Sociology — Year 13

 

Sociology Overview

Term 1: Crime & Deviance and Media

Teacher 1: Students will begin the Crime & Deviance unit with a study of the functionalist, strain and subcultural theories of crime and deviance. This will be followed by an examination of interactionism and labelling theories as well as the relationship between class, power and crime.

Teacher 2: Students will begin the 'Media' unit, starting with a study of the ownership and control of the media, including sociological explanations of this. This is followed by a study of sociological explanations of the media, globalisation and popular culture. The study of media will then continue with a focus on the selection and presentation of the news including how it is socially constructed and regulated.

Students will be assessed by fortnightly timed assessments. Some will be short (up to 10 marks) while others will be longer and involve a full paper reflecting the real exam of 40 (Media) or 50 marks (Crime & Deviance).

Anomie

A sense of normlessness. Durkheim argues this arises when there is rapid social change, because existing norms become unclear or outdated.

The dark figure of crime

The difference between the official statistics and the 'real' rate of crime.

Master status

A controlling identity that overrides all of ones other identities. For example, the label of 'criminal' will override an individuals other labels such as 'mother' or 'neighbour'.

White collar crime

A crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of their occupation.

Status frustration

This is the result of the inability of those in the lower classes to achieve mainstream success goals by legitimate means such as educational achievement.

Global conglomerates

This refers to companies that consist of a lot of different businesses/interests that may operate on an international level. Many media companies have businesses across different countries.

Cultural imperialism

Cultural imperialism suggests that power and influence is imposed by mass media and cultural products rather than through force or arms.

Cultural Homogenisation

The idea that local cultures are killed off by globalisation and the whole world becomes the same; where people abandon folk cultures in favour of mass produced and global culture.

Cultural hybridisation

An optimistic view that local cultures, global cultures and alternative cultures have mixed, sometimes creating something new (a hybrid culture), sometimes existing side-by-side as cultural diversity.

Hegemony

The economic, social and cultural domination of one group over another.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Throughout the Crime and Deviance topic, students will be encouraged to consider how crime is defined and about possible consequences of behaviour.

Create a supportive community:

Students will learn about the differing experiences of the criminal justice system that different social classes experience. This will promote greater understanding and tolerance of others.

Term 2: Crime & Deviance and Media

Teacher 1: Students will begin this term by learning about right and left realist theories of crime. This is followed by learning about patterns and explanations for gender differences in crime.

Teacher 2: This term will begin with an examination of the media representation of age, social class and ethnicity followed by a focus on how the media represents gender, sexuality and disability.

Students will be assessed by fortnightly timed assessments. Some will be short (up to 10 marks) while others will be longer and involve a full paper reflecting the real exam of 40 (Media) or 50 marks (Crime & Deviance).

Students will also sit their first set of mocks in this term. This will involve three papers that reflect the full exam structure.

Relative deprivation

This refers to how deprived someone feels in relation to others, or compared with their own expectations.

Hegemonic Masculinity

The idea that there is a particular view of masculinity. This is defined through work in the paid labour market, the subordination of women, heterosexism and the driven and uncontrollable sexuality of men.

Underclass

The New Right concept of those who are at the lowest level of the class structure; a class below the working class with a separate deviant subculture and lifestyle.

Chivalry thesis

The view that the criminal justice system is biased in favour of women, so that they are less likely than men to be charged, convicted or punished.

Postmodernity

Postmodernists argue that society has moved into a new era of postmodernity - a globalised, media saturated society, where culture is fragmented, ever-changing and individuals change their identities through consumption on signs and brands.

Metrosexual male

Refers to men who take care of their appearance in terms of consuming toiletries and fashion products and who are unafraid to express emotional vulnerability.

Symbolic annihilation

This describes the way women are effectively left out of media discourse; their achievements are ignored or minimilised, their interests and pursuits trivialised and devalued.

Institutional racism

Discrimination that is built into everyday workings of institutions such as schools, the criminal justice system and the media. It may be unconscious rather than deliberate, but is deeply ingrained.

Stereotypes

Where generalisations or assumptions are made about particular groups. These can be created and reinforced by the media.

Moral Panic

An over-reaction to a perceived problem where a group is labelled as a threat to society's values. The media create a key role in creating moral panics.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own experiences of the media and how their experience may differ from those of a different class, ethnicity, sexuality etc.

Create a supportive community:

Students will develop their social skills by engaging in a debate between left and right realist perspectives on explaining and dealing with crime and deviance. They will develop tolerance and understanding of different people's views.

Term 3: Crime & Deviance and Media

Teacher 1: Learning will start with an examination of the patterns and explanations for ethnic differences in crime. Followed by a focus on the relationship between the media and crime, and research that suggests that the media is a cause of crime. This is followed by an examination of the links between globalisation and crime, in particular that of green crimes and state crime.

Teacher 2: This is followed by an examination of sociological explanations of the relationship between the media, their content and presentation, and audiences. The unit will then be completed with a focus on sociological explanations for the new media and understanding its role in contemporary society,

Students will be assessed by fortnightly timed assessments. Some will be short (up to 10 marks) while others will be longer and involve a full paper reflecting the real exam of 40 (Media) or 50 marks (Crime & Deviance).

Globalisation

The idea that the world is becoming increasingly interconnected and that barriers are disappearing.

Moral Panic

An over-reaction to a perceived problem where a group is labelled as a threat to society's values. The media create a key role in creating moral panics.

Primary green crimes

Crimes that result directly from the destruction and degradation of the earths resources.

Secondary green crimes

Crime that grows out f the flouting of rules aimed at preventing or regulating environmental disasters.

State crime

Crime committed by, on behalf of, or with the complicity of governments or state agencies such as the police, armed forced or secret services.

New media

Types of media that use digital technology such social media and the use of the internet.

Imitation

The idea of people doing copycat actions based on things they have seen.

Desensitisation

The idea that people cease to find violence shocking and wrong because they have been exposed to so much of it, through the media.

False class consciousness

The state of not being aware of our true identity as exploited workers.

Hypodermic Syringe Model

This model assumes that messages presented by the media are received directly and accepted by an audience.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Students will become aware of the ethical issues surrounding green and state crime including the law around these types of crimes and the consequences they have.

Create a supportive community:

Students will learn about the differing experiences of the criminal justice system that different ethnic groups experience. This will promote greater understanding and tolerance of others.

Term 4: Crime & Deviance and Theory

Teacher 1: The Crime and Deviance unit will be completed with an examination of sociological theories and evidence for crime prevention and control, surveillance and punishment; followed by an examination of victimology including patterns of victimisation and its impact. The focus will then move to 'Theory' with a focus on action theories, including the difference between structure and action theories and the different types of action theories.

Teacher 2: The theory unit will be completed this term and for teacher 2 this will focus on the arguments for and against the view that sociology is a science, with key focus on positivism and interpretivism. This will be followed by an examination of what the meaning of objectivity, subjectivity and value freedom is, and a focus on arguments the arguments surrounding whether sociology can and should be value-free. Theory in sociology will then be completed with an examination of globalisation, modernity and postmodernity.

Students will be assessed by fortnightly timed assessments. Some will be short (up to 10 marks) while others will be longer and involve a full paper reflecting the real exam of 40 (Media) or 50 marks (Crime & Deviance).

Students will also sit their second set of mocks in this term. This will involve three papers that reflect the full exam structure.

Surveillance

A monitoring of public behaviour for the purposes of population or crime control.

Situational crime prevention

A pre-emptive approach to crime reduction that relies no on improving society or institutions, but simply on reducing opportunities for crime.

Retributive justice

Punishment that is severe and cruel, and its motivation is purely expressive.

Restitutive justice

When the response to crime is to repair the damage caused, for example through compensation - to restore things to how they were before the crime was committed.

Transcarceration

The idea that individuals become locked into a cycle of control, shifting between difference carceral agencies during their lives.

Value freedom

The idea that values should be kept out of research.

Reflexivity

The situation in late or highmodern society where tradition and custom no longer guide our actions. As a result we are forced to become more reflexive - to constantly monitor, reflect and modify our actions.

Verificationism

The idea that a theory can be proved true, simply by gathering evidence that confirms or verifies it.

Falsification

According to Karl Popper this is the defining characteristic of science which consists of statements that can in principle be disproved unlike claims made in religion or theories such as Marxism.

Objectivity

The absence of bias or preconceived ideas.

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Students will learn to recognise the boundaries of the British criminal justice system, and understand the consequences of behaviour. They will consider moral and ethical discussions with regards to dealing with offenders.

Create a supportive community:

Term 5: Revision

Students will spend their lessons revising in preparation for their final external exams which normally begin at the end of term 5

Formal A Level examinations

Paper 1 - Education with Theory and Methods -33% (2 hours)

Paper 2 - Families & Households + Media - 33% (2 hours)

Paper 3 - Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods - 33% (2 hours

  • Spiritual
  • Moral
  • Social
  • Cultural
Develop the individual:

Create a supportive community: