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Sociology2014:AnswerWritingChallenge22
INSIGHTS
Wednesday,December32014,1:08PM

SOCIOLOGY

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Sociology2014:AnswerWriting
Challenge22
BYINSIGHTSSEPTEMBER26,2014

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1)WriteshortnotesonALLofthefollowing(eachanswer
shouldnotexceed200words):

(a) Alienation inmodernsociety.

(b)ValueProbleminsociologicalresearch.
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(c)SocialActionandPatternvariables.
(d)SocializationandtheSelf.
2)Whatarethemajorpostulatesinfunctionalanalysis?Istheframework
conservativeorradicalinitsapproachtothestudyofsocialphenomena?
Substantiateyourview.(300Words)
3)Discusshowthesociologistshavetriedtosolvetheproblemof
differentiatingthenatureandscopeoftheirdisciplinefromthesubject
matterofothersocialsciences.(300Words)

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Jointhediscussion
sachin 2monthsago

Socialisationandself
SocietyistheproductofselfandselfistheproductofsocietysaidG.H
Mead.Withanentirelydifferentapproachfromthatofhispredecessors,Mead
arguedstudyingthepresentationofselfisthesubjectmatterofsociology.
Societyhelpsincreatingonesselfisthroughtheprocessofsocialisationforwhich
familyisthefoundation.Forinstanceachildinafamilylearnstotaketheroleof
othersduringhisgrowth.Inplaystagehetakessinglerolesinsequence,
whereasingamestagehegoesontotakemultiplerolessimultaneously.
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Meadfurtherarguesthat,bypresentingtheselfandthroughinterationwithhis
coactors,anindividualinevaluatingoneselfconstantly.Consequently,he
modifieshisactionaccordingtothesituation.Thishappenswithallthe
individualsmakingwayforactionandinteration.Suchmultipleinteractionsforrt
societyandhencesocietyisalsoproductofselves.
Thus,inhiswords,socializationthroughfamilyhelpsapersontobereflexiveof
onesactionwhichisnotpresentincaseofanimals.ItfurthernurturestheI(
Innovative)andMe(Confirmist)partsofonesselfwhichisbothasubjectin
theformoffutureanticipationsaswellasobjectintheformofcontinuous
evalutioninpursuitofachievingsubjectivegoals.
Friendspls review .IgnoreTypo
Sahil Garg> sachin 2monthsago

Perfect
Madforias > sachin 2monthsago

verywellwritten
sachin 2monthsago

Theinterventionof values anditsinterplayinsociologicalanalysishasbeenin

constantdebateinthediscourseofsociology.Accordingly,variousschoolsof
thoughtreflectonthisissueinadifferentmanner.
Positivistsarguethatthereshouldbecompletedisengagementof values from
research.Theysaythatinterventionof values takesawayscientificrigourof
sociologicalanalysis.Andthuspeoplelike Durkheim callsofstudyingsocietal
elementsasthingsthroughempiricalobservation.
However,thephenomenologicalschoolledbyWilhelmDiltheysaysthatitis
impossibletokeep values outofresearch.Theybelievethatsubjectmatterof
sociologyishumanbeingswhoactsinasituationaccordingtomotivesandhence
values interveneintheinterpretationofsuchaction.
Futher,max weber givesadistinctiveanalysissayingthat values playarolein
choosingafieldofstudy.Buttheresearchermuststrivetobevaluefreewhile
analysinghisstudyinthesensethatvaluepreferenceisallowedbutnotvalue
judgement .For weber ,onecanalwaysstriveforobjectivitybutattaining
completeobjectivityisimpossible.
Friendspls review .IgnoreTypo

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manish > sachin 2monthsago

whataboutvalueproblem...aexampleneedstobeputin...
Kiran> manish 2monthsago

Ifelt..thedebateonwhethervalueintrevenesornotisitselfa
problemfacedbysociologists?Letmeknowifitisotherwise.But
asyousaidanexamplewouldhavebeenbetter.
noboundriz 2monthsago

Karl Marx introducedtheconceptof alienation .Inacapitalistsociety,the

workerexperiences alienation becauseoflossofcontroloverproductionprocess
andtheproduct.Becauseofthishelosesinterestinthework.
Soaccordingto Marx ,inmodernsociety,the alienation isexpectedbecausethe
modeofproductioniscapitalisticbutallthesociologistareofnotthesameview.
Somesociologistslikeherbertblaunerconcludedthatskillingandautomationof
workersleadtoless alienation .OtherslikeMillsreportthe alienation inwhite
collarjobsaswell.Also alienation isfoundtobedifferentindifferentindustries.
Therearemanythingswhichhavechangedsince Marx hadwrittenabout
alienation .Todaysworkersdon'tworkundertoobadconditions.Theyhave
reasonablesocialsecurity.Thewelfarestatehashelpedinthisrespect.Similarly,
majorityofworkersareknowledgeworkerswhosejobsareinnovativeand
interestingsotheyarelesslikelytofeel alienation .
Sothe alienation asaconceptisstillapplicabletosomesectorsandindustriesin
modernsocietyalsobuttheworkersareunlikelytoredeemthemselvesoffby
revolution assuggestedby Marx .
Sahil Garg>noboundriz 2monthsago

Goodone...sopointswithregardto alienation fromproductandsociety

canbeincludedalso
noboundriz> Sahil Garg 2monthsago

Thanks sahil
Rauf Lala >noboundriz 2monthsago

also,canincludeHerbertmarcuseobjectificationofman.
sachin >noboundriz 2monthsago

Goodone.Iamstealingsomepointsfromyouranswer.Keepwriting:)
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noboundriz 2monthsago

Socialisationandself
socialisationisprocessinwhichanindividualgetstoknowandunderstand
aboutthenormsand values ofthesociety.Socialisationhappensattwostages
oneisprimarysocialisation,whichhappensathomeandthesecondary
socialisationwhichhappensoutsidehomelikeschools,officesetc.
Whilesocializingonegetstoknowaboutothersaswellashimself.Accordingto
symbolicinteractionistslikeBlumer,realisingaboutselfisthemostimportant
stageofsocialisation.Onegetstoknowabouthimselfordevelopstheimageof
selfonlyinsocialinteraction.
AccordingtoMead,theselfdevelopsinstageslikeplay,gameandimitation.
Whiledevelopingself,hetakesrolemodelsfromsociety.Meadsusestheterm
generalisedotherandparticularothertodenotethoserolemodels.Apersonalso
developstheconsciousnessofIandMe.IreferstoindividualselfandMerefers
tothesocialisedself.
Itisimportanttorealisethatfamilyandsocietyplaysamajorroleinthe
developmentofaperson.Sothathewillbecomeapartofsociety.
sachin >noboundriz 2monthsago

Couldhavebroughttherelationshipbetweenselfandsocialisationina
betterway.Youaretellingwhatbutnothow.AlsoIfeelthepointsofI
andMeisnotrequiredforthisquestion.Keepwritingandreviewing
sachin 2monthsago

Sociologicalstudywastheoutcomeofrevolutionsof18thand19thcentury
europe.Itstruggledtocarveitsownnicheinitsinitialphases.Thoughsociologists
likeComteandspencertriendtobringoutadisciplineoutofit,theyarenot
muchsuccessful,astheirtheorieswerelacedwithphilosophicalovertones.Itwas
onlywiththeworkofEmile Durkheim thatsociolgyfoundanabilitytostandon
itsfeet.
Inhisworks durkheim madeadistinctionbetweenpsychologyandsociology.He
saysthatsocietyissuigenerisandimportantthanIndividualwhichwasthe
focusofpsychologistsandhencesociologyisthestudyofsociety.Hefurther
arguedthatsocialfactsarethesubjectmatterofsociologyandhencestrivedto
makesociologyascientificdiscipline.
Futher,thescopeofsociologicalstudywasenhancedbymax weber throughhis
socialactionapproach.Histakeoninterpretivestudyofsocialaction
distinguishedsociologyfromacommonbeliefthatitcanbestudiesinthesame
wayofnaturalsciences.
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Karl marx ,tohiscredit,saidthatthougheconomyisthebaseofsocieties,itis

throughsocialrelationsthatsocitiessurviveand change happens.He
broadenedthearenaofsociologyfromthatofhistoryandeconomicsandhis
historicalmaterialismisnotjusteconomicdeterminism,ascommonly
understood.
Inthiscontext,thecontributionsofgeorgeSImmelisofimportanceashetried
todrawboundariesbetweensociologyandothersocialscienceslikehistory,
psyghologyandphilosophy
Finally,itwasGHMeadwhodepartedfromhispredecessorsandactedasa
bridgebetweensociologyandpsychology.Hesaidthatstudyofpresentationof
selfissubjectmatterofsociology.Thus,classicalsociologistscontributedtogive
sociologyauniqueplaceinsocialsciences.Nevertheless,thesubjectdraws
immenselyfromitssisterdisciplinesforitsanalysisandgrowth
Please review .IgnoreTypo
noboundriz> sachin 2monthsago

Goodanswer. Durkheim didtalkaboutdiffb/wsociologyand

philosophyalsoalongwithpsychology.Howthesociologistsareableto
provethatsociologyasaseparatedisciplineisneededhasnotcomeout
clearly.Forexample Durkheim said suicide isnotpsychologicalbut
societalthushemaintainedtheneedofsociologyapartfrompsychology.
Thoseexamplemighthavebeengood.
Review myanswersalso.
sachin >noboundriz 2monthsago

@noboundriz.Thanksforyour review .Yesthe suicide examples

shouldhavebeenthere.Pointtaken
Sahil Garg> sachin 2monthsago

Uneedtofocusonnatureofsubjectscietific,nonscientificandanti
positivist.
Withregardto,formalandsyntheticschoolsmustbequoted. Weber
waalepointmei,addthathepromotedinterdisciplinaryapproach.
Phenomelogywentwayaheadofall
sachin > Sahil Garg 2monthsago

Thanks Sahil .YeahImissedschoolsofthoughtandother

comments noteddown.

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manish 2monthsago

1(1)
manish 2monthsago

1(2)
sachin > manish 2monthsago

Bro,uneedtofocusonwhatexactly Alienation is,asdescribedby karl

marx .Thatisthesoulofthequestion.Thenucanaddviewofother
thinkers.Plus,youcancheckmy comments forRawoneandinclude
themifyoufeeltheyarerelevant
Sahil Garg> manish 2monthsago

Ushouldnottalkabout durkheim .Further marx shallbquotedin

modernconcept.Feministpointisgood.Buttalkabouthowratherthan
what
manish 2monthsago

1c(1)
manish 2monthsago

1c(2)
Rawone 2monthsago

Alienation inmodernsociety.
Alienation ispropoundedby Karl marx inwhichhesaidthat alienation isa
processinwhichaworkerisseparatedfromhisfruitsof labour ,fromsociety
fromhisself&ultimatelygetdepressed&losshismeaningfulexistence.
Max weber saidabout alienation inthemodernsocietyinhistheoryfor
bureaucracy inwhichhesaiditrequireimpersonalrelationforoptimum
efficiencywhichleadto alienation fromsociety.
Forexampleareceptionistonastorehastoattendtheclientswithsmileallthe
timewhichisnotherinnerhappinessbutfakeasshemaybedepressedininner
self.
Pls review

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sachin >Rawone 2monthsago

Thoughyouhavegotyourpointsyoucouldhaveexploredmore.Incapitalistic
societyevencapitalistsarealienatedbecausetheyhavetoproduceaccordingto
marketneedsandnotwhattheywant.Further,afewlinesonhow marx
suggestedtoresolvesuchconditionandhowitisrelatedto technology and
liesureasgivenbyrobertblaunerandhenrybraverman.Asitisashortnote
question,thereisflexibilitytoexploreindifferentdimension
Rawone 2monthsago

ValueProbleminsociologicalresearch.
Values aretheguidingforceforanaction. Values aretheperceptionofa
personaboutright&wrongforanobjectorsituation.
PositivistthinkerlikeAugustecomte,Spencerarguethat values ofsocial
researchershouldbeunbiased,neutral&shouldbebasedonfactsalonewhile
doingresearch.Butthisisdifficulttobevalueneutralinsociologyasforex.a
researcherstudyingfamilyisprobablygetinfluencedbyhis values ashehimself
isamemberofthefamily.
Indifferentsociologicalresearchlikephenomenologyi.e.fromresearcherpoint
ofview&ethnomethodologicalperspectivei.e.fromtheviewofthesocietybeing
researched,researchershouldtakecareofnottogetengulfedintheethnocentric
view.
Furtherinterpretationistlike weber saiditisnotpossibletostudythecomplete
objectiverealityofsubjectivething.
Asresearcheruseshis values todecideaboutresearchtopic,makegeneralisation
butasresearchisfundedbytheelitesectionofsocietysothatmayalsoinfluence
bytheconservative values ofelite class .Forexagovt.conductingresearchmay
deliberatelytrytoshowthatconditionof women improvedinsociety.
Valueproblemcanbeovercomebytheresearcherbygettinganoutsideviewi.e
byseeingresearchthroughtheeyesofothers.
Byprovidinginformationofsocialbackgroundofresearcher,byenlistingthe
pointstheresearcherhasfollowedsothatothercanfollowthatandseewhether
theresultaresameornot.Thustheproblemof values insociologycanbe
minimised.
Pls review
Madforias >Rawone 2monthsago

goodoneRawone...buyingfromyou
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manish > Madforias 2monthsago

goodone..:)
Rawone 2monthsago

SocialActionandPatternvariables.
SocialactionasperTalcottparsonarethoseactionwhichfullfillthefollowing
condition
Itistowardsattainmentofgoals
Itisoccurinsituation
Itisaccordingtothe values &normsofsociety
Itneedssome energy ormotivationtoinvest.
Forexamplealadygoingtotemplebycarforworshippingitisasocialactionas
ittowardattainmentofgoalofworshipping,itconsistofsituationofdrivingon
road,itisaspernormsofsociety,theladyisalsoinvestingher energy indriving
toreachtemple.
Pattervariablesprovidethedifferentwaysofactinginsituationasgivenby
Talcottparson,heprovidedfollowingpatternvariable
Collectivisticv/sspecificorientation
Diffusenessv/sspecificity
Affectivityv/saffectiveneutrality
Universalismv/sparticularism
Ascriptionv/sachivement
Forexampleamotherchildrelationshipismoreguidebyaffectivity,diffuseness
whereasdoctorpatientrelationshipisguidedbyaffectiveneutrality,specificity.
Pls review
Rawone 2monthsago

SocialActionandPatternvariables.
SocialactionasperTalcottparsonarethoseactionwhichfullfillthefollowing
condition
Itistowardsattainmentofgoals
Itisoccurinsituation
Itisaccordingtothe values &normsofsociety
Itneedssome energy ormotivationtoinvest.
Forexamplealadygoingtotemplebycarforworshippingitisasocialactionas
ittowardattainmentofgoalofworshipping,itconsistofsituationofdrivingon
road,itisaspernormsofsociety,theladyisalsoinvestingher energy indriving
toreachtemple.
Pattervariablesprovidethedifferentwaysofactinginsituationasgivenby
Talcottparson,heprovidedfollowingpatternvariable
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Collectivisticv/sspecificorientation
Diffusenessv/sspecificity
Affectivityv/saffectiveneutrality
Universalismv/sparticularism
Ascriptionv/sachivement
Forexampleamotherchildrelationshipismoreguidebyaffectivity,diffuseness
whereasdoctorpatientrelationshipisguidedbyaffectiveneutrality,specificity.
pls review
sachin >Rawone 2monthsago

Ifeelyouneedtobringouttheinterrelationshipbetweensocialactionand
patternvariables.
mantis 2monthsago

question2
Functionalismasamethodologyofsociologicalresearchisconcernedwith
functionalprerequisitesandvariousstructuresandsubstructureswhichhelp
maintainthe system orsocietyitself.
Indoingsoitcomesremarkablyclosetoconsideringsocietyasorganic(biological
)innaturewherevariousstructureindividuallyhelpmaintainthestabilityofthe
system andsocialorder.
Thuswhen durkheim afunctionalistsaysreligionisasocialfactwhichhelps
maintainsocialsolidaritycriticscryfoulthathistheoryishavingapotential
conservativebias.Religionhasbeenadivisiveforceinsomanysocieitesthey
argue.
Whenfunctionalistarguethat power isaresourceheldbythesocietywhichis
guidedtowardsachievingcollectivegoals,educationhelpsactasabridge
betweenfamilyandsocietyachievingitisboundtoarousecriticism.
Theconflictperspectivesaysthatsocialconflictisadominantforceinevery
societyratherthansocialorder.
Anotherconservativebiasfunctionalistareaccusedofisthattheyconsidersociety
asanindependentforcetowhichindividualmemberscomply.Theymissoutthe
creativepotentialinnateinindividualstobothstructuresocietyandinturnbe
structuredbyit.
Nodoubtsomeofthecriticismhasbeenaddressedby merton another
functionalistthroughhisemphasisonmiddlerange
theories,functions,dysfunctions,latentandmanifestfunctions.However
functionalismcannevergetridoftheconservativetagaltogether.
Thereisnothingwronginit.Thematteroffactisthatfunctionalismasa
methodologyisequallytrueasanyothermethodologyinsociologicaldiscipline.

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sachin > mantis 2monthsago

PostulatesoffunctionalAnalysis??Youcanrefer merton forheistheoncewho

rejectedthemandgavehisownviews.
Madforias > mantis 2monthsago

functionalanalysisisdifferentfromfunctionalist..IMHO
mantis 2monthsago

valueprobleminsociology
Oneofthemanydilemmasinsociologicalresearchhasbeentoensurethat
researcher'svaluetonotpollutehissociologicalresearch.
Thussociologicalresearchhastobeguidedbytheinterpretationof
values ,preferencesofactors,individualaresearcherstudieswhiletryingto
reducehisvaluedispositions.
However values doentersociologicalresearchineachandeverystep.
Aresearcherspreferencesguideinchoosingthetopicofresearch,hypothesishe
orsheformulates,methodologyadopted,interpretationdone.While durkheim
consideredthatbyconstrainingsociologyasastudyofsocialfactsonecanensure
thatitdevelopsasadisciplineclosetonaturalsciencedevoidofparticluaristic
value. Weber ontheotherhandconsideredthatsociologycouldbecomevalue
freebystudyingsocialactionusingidealtypesandinterpretativemethodology.
Howeverwhenwereflecttheirworkwefindthattheirsocialcontext
,believes, values playamajorroleintheirunderstandingofsociety.
Philcarlspeckenconsidersthatinsteadasociologistshouldmakehis values clear
ratherthanproclaimvaluefreestatusandusetheminguidingandchanging
society.
Madforias > mantis 2monthsago

pleasereadRawone'shehaswrittenitwell
sachin 2monthsago

ItwouldbeniceifsomeonereviewsmyansweronQuestion3(subjectmatterof
sociology).@ Sahil @ madforias @anyone:)
Sahil Garg 2monthsago

Ans
Sahil Garg 2monthsago

Alienation
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sachin > Sahil Garg 2monthsago

Goodone.Probablycouldhaveadded Weber 'sIroncageofrationality(

akindof alienation ).Para2,3and4couldhavebeencondensedfor
more space ondifferentviews.
Sahil Garg 2monthsago

Patternvariable
sachin > Sahil Garg 2monthsago

Nice.Perfect.Especiallythepointon2setsofpatternvariables
Madforias 2monthsago

Alienation inmodernsociety
sachin > Madforias 2monthsago

Ifeelfirstparagraphneedstobereplacedwith Marx 'sconceptionon

alienation .2and3fine.NotsureaboutlastparagraphasIfeltitisnot
neededhere.Insteadyoucouldhaveaddedthemeasurestakenin
modernsocietytoovercome alienation .
Madforias > sachin 2monthsago

thanks Sachin thethirdpointismentionedinHarlambos...yesI

agreeIshouldhaveaddedonhowtoremoveand current
scenarioabit
Madforias 2monthsago

ValueProbleminsociologicalresearch.
noboundriz> Madforias 2monthsago

Lucidanswer.
Madforias 2monthsago

SocializationandtheSelf
sachin > Madforias 2monthsago

Ifeel,thereissomemisunderstandinginIandMearguments.Inplay
stageachildwouldnothavedevelopedbothIandMe.Andingame
stagebothwillhavecontinuousinteraction.Therelationshipbetweenself
andsocialisationcouldhavebeenbroughtoutinabetterway(though
yourpointsarevalidandcorrect)
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