sociology and social policy

• Sociologists don't agree on the relationship sociology should have with social policy


  Some argue it should be separate, others say sociology should inform/influence social policy
• Social problem


  Social behaviour that causes public/private friction or misery and has negative consequences
• Social problems


  • poverty
  • divorce
  • crime
  • juvenile delinquency
• Sociological problem


  Any pattern of relationship or behaviour that calls for an explanation
• Sociological problems


  • political structures and impact on the economy
  • Teachers personality and behaviour for different classes
  • Police and interactions with different groups
  • Why poor people commit more crime
• Sociologists carry out research but there's no guarantee findings/solutions will be influenced social policy
• Reasons why research may not influence social policy

  • Electoral popularity
  • Ideological and policy preferences
  • Interest groups
  • Globalisation
  • Critical sociology
  • Cost
• Electoral popularity


  Governments rely on voters to elect them to maintain power, so findings may produce unpopular policies that won't be implemented
• Ideological and policy preferences

  Depends on ideological and policy preferences of the state - only choose research that reflects their values
• Interest groups


  Pressure groups that seek to influence government policies in own interests - may have enough power to persuade the government to ignore research findings
• Globalisation


  Policy is increasingly influenced by global interests such as EU and International Monetary Fund, leading to loss of control from individual nation-states
• Critical sociology


  Critical sociology is ignored by policy makers, as Marxists who are critical of the capitalist state are often ignored by capitalist governments
• Cost


  Governments may be sympathetic to findings but have other priorities, and sociologists whose findings may have negative implications may not release them or make them seem less bad to not risk alienating themselves from paymasters
• Different perspectives on the relationship between sociology and policy

  • Social democratic perspective
  • New right
  • Feminists
  • Marxists
• Social democratic perspective


  Favours the redistribution of wealth and income from rich to the poor, so sociologists should research poverty and make recommendations so social policy can eradicate them
• New right


  Minimal involvement from the state, as the welfare state robs people of freedom and undermines their sense of responsibility, leading to more social issues
• Feminists


  State, society and social policy are patriarchal and perpetuate female subordination, so feminists use research to change state policy to help women
• Marxists


  State and social policy are instruments of the ruling class and serve their interests rather than the interests of all, so sociologists' job is to reveal the inequality in society