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Sociology

A-Level Sociology is the systematic, evidence-based study of social life, social structures and social change, set against the Department for Education GCE AS and A level subject content and delivered here through the dominant AQA 7192 specification. It is built on three interlocking strands: competing theoretical perspectives (functionalism, Marxism, feminism, interactionism, the New Right and postmodernism), a genuine research-methods strand (the practical, ethical and theoretical factors shaping the choice of primary and secondary, quantitative and qualitative methods, and the methods-in-context skill), and the substantive topics through which theory and evidence are applied - the compulsory study of education and of crime and deviance, and the optional topics of culture and identity, families and households, health, work, poverty and welfare, beliefs in society, global development, the media, and stratification and differentiation. Throughout, knowledge of theories, methods, concepts and evidence (AO1) is applied to specific questions, contexts and Items (AO2) and, above all, analysed and evaluated to construct sustained arguments that reach a substantiated judgement (AO3).

0/77 Texts·15 Chapters·~313 min total

Continue reading — Chapter ITable of contents
LPAQA 7192 core theme 1LPDfE GCE Sociology subject contentLPAQA 7192 core theme 2LPAQA 7192 Theory and MethodsLPAQA 7192/1 EducationLPAQA 7192/1 Methods in Context+10 more●○○Foundation●●○Standard●●●Advanced
Table of contents · 15 ChaptersT·15
Ch. ISocialisation, Culture and Identity (core theme)4 texts · 0 read
  • Culture, norms, values and types of cultureText L·01 · Recommended start5 min
  • Socialisation and the agencies that transmit cultureText L·024 min
  • The social construction of identityText L·035 min
  • The individual and society: structure, action and postmodern viewsText L·044 min
Ch. IISocial Differentiation, Power and Stratification (core theme)4 texts · 0 read
  • Social differentiation and systems of stratificationText L·054 min
  • Power and authority: who rules?Text L·064 min
  • The dimensions of inequality: class, gender, ethnicity, ageText L·074 min
  • Life chances and perspectives on inequalityText L·084 min
Ch. IIISociological Theories, Perspectives and Methods6 texts · 0 read
  • Consensus theory: functionalismText L·094 min
  • Conflict theory: Marxism and feminismText L·104 min
  • Social action theories and interactionismText L·114 min
  • Postmodernism, late modernity and the New RightText L·124 min
  • Theory and methods: positivism, interpretivism and the PET factorsText L·134 min
  • The main research methods and their evaluationText L·144 min
Ch. IVEducation6 texts · 0 read
  • The role and functions of education: functionalism and MarxismText L·155 min
  • The New Right, marketisation and educational policyText L·164 min
  • Social class and achievement: external factorsText L·174 min
  • Internal factors: labelling, the self-fulfilling prophecy and subculturesText L·184 min
  • Gender and achievementText L·194 min
  • Ethnicity and achievementText L·204 min
Ch. VMethods in Context (applied to Education)5 texts · 0 read
  • What Methods in Context asksText L·214 min
  • The education context: pupils, teachers, classrooms and gatekeepersText L·224 min
  • Applying primary methods to educationText L·234 min
  • Applying secondary sources to educationText L·244 min
  • A worked Methods in Context answerText L·255 min
Ch. VIFamilies and Households (optional topic)6 texts · 0 read
  • Perspectives on the family and its functionsText L·264 min
  • Family diversity and the postmodern familyText L·274 min
  • Marriage, divorce, cohabitation and personal lifeText L·284 min
  • The domestic division of labour and powerText L·294 min
  • Childhood and its social constructionText L·304 min
  • Demography and family changeText L·314 min
Ch. VIICulture and Identity (optional topic)5 texts · 0 read
  • Conceptions of cultureText L·324 min
  • Socialisation and the construction of the selfText L·334 min
  • Sources of identity: class, gender, ethnicity, nationalityText L·344 min
  • Age, disability and sexuality as identitiesText L·354 min
  • Consumption, globalisation and postmodern identityText L·364 min
Ch. VIIIHealth (optional topic)5 texts · 0 read
  • The social construction of health, illness and the bodyText L·374 min
  • Health inequalities and their explanationText L·384 min
  • Inequalities in provision and the inverse care lawText L·394 min
  • The medical profession and the sick roleText L·404 min
  • The social construction of mental illnessText L·414 min
Ch. IXWork, Poverty and Welfare (optional topic)5 texts · 0 read
  • Defining and measuring povertyText L·424 min
  • The distribution of poverty, wealth and incomeText L·434 min
  • Explaining poverty: cultural versus structuralText L·444 min
  • Responses to poverty: welfare provision and perspectivesText L·454 min
  • The nature and experience of workText L·464 min
Ch. XBeliefs in Society (optional topic)5 texts · 0 read
  • Ideology, science and religion as belief systemsText L·474 min
  • Theories of religion: functionalist, Marxist, feministText L·484 min
  • Religion, social change and stabilityText L·494 min
  • Religious organisations and movementsText L·504 min
  • Religiosity, secularisation and globalisationText L·514 min
Ch. XIThe Media (optional topic)5 texts · 0 read
  • The new media and the digital divideText L·523 min
  • Ownership and control of the mediaText L·534 min
  • The selection and presentation of news; moral panicsText L·544 min
  • Media representations of social groupsText L·554 min
  • The media and their audiences: effects modelsText L·564 min
Ch. XIIStratification and Differentiation (optional topic)5 texts · 0 read
  • Theories of stratification: functionalist, Marxist, WeberianText L·574 min
  • The New Right, feminist and postmodern viewsText L·584 min
  • The dimensions of inequality: class, status and powerText L·594 min
  • The changing class structure and the underclassText L·604 min
  • Social mobility and life chancesText L·614 min
Ch. XIIIGlobal Development (optional topic)5 texts · 0 read
  • Defining and measuring developmentText L·623 min
  • Modernisation theoryText L·634 min
  • Dependency and world-systems theoryText L·644 min
  • Globalisation, TNCs and international agencies; aid and tradeText L·654 min
  • Aspects of development: industrialisation, gender, health and the environmentText L·664 min
Ch. XIVCrime and Deviance6 texts · 0 read
  • The social construction and measurement of crimeText L·674 min
  • Functionalist, strain and subcultural theoriesText L·685 min
  • Labelling theory and the social construction of the criminalText L·694 min
  • Marxism, neo-Marxism and realism (right and left)Text L·704 min
  • Gender, ethnicity and crimeText L·715 min
  • Control, punishment, victims, globalisation and the mediaText L·724 min
Ch. XVTheory and Methods (with Crime and Deviance)5 texts · 0 read
  • Perspectives applied: consensus, conflict and action theoriesText L·734 min
  • Modernity and postmodernity in theoryText L·744 min
  • Is sociology a science?Text L·755 min
  • Objectivity, values and value freedomText L·764 min
  • Sociology and social policyText L·774 min
Reading progress · subject
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0/77
Texts
~313
min total
Recommended start
Socialisation, Culture and Identity (core theme) · Ch. I
Culture, norms, values and types of culture
Text L·01 · 5 min
Read now
Instrument · 01Recommended study order
  1. 1Socialisation, Culture and Identity (core theme)
  2. 2Social Differentiation, Power and Stratification (core theme)
  3. 3Sociological Theories, Perspectives and Methods
  4. 4Education
  5. 5Methods in Context (applied to Education)
  6. 6Families and Households (optional topic)
  7. 7Culture and Identity (optional topic)
  8. 8Health (optional topic)
  9. 9Work, Poverty and Welfare (optional topic)
  10. 10Beliefs in Society (optional topic)
  11. 11The Media (optional topic)
  12. 12Stratification and Differentiation (optional topic)
  13. 13Global Development (optional topic)
  14. 14Crime and Deviance
  15. 15Theory and Methods (with Crime and Deviance)
Instrument · 02Exam structure
Paper 1 - Education with Theory and Methods (AQA 7192/1)
2 hours, 80 marks, one third (33.3%) of the A-Level. Education (50 marks): a mix of short 'outline' items (typically 4 and 6 marks), a 10-mark 'applying material from the Item, analyse two...' question, and a 30-mark 'applying material from the Item and your knowledge, evaluate...' essay. Methods in Context (20 marks): one question applying a named research method to an educational issue, using the Item ('evaluate the strengths and limitations of using X to investigate Y'). Theory and Methods (10 marks): an 'outline and explain two...' question. The whole paper is answered by every student.
Paper 2 - Topics in Sociology (AQA 7192/2)
2 hours, 80 marks, one third (33.3%) of the A-Level. Students answer on TWO optional topics, one from each block: Section A (Culture and Identity; Families and Households; Health; Work, Poverty and Welfare) and Section B (Beliefs in Society; Global Development; The Media; Stratification and Differentiation). Each chosen topic is worth 40 marks - typically a 10-mark 'outline and explain two...', a 10-mark 'applying material from the Item, analyse two...', and a 20-mark 'applying material from the Item and your knowledge, evaluate...' essay.
Paper 3 - Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods (AQA 7192/3)
2 hours, 80 marks, one third (33.3%) of the A-Level. Crime and Deviance (50 marks): short 'outline' items (typically 4 and 6 marks), a 10-mark 'applying material from the Item, analyse...' question, and a 30-mark 'applying material from the Item and your knowledge, evaluate...' essay. Theory and Methods (30 marks): a 10-mark 'outline and explain two...' question and a 20-mark essay on a theory/methods issue (for example the scientific status of sociology, objectivity and values, or the relationship between sociology and social policy).
Assessment objectives, the Item skill and grading
The three equally weighted papers distribute the marks across three assessment objectives: AO1 knowledge and understanding of theories, methods, concepts and evidence (the largest share, roughly 44-46%); AO2 application of that material to particular questions, Items and contexts (roughly 28-30%); and AO3 analysis and evaluation to construct arguments and reach a judgement (roughly 26-28%, but disproportionately decisive in the higher mark bands of the 20- and 30-mark essays). The distinctive AQA skill is 'applying material from the Item' - hooking the given stimulus into the answer rather than writing round it. The full A-Level is linear, with all three papers sat at the end of the course, and is graded A*-E (U below E).
Instrument · 03Official sources
  • GCE AS and A level subject content for sociologyDepartment for Education
  • AQA AS and A-level Sociology (7191 / 7192) specificationAQA

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