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Sociology | 9699 Notes
Here are comprehensive notes structured for the Cambridge International AS & A Level Sociology (9699) syllabus. These notes cover the key topics, theories, and studies required for both AS and A Level.
2. Sociological Perspectives on the Family
- Functionalist (Durkheim, Parsons, Murdoch):
- Views the family as a vital institution serving the needs of society.
- Murdock (1949): The nuclear family performs 4 universal functions:
- Sexual: Controls sexual behavior (stabilizes adult personalities).
- Reproductive: Produces the next generation.
- Economic: Division of labor (male breadwinner/housewife).
- Educational: Primary socialization of children.
- Parsons: The family has lost functions (industrialization took away economic/educational roles) but retains two essential functions:
- Primary Socialization: Transmitting norms and values.
- Stabilization of Adult Personalities: Emotional support (the "warm bath" theory).
- Marxist (Engels, Zaretsky):
- Sees the family as serving the needs of Capitalism.
- Engels: Family evolved to ensure inheritance of private property passed to legitimate heirs (monogamy ensured paternity).
- Zaretsky: Family acts as a safety valve for workers’ frustration (consumers of commodities, unpaid labor).
- Unit of Consumption: Families buy goods (generation of profit).
- Feminist (Oakley, Delphy & Leonard, Barrett & McIntosh):
- Liberal: Seek equal rights and opportunities within the family (anti-discrimination laws).
- Marxist: The family serves the interests of capitalism, which exploits women’s unpaid labor (reserve army of labor).
- Radical (Greer, Millett): The family is the root of patriarchy. Men dominate women through domestic labor, sexual control, and violence. "The personal is political."
- Postmodernist (Stacey, Beck):
- The family is diverse and fluid. No single "correct" family type.
- Stacey: "Postmodern family" includes diverse arrangements (cohabitation, single parents, gay parents).
- Beck: "Risk Society" – People are less likely to marry due to fear of divorce; "Negotiated Family" where roles are not fixed but discussed.
1. Key Concepts & Definitions
- Family: A nuclear family (parents and children) or an extended family (kinship network).
- Household: One person living alone or a group of people living at the same address, sharing cooking facilities and living space. (Note: A household is not always a family).
- Kinship: System of social relationships based on blood (consanguineal) or marriage (affinal).
3. Research methods — essentials
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Quantitative
- Surveys, experiments, secondary data analysis, statistics.
- Strengths: generalizability, hypothesis testing.
- Weaknesses: limited depth, measurement validity concerns.
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Qualitative
- Interviews, ethnography, participant observation, focus groups, content analysis.
- Strengths: depth, context, meaning.
- Weaknesses: limited generalizability, researcher bias.
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Mixed Methods
- Combine strengths; sequential or concurrent designs.
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Sampling & Validity
- Probability vs. non‑probability samples, representativeness.
- Reliability, internal/external validity, construct validity, reflexivity, ethics.