SOCIOLOGICAL

PERPECTIVES
 Sociology: definition

 Scientific study of society and human

behaviour(understanding society and human
behaviour) Henslin (2003)
 The study of social phenomena (Comte in Timasheff
1967). Phenomena are those things which we can
observe as people interacting an organised process of
sharing the environment
 Science concerned with interpretive understanding
of social action and with causal explanation of its
course and consequences Weber in Ritzer 1992)
 Units of Analysis in Sociology

Individuals
large group.
Whole society
Micro
Macro
Structures in society
 Sociological Perspective

Definition framework through which people make

sense (Blackledge and Hunt 1985)
Theoretical orientations which guide profession.
 Major sociological Perspectives

1. FUNCTIONALIST, SYSTEMS, CONSENSUS

 Society is a social system( organism) made up of
interconnected system of parts that that work
together in harmony for the survival of the system
 Views society from a macro-level. (Holistic
approach)- sees society as shaping the individuals
 Society is made up of many parts all which have a
functional role to the survival of society.
Cont
Collectivism
Social ideas, symbols and practices are collectively
created and developed as people interat
( Consensus)
 Cont.

 Society is ruled by consensus ( members of society

share common values and norms. These help to
maintain order in society)
 Society is in a state of equilibrium( balance).
 Change brings disequilibrium in society.
 Society moves towards equilibrium.
 Functionalist theorists

 Auguste Comte
 Emile Durkheim
 Robert Merton
 Talcot Parsons
 Herbet Spencer
 Criticisms against Functionalists

 Mainly concerned with static processes than change

processes
 Cannot deal effectively with conflict
 Too much over emphasis on harmonious
relationships cannot deal with change
 Too conservative supports the status quo as long
there is order.
 Too much reliance on culture norms and values
 Cont.

 Deals with abstract social systems instead of real

societies
 Gives a deterministic view of the relationship
between man and society i e. society and culture
shapes and moulds the individual.
 Cannot give explanation for change, have not
produce a theory for social change.
 Role of education from a functionalist perspective
 Transmits a particular set of shared moral and
cognitive beliefs and values for the survival of society
 Prepares individuals to take up different roles
( Occupational specialisation)- equipping them with
skills needed in society. ( selective roles)
 Initiates the young into moral values which bind
society together ( propagates common moral and
intellectual beliefs which society has proved to be
necessary for is evolution.
 Conflict perspective

This is a macro- level theoretical orientation which

focuses on inequality in society
Views society as composed of unequal distribution of
resources which benefit the minority. This results in
conflict in society
Those who do not have resources always create ways
of getting the resources.
Unequal distribution of resources results in creation
of classes which conflict.
There is always conflict between groups
 Cont

There is the economic base which comprise of

productive sources (objects of labour , instruments
and tools and labour power.
Education is a process of producing suitable labour
power for those who own the means of production
(Correspondence theory)
The economic base gives rise to a suitable
superstructure (overall organisation of society which
supports the economic base)
 Con

The superstructure manifest through education,

religion, media, culture, law, politics and the state.
When the superstructure and the economic base
come together a social formation is formed.
In a social formation (capitalist set up, social change
can only be a result of conflict between the owners of
means of production and non-owners of means of
production
 cont

Education is an ideological state apparatus through

which one class rules the other. (Althuser 1971)
 Through ideological state apparatus , ideas,
practices behaviours or values are cultivated in
individuals
Education is a key ideological state apparatus.
From a feminist perspective education is an arena of
struggle between men and women
 Conflict perspective theorists

 L Althuser
 Karl Marx
 W.E.B. DuBois
 Wright Mills
 Ralf Darlendorf
 Bowels and Gintis
 Peirre Bourdour
 Criticisms of Conflict theory

Puts too much focus on change neglecting social

stability
 Schools have Hidden curriculum
Which sets values and beliefs that supports the status
quo.
Feminism
 Feminist Perspective

A perspective which advocates for women’s rights.

See things on the point of view of women
 They are against patriarchal domination of society
Domination of women by their male counterparts at
home. At work place in the streets, property rights,
rights to education.
rights to justice
 Cont.

They are activists for the correction of gender

imbalances and exploitation of women.
They work for empowerment of women in socio-
economic and cultural dimensions of life
Interactionsism/ Symbolic interactionism

Emphasis on micro- scale operations to provide

subjective meaning of behaviour
Society is a product of everyday interactions
Meanings are not out there, they are created in the
process of interactions.
 Meaning are understood by the people involved in
the interaction process.
Meanings are subjective
 cont,

Reality is a social construction

People do not respond to other people directly but
do what they imagine or perceive them to be
Meanings are created in the process of interaction.
Symbolic interactionism focuses on language and
symbols that help to give meaning and
understanding of our experiences
 Gender and Technical and Vocational Education

Issues: Enrolment of female students in areas

formally regarded as male fields
Female needs in industry (Attachment testimonies)
Current trends
 Government and institutional roles in promoting
the girl child
 Cont.

Some of the educational problems have their basis

on social interactions and expectations
Teachers expectations of learners intellectual
abilities affect their learning
 Interactionist perspective and Education

Labelling theory Howard Becker (1960)

 Deviance is that which is so labelled
 No behaviour is inherently deviant until so
labelled( when some people judge it as deviant and
judge it as such)
Negative reactions to the original deviance
 Symbolic interactionism theorists

 Marx Weber
 George Herbert Mead
 Goffman
 Bumer