Sociology and Social Policy

What is social policy?

Changes in the law, initiatives, plans and regulations by central government to tackle social issues and/or change society in some way

What is the role of the sociologist? Should sociologists be separate from social

policy makers – academic and objective? Should their role be to help policy makers

make policy or should it be to criticise existing policy and suggest alternatives

Early Sociologists The founders of sociology thought it had an important role to

play in changing society – Functionalists like Comte and Durkheim saw the role of sociology as preserving social order / maintaining consensus.

Alternatively Marx believed the role of the ‘philosopher’ was to understand the world and to change it – Marx was politically active in revolutionary politics. (Research which attempts to change or improve society is sometimes called action research)

Are there other sociological perspectives favouring action research and social change?

Influences on Sociology Today Social policy clearly influenced by political ideas e.g.

Labour and welfare state in the mid to late 20th heavily influenced by socialism and treating people as equals

Cameron’s recent pledge to ‘strengthen families’ clearly influenced by a New Right agenda.

Social policy is also influenced by a growth in sociological knowledge e.g. Seebohm Rowntree e.g. showed the main causes of poverty were low pay, sickness, unemployment, old age and discrimination not the poor being stupid or idle.

Sociology and New LabourThe influence of sociology over social policy

was at its height under Tony Blair whose ‘guru’ was a leading sociologist Anthony Giddens.

New Labour = the Third Way? “The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy” A

Giddens 1998Key points

1. Make citizens active – aware not just of their rights but also of their duties and responsibilities

2. Government should promote renewal of civil society through policy

3. Government should tackle social exclusion (detachment from mainstream society by underclass i.e. the poor)

4. Government should introduce better public services (health and education), fund better benefits, and provide opportunities to rise out of poverty.

New Labour Policies Big push against poverty – minimum wage, working Families Tax credit

– a top up for low paid workers, big rises in Child benefit, the Sure Start Programme which provided health and support services for low income families with children under 4

Big push against unemployment – The New deal offered education and training for young people aged 18-24 – also funded advisors to help young people assess choices

‘Education, education, education’ massive increase in education spending ‘Building Schools for the Futures’ Also attempt to tackle educational disadvantage ‘Education Action Zones’ and the Academies Programme

Citizenship – New Labour made the teaching of Citizenship part of the National Curriculum with an emphasis on rights, duties and responsibilities

Conclusion Whilst sociology can have a big influence on

social policy and social attitudes there are many other influences

The influence of sociology at its height with New Labour

What are the main influences on the Coalitions' social policies? Immigaration?