Sociology and social policy

• social policy focuses on social problems and how social institutions respond to them. social policy analysts use sociological research to inform governments and other organisations and influence their response to social problems
• Giddens claim the study of sociology gives 4 practical benefits?


  1. An understanding of the world
  2. Heightended awareness of the needs of indviduals groups
  3. Assessment of ''what works''
  4. increased personal knowledge of ourselves and others
• social policy is the area of government that tries to help people?

  1. social policies deal with the well-being of citizens e.g. health and education etc become the name of academic subject
  2. New ideas of social policys generated by government/political parties, party in power either labour or conservatives
  3. Most research into social policy issues carried out by government agencies e.g. education and health
  4. Government use quantitative statistical research to discover social trends e.g. level of population, more qualitative social research gives government insight into causes of social problems
• the link between sociology and social policy was particularly close in the case of sociologist frank field between 1997 and 1998, he was a minister and policy-maker in labour government
• sociological research gives policy-makers insight into poverty and inequality?

  1. creation of welfare state after 2nd world war gave many impression in late 1960s, poverty largely eradicated (eliminate) in uk
  2. Empirical evidence from townsend and lansley showed poverty was hidden problem, did more research to come up with theories of why certain groups more vunerable to poverty, blamed inadequate welfare system
  3. These theories + empirical data, guided social policy about welfare,poverty, inequality
• weber believed sociology shouldn't tell decision-makers how to fix society?


  1. believed sociology shouldn't make value judgements, shouldn't tell policy-makers how to fix society
  2. argued that sociological research can tell decision makers whether a specific policy will have desired result,social costs incur-policy maker come up with policy > researchers go away and find evidence to work out the best way of doing it
  3. weber crucial to have good methodology to give useful info
  4. critics say policy come after evidence gathering and can suggest a much better policy
• postmodernists have diverse views on the link between research and policy?

  1. bauman believes that sociology should inform social research, worries society may get worse if sociological research about povert & welfare aren't listended to and argues that postmodern consumer society is marginalising welfare state, believes its a bad thing
  2. lyotard worried that 'scientific' methods of sociological research could construct oppressive metanarratives leading to strict doctrine and oppression
• Marxists think sociology is too close with capitalist system?

  1. believe sociology is too closely intertwined with capitalist system to make a difference to society since they believe capitalism is inherently flawed/oppressive and suggest sociological study is a tool used to justify unjust social policy
  2. marxists believe research is controlled by ruling-class interests preventing it being used to change the system to socialism & point amount of funding for sociological research which comes from state and claim sociology is being bought
• some feminists- sociology can't affect gender inequality. Disagree about whether sociological research can improve lives of women in patriarchal society?

  1. Liberal feminists-research influenced governments, beneficial results for women's lives e.g. gender equality
  2. radical feminists- liberal can't make difference bc society is inherently patriarchal society needs to dismantled before it can be improved
  3. socialists feminists- social policy undervalues women's labour e.g. assume they will bear dual burden of work and housework
• some believe the link between sociology and social policy isn't very strong?

  1. Government often seek to implement social policy that's popular and argued that policies which aren't clear vote-winners dont get implemented
  2. groups in society marginalised bc they dont vote in large numbers, may find themselves neglected if they dont have electoral power
  3. Government consider financial implications of policies they introduce, if its too expensive and won't happen & make voters worry and taxes increase to pay for them
• how do sociologists try to solve sociological problems?

  • sociological problems issues need explaining, even if they dont have negative consequences e.g. toys boys choose to play with
  • social problems defined by worsley are issues that cause 'friction' and 'misery' need solving e.g. why boys dont achieve as well as girls in education
• if a sociological problem is also a social problem, the research will be useful for policy makers but if its not a social problem so research won't be relevant to policy makers