Core themes in sociology What is sociology? Sociology is the study of society and of people and their behaviour Society =A large group of interacting people in a defined territory, sharing a common culture. Sociologists (those that study society) study a range of topics e.g. such our education system , changes to the family in the UK , how religion has changed in the UK and globally to why people commit crime ? In studying topics like the ones above , sociologists create theories (we will look at this in detail today) to explain human behaviour and the workings of society . For example, we may have a theory as to why there are differences in girls’ and boys’ achievement levels in school/ Sociology is an evidence based subject – it is not just about the sociologist’s personal opinion –our opinions and theories must by backed up by research . Sociology is famously known for producing solutions to social problems e.g. if we know causes for why some underachieve , this knowledge is then used to help the government to design policies to improve educational opportunities for all. A taste of Sociology Core themes in sociology Title page

The core themes 1. Socialisation , culture and identity 2. Social differentiation , power and stratification These themes are applied to particular substantive areas of sociology. These themes are interpreted broadly as threads running's through many areas of social life . 3. Students must also understand the significance of conflict and consensus, social structure and social action, and the roles of ‘values’ 4. Globalisation Will introduce students to the core themes in sociology

Core theme : Sociological theories-starter 1.The ruling ideas in society are those of the ruling class (the rich few) 2.A persons identity is purely a matter of her or his personal choice , regardless of social factors 3.Women will never achieve equality as long as men hold the positions of power in society 4.It is everyone’s interest to pull together at work for the benefit of society as a whole 5. Some people may see amber traffic light as a warning to speed up before it turns red . Others may see it as a sign to slow down before stopping. In order to understand such behaviour , you need to understand the meaning people give to events. Students will be given 5 minutes to read and pick the statement they agree with . You guys will go around asking which one they agree with and why , which one they disagree with and why Which statement do you agree with the most ?

A word to strike fear into the hearts of Sociology teachers and students alike… A systematic and general attempt to explain something… A suggested explanation for something… “Theory!” what is it ?” “Why do people commit crimes? “Why do people get married?” “How does the media affect us?” “Why do kids play truant from school?” “Why do some people believe in God?” “How is our identity shaped by culture?”

“Theory” …is something we use all the time in our everyday life “Why do I feel unwell?” We all use theory to construct explanations about the social world in which we live… Which, in a way, is what Sociologists also try to do… “Why are my friends behaving oddly?” In a slightly different way, of course… “Why do I have to go to school?”

Sociological Theory High-Level Theories Functionalism… Comes in a variety of shapes and sizes… Sociological Theory High-Level Theories Focus on trying to explain how and why society is ordered Functionalism… Mid-Range Theories Marxism… Focus on trying to explain some general aspect of social behaviour Interactionism… Feminism… Low-Level Theories Focus on trying to explain a specific aspect of social behaviour. Why do girls achieve higher educational qualifications than boys? Why do I always fall asleep in Psychology lessons?

There is different ways of seeing society I will introduce this to them Structural view : we are shaped by the way society is organised , We behave according to society’s expectations Social action view : we have free will and choice, we have the power to create society through our actions and interactions

Society Is Like… Using analogies to introduce the basic principles of Functionalism , Marxism, Feminism and Interactionism.

Sociological Perspectives… The following task is designed to help you understand the basic themes / principles of a range of sociological perspectives Sociological Perspectives… They do this by using analogies… In other words, they help you to decide “what society is like” (from different sociological perspectives) by asking you to compare “society” to something familiar… Part of your task , is to use a variety of different analogies to develop a picture of how the concept of “society” is seen and explained by different sociological perspectives…

Each group is given an analogy (for example “Society is like a human body”) to brainstorm. One copy of the “Society Is Like…” sheet per student. This sheet has two columns. The first requires the brainstorming some characteristics of the analogy being used. The second requires the group to look at how each characteristic is similar to society. Help sheet : Each group is given general introduction to the idea of one of the following sociological perspectives such as Functionalism, Marxism, Feminism and interactionism . This should give each group a basic idea of the perspectives they are going to analyse. 15 - 20 minutes working in groups to complete the worksheet. Each group is then required to present their work to the whole class (5 - 10 minutes per group).

“Society Is Like”: A Human Body Functionalism… “Society Is Like”: A Human Body Characteristics of human body… Characteristics of society… Each part of the body works in harmony with all other parts Each part of society works in harmony with all other parts

“Society Is Like”: A League Table Marxism… “Society Is Like”: A League Table Characteristics of league table… Characteristics of society… A league is characterised by competition between teams Society involves competition between social groups / classes

“Society Is Like”: A Play Interactionism… “Society Is Like”: A Play Characteristics of a play… Characteristics of society… A play has actors who play their individual roles Society consists of individual actors who play a variety of roles

“Society Is Like”: A war Feminism… “Society Is Like”: A war Characteristics of war… Characteristics of society… A war is characterised by conflict between two opposing sides Society involves competition between men and women

Follow-up Work 1. reflect on the work you have done in relation to their analogy, using the following questions: “Thinking about the work you’ve done in terms of your analogy”: a. Who are the main winners in the type of society you’ve described? b. How do these people try to maintain their privileged position? c. Who are the main losers in the type of society you’ve described? d. How do these people try to change their underprivileged position? S+C “Thinking about the answers you’ve just produced”: e. What is the basis of social order in society (why does the situation you’ve described continue over time?). f. What creates conflict in the society you’ve described? g. How (and why) does the society you’ve described change?

Follow up work OR What would a theorist (based on the specific THEORY YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN) have to say about the pictures and info on your sheet? Write down your answers together and be prepared to share with the class. On the basis of your worksheet, write a summative paragraph beginning: “Society is like [analogy] because…”.

Education system provides a qualified workforce for the economy Family is one of the main building block keeping society stable Some teachers give the impression some students are thick Men hold the most positions of power The welfare state has created those who want to scrounge off the government To make sure women have equal opportunities m more free childcare needs to be provided Women are exploited as workers and at home

4 MAIN THEORIES TO KNOW (Sociology theories are just different views about how society works) 1) Functionalism 2) Marxism 3) Feminism 4) Interactionism

Functionalist Perspective Functionalists believe we each have a ROLE/FUNCTION [a job to do] and we are interdependent upon each other to contribute to society functioning as a whole (MACRO/big picture). We each have a role and a piece in the big puzzle. We share values, norms, attitudes and beliefs (consensus) Change is generally viewed as disruptive and gradual. Example: The Macro BIG PICTURE of our Education system: *Role of all teachers = to educate & enforce proper behaviour and a life skill-set so that all students will be prepared for adulthood.

Marxist Perspective (Macro) Society is dominated by the ruling class (the big wigs at the top of the food chain have the power). Power = control, money, access, prestige, privilege, authority, respect… Society based on conflict: the WORKING CLASS [called the proletariat] are in conflict with the RULING CLASS [called the bourgeoisie/elite]).

Feminist Theory (Macro) Feminism is considered to be a “structural theory” (we are all passive puppets manipulated by society to perform our roles) and women are primarily at a disadvantage to men in today’s Patriarchal (male dominated and empowered) society. (macro level structural theory)

Feminists believe women function in the family as subordinate members because their role is reduced to…   1) Reproducing the labour force (populating and nurturing children) 2) Performing “unpaid/free labour” services in the home. 3) Absorbing the anger/stress of the family and their partner (women are pressured to create a stable and stress free home environment). 4) Serving the needs of men within marriage (sexually; as the nurturer; providing free domestic work and primarily in charge of the household; main child care provider, etc).

Interactionist Perspective (Micro) Studies society through interactions within individual and small (micro scale) groups. Interaction between individuals is negotiated through shared symbols, gestures and verbal + nonverbal communication Interactionists ask questions like: How do individuals experience one another? How do they interpret the meaning of these interactions? How do people construct a sense of self identity through this?

The project will be due in 5th of September 2018-Wednesday Transition to A Level Sociology This research-based project is designed to give you an ideal grounding for A-level study. The tasks included will form part of an assessment to judge your suitability to access the course in September . To access the course you will complete all of the tasks to give you a good idea of what to expect on a Sociology course and prepare you for the baseline assessment. The tasks set , all focus on the core themes explored and the types of skills you will need to master to be successful in Sociology . These tasks will be useful to refer to throughout the course. Completing this will give you a good head start for your A Level Sociology. Present the tasks in any format you like – this could be a PowerPoint or a poster, or a leaflet, or word processed on an A4. The project will be due in 5th of September 2018-Wednesday There will be a certificates and prizes for the top three best projects which can be used on application forms for future jobs, courses, apprenticeships and University degrees! Good luck and Enjoy  The Sociology Team Mrs Sharmin – – Sociology captains -Sociology Mentors What is Sociology? Sociology is an exciting subject that challenges your everyday experiences. It is the study of the relationship between the individual and society. Sociologists are interested in why society works in the way that it does and the extent to which our behaviour and opportunities can be shaped by our social class, age, gender and race.