economy, law and order, politics, the culture of society, all bind together to make it work. If one part fails then society will dysfunction, just like a body would if an organ failed.

Marxism

• To Karl Marx progress and change is driven by a desire for profit in a capitalist system. The richest few at the top (Bourgeoisie) exploit the lower classes (Proletariat) by making a profit from their labour. The Bourgeoisie are a minority in society and fear uprising and rebellion so the masses are controlled through institutions like education, media and religion.

Feminism

• Feminists believe that the main conflict in society is not between social classes but between genders. They believe that society is Patriarchal (meaning males run society in their own interests). Feminists have campaigned since the Suffragettes in late 19th C to gain equality for women.

•

Interpretivism

Interpretivists are different to all the others because they believe that society is created through the actions of individuals and how we interpret the world around us (everyone is unique and has free-will to change society for better or worse).

Interactionists believe that some people become negatively labelled through their dealings with others and this can affect how they live their lives. For example, if a teenager is labelled as a ‘chav’ this might affect how they behave in the future and on a wider scale affect society as a whole.

Post Modernism

• None of the old perspectives are adequate to explain how society works since it is in constant change. Changes include, multiculturalism, globalisation, changing gender roles, lack of trust in traditional authorities like scientists or politicians, the shrinking of time and space through technology, consumerism and global risks.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeoKQbT8BKs

Plenary

• What does Functionalism compare society to?• What did Marx call the two classes battling for

power?• What was the Feminist name for male

dominance?• Which perspective uses the term ‘labelling’?• Changes in modern society can be illustrated

by what social network?