Sociology Postmodernism questions & answers graded A+

Sociology PostmodernismPostmodernism - correct answer In traditional societies magic or religion were used to provide explanations for the social world. These beliefs were known as meta-narratives (or big stories) that offered people guidance and hope. In modern societies, science and rational thought became the new meta-narrative. Sociological theories such as Marxism and functionalism suggest that that had the answers to make the world a better and safer place. Sociologists from each perspective believed that life would be improved in the following ways: 1.) Functionalism claimed society needed shared values between people. 2.) Marxists believe that class differences need to be disposed of. 3.) Feminists believe that men and women should be equal and society free of patriarchy. However, according to postmodernists, this sort of certainty is inappropriate, there is no absolute truth; knowledge and beliefs are relative. Relativism says there are several versions of reality, not just one. Trust in single explanations has been replaced by questioning and doubts and people can now make their own choices as to what to believe and how to behave. Postmodernist beliefs - correct answer 1.) People create society as they go along. It is not possible to 'know' society: or how society works as it is not a 'thing'. 2.) Truth is just another opinion. 3.) There are no rules, so people choose to do what pleases them. 4.) Gender and sexuality are a matter of personal choice. 5.) Theories are pointless because they all have weaknesses. 6.) People choose what to believe in a 'pick and mix' of different ideas. 7.) People gain satisfaction from buying thing which give them an identity, this is consumerism. 8.) Society only change, things do not improve. 9.) Social groups are fragmented, so people choose their gender and class. Modernist beliefs - correct answer 1.) Society creates order out of chaos; the purpose of sociology is to learn how society works and improve it. 2.) Knowledge produced by science is the truth. 3.) People follow social rules because it makes good sense to do so. 4.) Gender is fixed at birth and based on sex. 5.) Theories can offer the answers to problems in society. 6.) People tend to belong to one particular belief system such as Marxism or Christianity. 7.) People gain satisfaction and value from making things. 8.) Society is constantly improving itself and the world can only get better. 9.) People belong to known social groups such as gender or classes. Criticising Postmodernism - correct answer 1.) The work of postmodernism tends to be descriptive as it cannot be used as the basis of sociological research. Identifying social diversity does not explain it. 2.) The theory states that there is no theory. This is a contradiction in itself. Strengths of Postmodernism - correct answer 1.) It shows the social attitudes are changing as older belief systems have less influence. 2.) People responding to choices helps explain social change. 3.) It highlight the impact of the media and consumerism on modern culture. Recognising Postmodernism - correct answer Postmodernists tend to think in terms of choice and uncertainty. They emphasise that change is natural to society and that no particular way of life is correct. They discuss the way that people are individualistic, concerned with image and with consumerism products, especially technology and the media. They agree with interactionists that people interpret the world and then develop that idea to say that people construct the reality that best suits their needs. Jean Francois Lyotard - correct answer Lyotard claimed that there are no useful meta-narratives in modern society because all of them are too simplistic. Knowledge is no longer a way in which we can be controlled by the powerful because modern technology means we all can access it. Ideas can now be judged on how useful they are, not on their 'truth'. Jean Baudrillard () - correct answer Baudrillard was interested in the media. He said that we are swamped by the media images and messages so that all we do is consume. We do not buy products because we like them, we buy them because they give us an identity of some kind. In our society, appearance and image are all we care about because there is no reality to life.