Sociology and value freedom Should sociologists take the

Sociology and value freedom: Should sociologists take the side of the underdog Evaluate the view that sociologists should take the side of the underdog and be committed to changing society

Introduction • Is it desirable to keep values out of research • Locate the debate: positivists/functionalists vs committed sociology and Marxism

Positivists: not desirable- shouldn’t take a side or change society • Based on the desire to be scientific it is concerned with facts not values • Sociologists should remain morally neutral their job is to establish the truth about individuals nature not to judge it • Subjectivity contaminates research • If it doesn’t provide objectivity it wont be taken seriously or have an impact on social policy • This could just be seen as a way to raise the credibility of sociology not to get the best research

Functionalists: do not take the side of the underdogs/ shouldn’t change society • Sees society as harmonious and has conservative values that favour the status quo • Side with the powerful- don’t want social instability • If take the side of the underdog it could lead to radical change which they don’t like- too much change could lead to disruption of status quo • Functionalism and positivism tend to take the side of the establishment and the viewpoint of those in authority first with their uncritical acceptance of official statistics produced by the government • Durkheim- suicide • Houlder: (a 03): hired hands for government, sociologists also left their morals being and didn’t take responsivity for their research

Committed sociologists: becker: undesirable to be objective should change society and take a side • Values are always present, except in the past they have been on the side of the powerful • Argues if you have no values then naturally you take the values of the powerful • Becker criticises functionalism and positivism as having taken the ide of the powerful, distorting our view of social reality • Sociologists should redress the balance by using empathetic methods to give voice to the underdogs as sociologists have moral responsibility as citizens

Becker continued • Sociology needs to study and take the side of the less powerful, the less studied and the underdogs like criminals and mental patients and other powerless groups • As it is partly because less is known about these groups and their study needs to be told in order to redress the balance • By identifying with the underdog and giving them a voice, we can reveal previously hidden side of social reality • Goffman: in order to understand the mental patient we need to take their side against the psychiatrist • Gouldner: argues that we should take (Marxist) stance of those fighting the oppressed as Goffman and becker do, but study those trying to end their oppression and unmask the ways the powerful maintain dominance