Welcome to Sociology with Mrs Ashford

Objectives: Who am I? Who are you? Induction work, textbook, blog What is Sociology? What are the elements required for a successful society?

Sociological perspectives Induction Task This is due on 1 st 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 !!

If you enjoy thinking about these you will enjoy Sociology !! 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?

You are the only survivors of a massive natural disaster on planet earth. You have been transported safely to another planet where you will have to build a successful society from scratch. There are 20 survivors of various races, faiths and cultures!

On the sugar paper provided you will plot out your new community including the following points:- How will you provide essential services for the people? How will you decide who does what? Who rules/governs and how do they get that power? What laws will you have in your community to ensure social harmony ? How will you ensure the reproduction of your society and that children are nurtured and have knowledge passed down to them. How will you look after weaker members of society? You have 30 minutes !

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 19 th 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.

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?