A Voss and Pike Casefile: The Early Days
Recap and comprehension questions
Several people in Saltmarsh explained the same night in different ways. Here is the sociology behind them.
| Perspective | Order and control | Social change | In the case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Functionalism (Parsons) | Institutions meet four problems (goal maintenance, adaptation, integration, latency); control agents enforce conformity. | Structural differentiation: strain in one sub-system produces change in others. | Constance Ward's "body politic". |
| Neo-Functionalism (Luhmann) | A non-hierarchical, self-reproducing network of communication; order always restored. | Order changes form but is never destroyed. | The snug's routines. |
| Marxism / Neo-Marxism | Ruling class control of the base, RSAs and ISAs; hegemony and cultural and social capital produce consent. | Class conflict inherent in capitalism. | Tom Rudd; the strikers' Sabbath. |
| Feminism | Order rests on patriarchal power, in public and private spheres. | Law reform (liberal), economic change (Marxist), overthrow of patriarchy (radical). | Ruth Haddow, Peggy, Iris; Lilian Crane. |
| Action approaches | Order created from the bottom up through shared definitions of the situation. | Changing meanings; Weber's Protestant ethic. | Vera Mead; Josiah Penhale. |
Using Parsons' four functional problems and an example from the case, explain how order is maintained in an institution. [6 marks]
Outline the neo-functionalist (Luhmann) criticism of traditional Functionalism. [4 marks]
Using Althusser, explain how a ruling class maintains order. Refer to Tom Rudd's account. [6 marks]
Explain how hegemony adds to the Marxist view of order, using the strikers' attitude to the Sabbath. [6 marks]
Using Ruth, Peggy and Iris, explain three feminist views on order and control. [8 marks]
Using Garfinkel, definitions of the situation and labelling, explain how order is created 'from the bottom up'. [6 marks]
Suggest two differences between Consensus and Conflict approaches to explaining social change. Which theory do you find more persuasive, and why? [10 marks]
Explain Weber's account of the spirit of capitalism and how Penhale illustrates it. [8 marks]
Explain liberal, Marxist and radical feminist approaches to social change, using the packing line. [6 marks]
'No single theory explains the night on the back stair.' Discuss, using at least three pieces of evidence. [10 marks]
Compare endings 45 (The Faithful Servant) and 47 (Everything in Its Place). [10 marks]
Evaluate whether a class-only or gender-only account is enough, using endings 48, 49 and 50. [8 marks]
Using Constance Ward's dinner card and the Sentinel's galley proof, explain how repressive and ideological state apparatuses work together to maintain order. [6 marks]
Using Vera Mead, Gil Tanner and the constable's note of 'confused', explain how order is produced and protected from the bottom up through routines, definitions of the situation and labelling. [6 marks]
Using Lilian Crane's housekeeping, the Sick Club book and the tea rota, evaluate Marxist and feminist views of the hidden work that holds order together. [8 marks]
Using the Reverend's sermon and the strikers' Sabbath, assess the view that religion can both legitimate ruling-class power and drive social change. [8 marks]