Theory 10 mark (no item) questions
Outline and explain two functionalist concepts.
- Social order: Durkheim- order achieved through value consensus & collective conscience, reinforced by
social facts. Parsons- achieved through socialisation and integration if individuals.
- Social stratification: Davis & Moore- necessary for role allocation in society. Creation of incentives &
meritocracy.
Outline and explain two criticisms of functionalism.
- Assumptions: Merton- Parsons assumes indispensability and ignores functional alternatives, assumes
universal functionality.
- Logic argument: functionalism is teleological- cause & effect wrong way round.
Outline and explain two Marxist concepts.
- Class divide: Marx- division of labour leads to 2 classes- owners vs workers of production. Private
property & inheritance.
- Hegemony: Gramsci- ruling class maintains power through consent & coercion. Althusser- ISA/RSA.
Outline and explain two criticisms of Marxism.
- Functionalism: Parsons- order achieved through value consensus, rather than enforcing ideology.
- Postmodernism: Lyotard- Marxism is a metanarrative- assumes it can solve everything.
Outline and explain two feminist concepts.
- Liberal: Somerville- march of progress through reform of law and culture, towards gender equality.
- Marxist: Ansley- “takers of shit”- women serve capitalism through absorption of anger.
Outline and explain two criticisms of feminism.
- Criticism of liberal- difference feminists argue it is ethnocentric and focuses on progress of white,
Western women - women are still oppressed in certain societies.
- Criticism of Marxist- assumes that nuclear family is the dominant family type and all women experience
domestic violence.
Outline and explain two interactionist concepts.
- Subjective meanings: Weber- human interaction through rational actions and social awareness.
- Impression management: Goffman- dramaturgical model. Cooley- ‘looking glass self’
Outline and explain two functionalist concepts.
- Social order: Durkheim- order achieved through value consensus & collective conscience, reinforced by
social facts. Parsons- achieved through socialisation and integration if individuals.
- Social stratification: Davis & Moore- necessary for role allocation in society. Creation of incentives &
meritocracy.
Outline and explain two criticisms of functionalism.
- Assumptions: Merton- Parsons assumes indispensability and ignores functional alternatives, assumes
universal functionality.
- Logic argument: functionalism is teleological- cause & effect wrong way round.
Outline and explain two Marxist concepts.
- Class divide: Marx- division of labour leads to 2 classes- owners vs workers of production. Private
property & inheritance.
- Hegemony: Gramsci- ruling class maintains power through consent & coercion. Althusser- ISA/RSA.
Outline and explain two criticisms of Marxism.
- Functionalism: Parsons- order achieved through value consensus, rather than enforcing ideology.
- Postmodernism: Lyotard- Marxism is a metanarrative- assumes it can solve everything.
Outline and explain two feminist concepts.
- Liberal: Somerville- march of progress through reform of law and culture, towards gender equality.
- Marxist: Ansley- “takers of shit”- women serve capitalism through absorption of anger.
Outline and explain two criticisms of feminism.
- Criticism of liberal- difference feminists argue it is ethnocentric and focuses on progress of white,
Western women - women are still oppressed in certain societies.
- Criticism of Marxist- assumes that nuclear family is the dominant family type and all women experience
domestic violence.
Outline and explain two interactionist concepts.
- Subjective meanings: Weber- human interaction through rational actions and social awareness.
- Impression management: Goffman- dramaturgical model. Cooley- ‘looking glass self’
