Core Themes & Perspectives in Sociology

Core Themes in Sociology

Culture

Socialisation

Identity

Social Differentiation

Stratification

Core Perspectives in Sociology

Sociological Debates

Functionalism

Marxism

Feminism

The New Right

Social Action Theory (Interpretivism)

Postmodernism

Education

Roles & Functions of Education

The Functionalist View of Education

Neoliberalism & The New Right View of Education

The Marxist View of Education

The Feminist View of Education

Educational Policies & The Structure of Britain's Education System

Education Policy: Pre 1988

Education Policy: The 1988 Education Act

Education Policy: New Labour 1997

Education Policy: Coalition & Conservative Policies from 2010

The Privatisation of Education

Policies on Class, Gender & Ethnicity

Factors Affecting Educational Achievement: Social Class

Social Class & Achievement: External Factors

Social Class & Achievement: Internal Factors

Factors Affecting Educational Achievement: Ethnicity

Ethnicity & Achievement: External Factors

Ethnicity & Achievement: Internal Factors

Factors Affecting Educational Achievement: Gender

Gender & Achievement: External Factors

Gender & Achievement: Internal Factors

Reasons For Boys' Underachievement

Gender Differences in Subject Choice

Methods in Context: Education

Research Context & Characteristics

Researching Schools

Researching Teachers & Classrooms

Researching Students & Parents

Primary Methods Used to Investigate Education

Questionnaires & Education

Interviews & Education

Observations & Education

Experiments & Education

Secondary Methods Used to Investigate Education

Official Statistics & Education

Documents & Education

Theory & Methods

Sociological Methods & Research Design

Types of Data

Practical & Ethical Factors Influencing Choice of Methods

Theoretical Factors Influencing Choice of Methods

Research Design

Stages in Research Design

Sampling Techniques

Primary Sources of Data: Quantitative Methods

Experiments

Questionnaires

Formal Interviews

Longitudinal studies

Primary Sources of Data: Qualitative Methods

Informal Interviews

Observations

Secondary Sources of Data: Quantitative Methods

Official Statistics

Secondary Sources of Data: Qualitative Methods

Documents

Sociological Theories

Functionalism

Neo-Marxism

Triple Systems Theory & Poststructuralist Feminism

Action Theories: Weber & Symbolic Interactionism

Action Theories: Phenomenology & Ethnomethodology

Postmodernism & Globalisation

Late Modernity

Sociology & Science

Sociology & Value Freedom

Sociology & Social Policy

Families & Households: Option Topic (Section A)

Roles & Functions of the Family

Functionalist Perspective of the Family

New Right Perspective of the Family

Marxist Perspective of the Family

Feminist Perspective of the Family

The Personal Life Perspective of the Family

The Impact of Social Policy on the Family

Changing Family Patterns

Marriage & Cohabitation

Childbearing

Divorce

Family Diversity

Family Types

Views on Family Diversity

Gender & Power in the Family

Gender Roles & Domestic Labour

Power & Decision-Making in Families

Childhood

The Nature of Childhood

The Future of Childhood

Demographic Trends in the UK Since 1900

Demographic Trends: Birth Rate

Demographic Trends: Death Rate & Life Expectancy

Demographic Trends: Ageing Population

Demographic Trends: Migration & Globalisation

Beliefs in Society: Option Topic (Section B)

Ideology, Science & Religion

Definitions & Types of Religion

Ideology & Belief Systems

The Functionalist View of Religion

The Marxist View of Religion

The Feminist View of Religion

Religion & Social Change

The Neo-Marxist View of Religion

Weber: Religion & Social Change

Bruce: Religion & Social Change

The Postmodernist View of Religion

Religious Organisations

Types of Religious Organisations

New Religious Movements (NRMs)

New Age Movements

Social Groups & Religiosity

Social Class & Religiosity

Ethnicity & Religiosity

Age & Religiosity

Gender & Religiosity

Secularisation

Defining & Measuring Secularisation

Secularisation in the UK

Secularisation in the US

Religious Fundamentalism

Religion & Economic Development

Crime & Deviance

Theories of Crime & Deviance

The Functionalist Perspective on Crime

Functionalism: Strain Theory

Functionalism: Subcultural Strain Theories of Crime

The Marxist Perspective on Crime

The Neo-Marxist Perspective on Crime

The Interactionist Perspective on Crime

Right Realism

Left Realism

Sources of Statistical Data on Crime & Deviance

Official Criminal Statistics

Self-Report Methods

The Social Distribution of Crime & Deviance

Gender & Criminal Behaviour

Feminist Theories of Gender & Crime

Ethnicity & Criminal Behaviour

Theories of Ethnicity & Crime

Social Class & Criminal Behaviour

The Media & Crime

Media Representations of Crime

The Media as a Cause of Crime

Moral Panics

Globalisation & Crime

Crime & Globalisation

Global Capitalism & Transnational Crime

Green Crime

State Crime

Control, Punishment & Victims

Crime Prevention & Control: Right Solutions

Crime Prevention & Control: Left Solutions

Surveillance

Punishment

Victims of Crime

Study tools

• AQA A Level Sociology · Past Papers

Related links

• A Level Sociology · Revision Notes
• A Level Sociology · Past Papers
• A Level Sociology · Glossary
• AQA A Level Sociology · Exam specification