Sociology 9699 Notes [ TOP-RATED ]
Cambridge International AS & A Level Sociology (9699) explores the complex relationship between individuals and society, moving from the foundational concepts of identity to global issues like inequality and secularization. The syllabus is built on two primary pillars: mastering systematic sociological theory (like Functionalism, Marxism, and Feminism) and applying rigorous research methods to analyze social phenomena. Core AS Level Focus (Paper 1 & 2) A-Level Sociology 9699 Syllabus Overview | PDF - Scribd
Paper 3: Education (Core for A-Level)
- Role of education: Social solidarity (Durkheim), Meritocracy (Davis & Moore), Hidden curriculum (Bowles & Gintis).
- Marxist perspectives: Correspondence principle, myth of meritocracy.
- Internal factors (In-school):
- Labelling (Becker), Self-fulfilling prophecy (Rosenthal & Jacobson), Streaming, Subcultures (Hargreaves, Willis – Learning to Labour).
- External factors (Out-of-school):
- Material deprivation (Lack of resources), Cultural deprivation (Bereiter & Engelmann – language deficits), Cultural capital (Bourdieu).
- Policies: Comprehensivisation, Marketisation (league tables, funding formulas), Academies.
1. Core Theoretical Perspectives (The Compulsory Foundation)
Sociology 9699 requires you to analyze society through three major paradigms. You must be able to apply all three to any topic. sociology 9699 notes
3. Family (Paper 1 – AS Level)
Methods Table (Quick Revision)
| Method | Pos/Int? | Strengths | Weaknesses |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Questionnaire | Pos | Quick, large sample, reliable | Low validity, no follow-up, low response rate |
| Structured Interview | Pos | High reliability, easy to compare | Artificial, interviewer bias |
| Unstructured Interview | Int | High validity, rapport, flexible | Time-consuming, hard to analyze, not generalizable |
| Participant Observation | Int | Deep insight, authentic data | Hawthorne effect, ethical issues, dangerous |
| Official Statistics | Pos | Free, covers large population | Socially constructed (crimes unreported) |
| Experiments | Pos | High control of variables | Unethical for many topics (e.g., education) | Cambridge International AS & A Level Sociology (9699)
Practical, Ethical, Theoretical Factors: Paper 3: Education (Core for A-Level)
- Practical: Time, money, access.
- Ethical: Informed consent, anonymity, harm.
- Theoretical: Validity, reliability, representativeness.
1. The Role of Education
- Functionalist (Durkheim, Parsons):
- Social Solidarity: Teaching shared values/beliefs (history, citizenship).
- Skills: Teaching specialist skills for the economy.
- Role Allocation: Meritocracy. Schools sift and sort students into roles based on ability.
- Marxist (Althusser, Bowles & Gintis):
- Althusser: Education is an "Ideological State Apparatus" that passes on ruling-class values.
- Bowles & Gintis: Correspondence Principle. Schools mirror the workplace (hierarchy, bells, fragmentation of knowledge) to produce obedient workers.
- Hidden Curriculum: Lessons learned informally (punctuality, obedience, acceptance of hierarchy).
- New Right:
- State education fails. Need marketization (competition between schools) to raise standards.