SG1013 SOCIOLOGY FOR MEDIA ENGINEERS

Re-Sit Examination 2006

Answer 3 questions

Answer all parts of Question 1 and 2 other questions

1.
(a) Explain how you might obtain a representative sample including all the groups in an area for a survey on their attitudes a topical issue.

(b) Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative research
(c) What are the advantages and disadvantages of participant observation studies?
(d) Although surveys may cover much larger samples than in-depth interviews what issues might arise about the quality of the information obtained?
(e) What was Popper’s approach to testing theories and hypotheses?

2. How might investigation of social inequalities in the U.K. draw on the work of Marx and Weber?

3. EITHER: Do modern trends in culture, consumption and lifestyle indicate that social life is becoming less individual and more standardized. Use examples to illustrate your argument.
OR: ‘Globalisation increases the cultural diversity of local life.’ Discuss.

4. Why is Britishness now more difficult to define than it was 50 years ago? In answering this question reference should be made to hybrid or cross-cultural identities.

5. What is poverty and why is it an issue in the U.K. today?

6. Discuss the changing patterns of inequality in the post-war period in the UK in relation to
EITHER: gender
OR: ethnicity