Will someone please explain sociology perspectives in very simple terms!!

[constantlyconfused]

I am baffled . The way it has been taught to me has been way over my head having never had any knowledge of sociology.
Can some kind person please simplify before I do something unreasonable and start shredding books and throw my pc at the wall!

Do you men fundamentalism, Marxism, feminism etc

*mean

Yes those are the ones !

Marxism - inequalities in society are because of class
Feminism - inequalities in society are because men holding the power
Functionalism - inequalities in society are because of social structures/institutions not working properly
Social action - our own actions shape society

Is that too basic or does it help?

I like SimpleWiki for this kind of thing.

However, you shouldn't have this kind of thing dumped on you without explanation if you are well taught. What course is it?

Thank you .I am doing a healthcare course.One module is sociology many of the others have previously covered so they are aiming way over my head.My essay is on how the different perspectives view teenage pregnancy . I have googled and googled with no joy!

So Marxists would say teenage pregnancy is a problem for the working class as they have less money/resources to deal with it. Feminists wold say that a patriarchal society would pour scorn on the teenage mother but no so much the teenage father. Functionalists would say some social structure is not working (school? family?) and therefore teenagers fall pregnant. Is that the sort of thing?

Yes perfect thanks gives me a good starting point. The way its explained is so complex I get lost in translation but don't want to be the annoying one who asks what every word means!

Ask away here, I'm sure some of us will be able to help :)

Just to add that "class" in Marxism is not quite the same as we think about class usually. The key issue is around ownership of the means of production. So the bourgeoisie own the factories etc. and the working class have to sell their labour to them. Therefore the working class have less control over their lives as they are reliant on selling their labour to factory owners etc.

So Marxists might argue that the bourgeoisie would say teenage pregnancy is a sign of the moral weakness of the working class and use it as a further justification for not sharing power and responsibility with the working class.

Brill thanks .
So marxism would see it more as an issue for disadvantaged in terms of not having the same opportunities as advantaged so more likely to fall pregnant as a way to survive financially .More likely to be involved in deviant behaviour due to not being able to afford hobbies etc?!!
Functionalists- been failed by society in terms of lack of education on safe sex by school and family. Not in a strong society receiving appropriate advice and support.Would be more likely to be a drain on society in terms of benefits and housing.More likely to produce children who may not play a strong role in society due to their upbringing?@ More likely to be teen parents themselves?

Am I kind of on the right track?!

Sounds good :)
I personally have never applied it to teenage pregnancy in an essay, only education/family/crime, so I cant say for sure.

You're not doing a masters in public health are you?! I did a very similar essay and looked at it from a risk perspective (ulrich beck etc).... Actually really interesting when you get your head round it!

Marxists would also say teenage pregnancy is also often a result of a 'self fulfilling prophecy', society sees the girl in a certain way, own mother was a teen mother, brought up in council house etc and is expected to follow the same pattern so much so that instead of 'breaking the chain' they go on to fulfil the life expected for them by getting pregnant young and restarting the cycle.

When I did my social science MA I was almost looking up every tenth word in every paper I read in the introductory module - I bought a dictionary of sociology that was pretty helpful.

You need to get books out from your local library. Try Alevel sociology course books rather than googling the essay question.

Functionalism is like a 1950's ideal of things. It believes that structure benefits society and that everything works together and is harmonious. Families are made of a working father, a SAHM and children in the functionalist ideal. The parents are married before they have the children. Religion plays a part in functionalism as it provides a moral framework by which to live which reinforces the marriage, heterosexual, tradition rhetoric. Look up Talcott Parsons.

Marxism is the opposite to functionalism. It is a conflict theory, believing that structure in society causes conflict and is in place as a way for the rich (the bourgeoise) to exploit the labour of the poor (the proletariat). This oppression keeps the rich, rich as they own the means of production (factories, farms, media) and the poor, poor. Look up Engels & Marx.

Feminism - different types of feminism all based on patriarchal oppression. 3 examples are Marxist feminism (working class women are oppressed by rich, powerful men), Liberal feminism (acknowledges that equality has come a long way, there is still work to be done, seeks m/f equality), Radical feminism (in sociological terms! doesn't acknowledge men at all really, not seeking equality between men & women but furthering women's rights, sometimes at the expense of men's).

Functionalists would see teenage pregnancy as an example of deviance, not an example of a failure of society.

squeezy they would but a large amount of teen pregnacy in a pocketed demographic or area would be seen as a warning device for a failure in the system or a move for social change (social acceptance).

Thanks so much everyone. I am beginning to understand albeit very slowly
I do have a large number of sociology books but they are not the best reads seem to be written in the most boring way possible very dated. I even invested in sociology for dummies which was a bit rubbish !