Social Studies

FETAC Level 5
5N1370
PROJECT
Part 1
Deadline: 17th December 2014
Word Count: 1,500
Assessment based on:
Planning and Presentation
Content
Research
Analysis

The candidate will submit Part 1 of the Project in Social Studies by

Wednesday 17th December 2014.
This part of the Project will address the following:
1.0 Analysis of Sociology and Society
1.1 Definition and explanation of the term Sociology
The science of society, social institutions, and social relationships; specifically : the
systematic study of the development, structure, interaction, and collective behaviour of
organized groups of human beings
Sociology is also the study of individuals in groups and social formations in a systematic way,
which grew out of the search for understanding associated with the industrial and scientific
revolutions of the 18th and 19th centuries. It is now an established discipline in post-16
education and has offered generations of students insights into the social world they inhabit.
Often accused by the right of being left-wing, it includes individuals of every political opinion
who are united by a commitment to search for knowledge and understanding through
providing evidence for the theories and insights they offer.

1.2 The Aims of Sociology

The scope of sociology is extremely wide ranging, from the analysis of passing encounter
between individuals on the street up to the investigation of global social processes The
discipline covers an extremely broad range that includes every aspect of human social
conditions; all types of human relationships and forms of social behavior.

1.3 Definition and explanation of the term Society

"A society is an autonomous grouping of people who inhabit a common
territory, have a common culture (shared set of values, beliefs, customs
and so forth) and are linked to one another through routinized social
interactions and interdependent statuses and roles."1

1.4 Definition and explanation of the Sociological Imagination

1.5 What is Culture?
2.0 Socialisation, Stratification and Social Mobility
2.1 What is Socialisation?
2.2 What is the role of the Family in Socialisation?
2.3 Name some other agencies of Socialisation.
1

Calhoun et al (1994):

2.4 What is Stratification in Society?

2.5 What is Social Mobility?
3.0 The Media
3.1 What is the Mass Media
3.2 Give an example of a Media Stereotype and explain what effect
a Stereotype has on our perceptions of a person or group?
3.3 How do we know that the Media reports accurately? Can we
believe the Media? How do the media construct reality?
4.0 Society and Equality
4.1 The Causes of Inequality in Society
4.2 Types of Discrimination in Society
4.3 The Social Costs of Inequality

5.0 The Importance of Emile Durkheim and Karl Marx to Sociology

5.1 What are Durkheims main ideas?
Durkheim's work revolved around the study of social facts, a term he coined to
describe phenomena that have an existence in and of themselves, are not bound to the
actions of individuals, but have a coercive influence upon them. Durkheim argued that
social facts have, an independent existence greater and more objective than the
actions of the individuals that compose society. Only such social facts can explain the
observed social phenomena. Being exterior to the individual person, social facts may
thus also exercise coercive power on the various people composing society, as it can
sometimes be observed in the case of formal laws and regulations, but also in
situations implying the presence of informal rules, such as religious rituals or family
norms. Unlike the facts studied innatural sciences, a "social" fact thus refers to a
specific category of phenomena:
The determining cause of a social fact must be sought among the antecedent social
facts and not among the states of the individual consciousness
As the society, Durkheim noted there are several possible pathologies that could lead to
a breakdown of social integration and disintegration of the society: the two most
important ones are anomie and forced division of labour
By anomie Durkheim means a state when too rapid population growth reduces the
amount of interaction between various groups, which in turn leads a breakdown of
understanding (norms, values, and so on).[42][57][59] By forced division of labour Durkheim
means a situation where power holders, driven by their desire for profit (greed), results in
people doing the work they are unsuited for.[59] Such people are unhappy, and their desire
to change the system can destabilize the society.[59]

5.2 Briefly analyse his work on Suicide.

In Suicide (1897), Durkheim explores the differing suicide rates among Protestants and
Catholics, arguing that stronger social control among Catholics results in lower suicide
rates. According to Durkheim, Catholic society has normal levels of integration while

Protestant society has low levels. Overall, Durkheim treated suicideas a social fact,
explaining variations in its rate on a macro level, considering society-scale phenomena
such as lack of connections between people (group attachment) and lack of regulations
of behavior, rather than individuals' feelings and motivations

5.3 What is Karl Marxs contribution to Sociology?

The most important concepts of Karl Marx
The following concepts of Marx have aided sociological thought significantly;

Dialectical Materialism
Materialistic Interpretation of History i.e Historical Materialism
Class and Class conflict
Alienation

Karl Marx's also contributed with the labor theory of value, class
struggle, alienation and communism. He is the co-founder of Marxism and
has published many books, the two most famous being "Das Kapital" and
"The Communist Manifesto."
The "Communist Manifesto" was published in 1848 and was written for the
Communist League. It is currently one of the world's most influential political
documents. It details the problems with capitalism and how it would eventually
be replaced by communism. It also identifies Marx's ideas on society
progression and class struggle. Published in 1867, "Das Kapital" describes
how the exploitation of labor drives capitalism within society.
The Contributions of Marx:
1. Marxism An Influential Political Dogma:
The Marxian ideas still constitute the gospel of revolution and his Communist Manifesto
still remains the handbook of the revolutionaries throughout the world. Marxism has
become the state dogma and the creed of political orthodxy in many countries.
2. Marx has provided a Comprehensive Theory of Social Change:
According to T.B. Bottomore, a leading expert on Marxist sociology, though Marxs theory
of class cannot be treated as a theory of stratification, it can definitely be treated as a
comprehensive theory of social change. It can be considered as a tool for the explanation
of change in total societies.
4. Marx has enriched the Realm of Sociology of Knowledge :
On the basis of his philosophical writings one can reasonably say that Marx has given a
great contribution to the realm of sociology of knowledge. Marx has said that there is a
close relationship between ideas and philosophies on the one hand, and the social
contexts and the social structures from where they emerged, on the other.

5. Marxian Approach is an Integral Approach:

Marx has time and again stressed that we should have an integral view of the society
and not a partial one. According to him, society is the net result of the interwoven social
groups, institutions, beliefs, practices, ideas, principles and ideologies.
6. Marxs Views Served as Warnings to the Capitalists:
It can be said that the ultimate purpose of Marx was to achieve the welfare of the working
community and to lay the foundations of .a classless, casteless society based on social
harmony and justice. He sincerely believed that his purpose could be realised by a
historic class struggle and by the destruction of the capitalist class.
His powerful writings, earnest efforts to save the labour community from exploitation,
popularisation of socialist ideology, predictions of the future, and his clarion call to the
working class to unite and fight against injustice, etc. created a sort of awareness not
only among the workers but also among the capitalists.

This part of the Project will comprise a minimum of 1,500 words.

The Candidate will display appropriate ability in the following:
The Presentation of materials
The Selection of suitable Content
The undertaking of Research and the application of Research
Skills
The Analysis of content

Marking Scheme
Criterion
Content

Evidence as per Marks

Marking Sheet
15

Research

10

Analysis

10

Presentation
and Planning

Student Mark

40 marks
% grade (20)

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