A-level SOCIOLOGY Unit 3 Beliefs in Society; Global Development; Mass Media; Power and Politics

Transcription

1 A-level SOCIOLOGY Unit 3 Beliefs in Society; Global Development; Mass Media; Power and Politics Monday 20 June 2016 Morning Time allowed: 1 hour 30 minutes Materials For this paper you must have: an AQA 12-page answer book. Instructions Use black ink or black ball-point pen. Write the information required on the front of your answer book. The Paper Reference is SCLY3. This paper is divided into four sections. Choose one section. Do not answer questions from more than one section. Do all rough work in your answer book. Cross through any work you do not want to be marked. Information The marks for questions are shown in brackets. The maximum mark for this paper is 60. Questions carrying 18 marks or more should be answered in continuous prose. In these questions you will be marked on your ability to: use good English organise information clearly use specialist vocabulary where appropriate. G/TI/113063/Jun16/E2 SCLY3

2 2 Choose one section. Do not answer questions from more than one section. Section A Beliefs in Society If you choose this section, answer questions 0 1 and 0 2 and either question 0 3 or question 0 4. Read Item A below and answer questions 0 1 and 0 2 that follow. Item A Some sociologists argue that religion prevents social change. For instance, some feminists, such as El Saadawi (1980), argue that religion supports patriarchy and helps to keep women in a role subordinate to men. However, not all agree that religion is a conservative force. For example, Weber argued that the rise of Protestantism played a key role in the growth of ideas, ethics and values necessary for the development of capitalism. More recently, others have focused on religious fundamentalism as a source of social change. 0 1 Identify and briefly explain three reasons why members of minority ethnic groups may be more likely than members of the majority population to join religious or spiritual organisations. [9 marks] 0 2 Using material from Item A and elsewhere, assess the view that religion promotes social change. [18 marks] Either 0 3 Critically examine the nature and extent of secularisation in the world today. or 0 4 People today look to science to explain the unknown. They no longer put their faith in explanations offered by religious ideologies. To what extent do sociological arguments and evidence support this view?

3 3 Section B Global Development If you choose this section, answer questions 0 5 and 0 6 and either question 0 7 or question 0 8. Read Item B below and answer questions 0 5 and 0 6 that follow. Item B Many governmental and non-governmental organisations play a part in development and the process of globalisation. Neo-liberal sociologists argue that one such organisation, the transnational corporation (TNC), can play a key role in developing countries. TNCs bring in modern values that encourage economic take-off. However, not all agree. Some argue that TNCs do more harm than good, and are more interested in ways to increase their profits than in the development of a country. 0 5 Identify and briefly explain three criticisms that other sociologists make of modernisation theories of development. [9 marks] 0 6 Using material from Item B and elsewhere, assess the view that transnational corporations (TNCs) are helpful to the process of global development. [18 marks] Either or 0 7 Critically examine the relationship between gender and the processes of development. 0 8 Trade is better than aid. To what extent do sociological arguments and evidence support this view? Turn over for Section C Turn over

4 4 Section C Mass Media If you choose this section, answer questions 0 9 and 1 0 and either question 1 1 or question 1 2. Read Item C below and answer questions 0 9 and 1 0 that follow. Item C Many sociologists focus on the role of the media in promoting and reinforcing stereotypical views. Such stereotypes simplify, generalise and categorise people, and are often negative. For example, old age is generally represented as an undesirable state and associated with being bad-tempered or frail. Similarly, young men are often portrayed as troublemakers. On the other hand, pluralists argue that such representations are not stereotypical, but an accurate representation of reality. 0 9 Identify and briefly explain three arguments that claim that exposure to media violence does not make people violent. [9 marks] 1 0 Using material from Item C and elsewhere, assess the view that media representations of both young and old tend to be stereotypical. [18 marks] Either 1 1 Assess the impact of new media over the past thirty years or so. or 1 2 News is always biased. To what extent do sociological arguments and evidence support this view?

5 5 Section D Power and Politics If you choose this section, answer questions 1 3 and 1 4 and either question 1 5 or question 1 6. Read Item D below and answer questions 1 3 and 1 4 that follow. Item D Sociologists are interested in the nature and distribution of power in society. Marx argued that power rested in the hands of the bourgeoisie, who owned the means of production. However, functionalists believe that power in society is shared, and it is used for the benefit of all social groups. Others, like Pareto, Mills and Michels, argue that power is held by various elite groups in society. But critics argue that their studies are dated and that no such elites exist in contemporary society. 1 3 Identify and briefly explain three reasons why opinion polls might not predict how people actually vote in elections. [9 marks] 1 4 Using material from Item D and elsewhere, assess the view that elites are still a dominant force in society today. [18 marks] Either 1 5 Critically examine the role of the contemporary state. or 1 6 Critically examine the role of pressure groups and interest groups in the political process today. END OF QUESTIONS

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8 8 There are no questions printed on this page Copyright information For confidentiality purposes, from the November 2015 examination series, acknowledgements of third party copyright material will be published in a separate booklet rather than including them on the examination paper or support materials. This booklet is published after each examination series and is available for free download from after the live examination series. Permission to reproduce all copyright material has been applied for. In some cases, efforts to contact copyright-holders may have been unsuccessful and AQA will be happy to rectify any omissions of acknowledgements. If you have any queries please contact the Copyright Team, AQA, Stag Hill House, Guildford, GU2 7XJ. Copyright 2016 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.