Sociology and social_policy

1. Sociology and Social
Policy

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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?

5. 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.

6. Sociology and New Labour
The influence of sociology over social policy
was at its height under Tony Blair whose
‘guru’ was a leading sociologist Anthony
Giddens.

7. New Labour = the Third Way?
 “The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy” A
Giddens 1998
Key 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.

8. 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

9. 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?

10. 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?