revisesociology

[revisesociology]

After the Shock: Living in the Shadow of Covid

It’s extraordinary how little we talk about Covid, given how profoundly it continues to shape our society, economy, and public services. From Furlough to Fallout: The Lasting Economic Impact of Pandemic Spending As Heather Stewart et al. note in The Guardian, the pandemic marked a dramatic – though temporary – expansion in the role of the state. Almost overnight, the UK government introduced…

[revisesociology]

Social Democracy and the Welfare State

Social democracy is the main ideological perspective to the left of the Middle Way. In Britain, it has traditionally been associated with the Fabian tradition and the Labour Party, although it overlaps with some of the ideas held today by Liberal Democrats as well as the Third Way. The Welfare State is a fundamental part of the ideology of social democracy. Social Democracy vs. Democratic…

[revisesociology]

Adolescence, the Manosphere, and the Making of Toxic Masculinity

The Netflix drama Adolescence explores the growing trend. It shows how young boys are increasingly being drawn into toxic online spaces known as the “manosphere.” The series follows the story of a 13-year-old English boy named Jamie. After being socially isolated at school and experiencing rejection from a girl, Jamie spirals into a darker online world. The series reveals how what starts as a…

[revisesociology]

GEMEINSCHAFT AND GESELLSCHAFT(COMMUNITY AND SOCIETY)

Ferdinand Tönnies’ (1855–1936)major contribution to sociology was his analysis of contrasting types of social groupings in his influential Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, published in 1887. Tönnies was one of several thinkers who turned their attention to the social implications of modernity towards the end of the nineteenth century. Among them were Émile Durkheim, Max Weber, and Ferdinand…

[revisesociology]

The grab for the Panama Canal...

The Panama canal is of huge economic and strategic importance, being one of the world’s major trade routes.  Trump has recently hinted at the use of military force to regain control of the canal, citing economic security. Trump has stated that the U.S. should never have given control of the Panama Canal to Panama in 1999. The Panama Canal is now controlled by the Panama Canal Authority, but…

[revisesociology]

Barriers to critical thinking

Critical thinking does not come easily to everyone. Barriers vary from person to person, but can usually be overcome. This post looks at some key barriers to critical thinking and encourages you to consider whether these might be having an impact on you. This post covers several barriers to critical thinking including:  Misunderstanding Criticism – Some see criticism as purely negative, leading…

[revisesociology]

Inside Facebook: What a Whistleblower’s Memoir Reveals About Media Power and Control

In her recently published memoir, Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism, Sarah Wynn-Williams discusses her experiences. She presents a cautionary tale about power and greed. It also highlights the loss of idealism. She is a former Facebook executive. She provides a critical insider’s perspective on the corporate culture at Meta (formerly Facebook). During her…

[revisesociology]

Bell Hooks, Intersectionality, and Second-Wave Feminism: Challenging White Patriarchy and Capitalism

The “second-wave” feminists of the 1960s to 1980s presented a far more formidable and thoroughgoing challenge to male domination than earlier feminists. Their broadening agenda included issues such as social inequalities, sexuality, rape, the family, and the workplace. But the US feminist Bell Hooks criticized second wave feminism as representing the privileged view of white women. In Feminist…

[revisesociology]

Why France's Healthcare System is Better than the UK's NHS

The National Health Service (NHS) in the UK has long been a source of national pride. However, it has faced increasing strain due to funding shortages, growing patient demand, and inefficiencies in service delivery. In contrast, France’s healthcare system is frequently held up as a model of efficiency, with shorter waiting times, more available hospital beds, and a hybrid funding model that…

[revisesociology]

The Importance of Critical Thinking Skills

Critical thinking is not only crucial for academic study, especially for –A-level Sociology, but also for life in general… Enhancing Our Thinking Abilities We often take for granted that we fully understand a topic, have the correct answer, or know the best course of action, but this is not always the case. It is easy to fall into the habit of simply repeating what we have heard or summarizing…

[revisesociology]

Trump's Tariffs: A Return to Protectionism?

Trade wars are back in the headlines. In his second term, Donald Trump has reignited tensions with China by imposing new tariffs, following his earlier moves as President when he introduced sweeping trade barriers. His justification? Protecting American workers and countering what he calls China’s “unfair trade practices.” However, economists warn that trade wars often do more harm than good,…

[revisesociology]

Do we need to reform Sickness Benefits in the UK…?

Recent figures (1) show that 3.3 million working-age adults in Britain are receiving incapacity benefit, 700,000 more than before Covid. Of these, 2.4 million are claiming these higher rates of benefit for mental illness – 900,000 in 2024. The total health-related bill was put at close to-£66bn, due to reach £100bn in a decade’s time.  A 30 year old today is twice as likely to claim disability…

[revisesociology]

Private school pupils get extra time in exams...

Only 27% of state school pupils receive diagnoses necessary for additional time, hindered by stigma and reluctance to seek help. In contrast, 43% of private school pupils receive extra exam time, aided by affluent parents willing to pay upwards of £2,000 for private assessments. There is thus a significant disparity in how extra exam time for students with Special Educational Needs (SEN) is…

[revisesociology]

The USA's huge cuts to Official Development Aid

The decision to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by President Donald Trump, with the support of billionaire Elon Musk, has sparked a global debate on the future of humanitarian aid and American foreign policy. USAID has long been at the forefront of disaster relief, global health initiatives, and democracy promotion. However, the Trump administration views…

[revisesociology]

The Lessons of Southport: A Sociological Analysis of the Tragic Child Murders

Axel Rudakubana committed a shocking knife attack in Southport in July 2024, murdering three young girls. In January 2025 he was sentenced to more than 50 years in prison. His sentencing hearing revealed multiple missed opportunities by authorities to intervene. Rudakubana had been permanently excluded from school and had numerous prior interactions with the police due to violent behavior. He…

[revisesociology]

Max Weber: rationalisation and the iron cage of bureaucracy

Max Weber’s Key ideas about modern industrial society and rationalisation are: Modern industrial society brought technological and economic advances But this was accompanied by increased rationalization and a bureaucratic structure… This structure imposed new controls, restricted individual freedoms, and eroded community and kinship ties. Bureaucratic efficiency has stifled traditional…

[revisesociology]

Marxist Perspectives on the Welfare State

Marxist perspectives criticize the inequities of the market, but also he ineffectiveness of the welfare state in challenging or combatting these inequalities. Marxism, Socialism and Communism Some of these critiques are rooted in the ideas of Karl Marx, a 19th-century economist and philosopher. Marx argued that capitalism is an exploitative system where the working class is taken advantage of…