Sociological Theories about Social Work

Sociological Theory and Social Work
by
M. Akram Mehar (MSc Sociology)
mehar_skp@yahoo.com

Sociological Theory: “It is an interrelated set of propositions from which empirical uniformities can be derived”. In sociological theory, the researcher has to develop a concrete statement consisting on two variables which show strong relationship which is hypothesis. In hypothesis, clear-cut relationship exists. In the post modern era, sociological theory converted into social theory.

Social Theory: “The theory in which principles and assumptions develop the hypothesis by induction and deduction method in order to solve problems”. In social theory, researcher use propositions and in propositions, the relationship exists between variables but not in clear-cut form. The assumptions/principles which is based on qualitative approach and promote the welfare liabilities encompass with economic development, is social theory. For example, higher income is essential for higher education, but higher education is not essential for higher income. (Social Theory)

In this way, sociological theory always encompasses the social work.

Social Theories of Different Theorists Regarding Social Work

Different theorists deliver their particular theories about social work. We will discuss here the theories of few of them.

(1)- Max Weber
Max Weber has presented a number of theories but we will discuss here some particular theories about social work.

(I)- Social Action Approach: This is one of the major approaches of Weber. He said that all the individuals’ actions are not for his/her personal matters, but he acts to meet the requirements of being the member of the society. His/her all types of actions are for the help of other needy persons rather directly/indirectly. Weber’s concept of social action is also used for the betterment of an individual which ultimately contributes in the betterment of the society, i.e. social work. We can say that the social action approach assist the needy persons to improve their life standard that is social work. In this way, Max Weber’s social action approach relates with social work.

(II)- Power and Authority: “It is to command the behaviors and actions of people according to the wish of elite/executive class”. As we know that authority is a command to control other’s will, it promotes consensus among the members of society and this authority maintains law and order in the society and provide economic and social security. Everybody feels himself/herself secure in the society and does work with concentration which increases production. In this way, power and authority contributes a lot to promote social work services in the society. For example; a police officer uses his authority to protect the basic rights of society members, i.e. social work.

(III)- Bureaucracy: “It is a hierarchical authority structure that operates under certain rules and procedures to control the behavior and to achieve certain ends” OR “It is the division of administrative labor among persons and offices”. In this, you keep your record in black and white form. There is organizational hierarchy in organizational structure. Max Weber describes the following rules/regulations of bureaucracy; (i)- There should be the employment of regular working individuals in offices, (ii)- There should be some principles in offices boundary, (iii)- The officers should know about those principles.
Bureaucracy has a number of merits and demerits. For example; it has the characteristics of division of labor, specialization of work, formal rules/regulation, prominent role, opportunity to progress, supervision of law, ending of monopoly, etc. It has also demerits as nothing is perfect in this material world. For example; unnecessary delay of work, misuse of power, wastage of resources, nepotism, corruption, etc.
In bureaucracy, there is the value of authority, not of a person. As bureaucracy is formal management system in which hierarchy is commanding all the issues, it promotes capitalism. Simply, Weber correlates it with capitalism and concluded that capitalism is only system which provides every necessity to mass. Because in capitalism, the capitalists invest their sources to create/distribute different services. Common people get employment. Production takes place for consumption. So, this is social work. For example, Bureaucrats manage the social work services properly in their offices.

(IV)- Religion: “Religion is the binding force which creates social solidarity and mental harmony among the members of the society”. It provides complete framework to its followers. Max Weber said that “religion is the binding force which creates integration among the mass”. Religious activities should be kept away from general business. He also stresses on the people to follow the religious values in order to establish the unity, i.e. social work. His main contribution/purpose is to run the capitalism and religious forces side by side. In this way, religion contributes a lot for social work because religion stresses upon its followers to assist the needy persons. For example, the zakat/charity system in Islam.

So in this way, we can correlate the Max Weber’s theories with social work in this form. In his book, Weber has tried to create relationship between bureaucracy and religion in order to create social integration.

(2)- Talcott Parsons

Talcott Parsons has introduced the AGIL Scheme which is his most important contribution regarding social work. His AGIL Scheme also promotes social work. He said that, on the basis of his AGIL Scheme, society provides basic facilities to its mass. The four functional imperatives of this scheme address social work in different ways. For example;

Adaptation discusses that people can’t remain at odds with its environment. It means that they have to depend upon others in some way. They have to work for each other to survive. People adopt cultural values on the basis of situation. For example, in villages, people didn’t prefer co-education. They do it to safe from criticism from their community. (This is mode of 20th century approach. This approach reflect that it encompass all the social development phenomena.) We can say that they act on the basis of give and take principle. This is social work.

With the objective of Goal Attainment people deliver their services more competently. They conduct different types of activities to attain the predetermined goal, i.e. social work. For example, NGO’s goal to educate the rural females.

Integration means the cooperation or integrity among the different aspects of the society. If there is integration among the different aspects or determinants, then the whole will be function properly. It also involves the management of the relationships among the other three functional imperatives (AGL), this is the form of social work.

Latency refers to the need for a system to furnish, maintain and renew the motivation of individuals. This is a type of social work.

(3)- Emile Durkheim

Emile Durkheim has much more contribution in sociology. He has introduced a number of social theories which has an influence on the social work practices rather directly or indirectly. Some of his major theories relating to social work have been discussed below;

(I)- Social Facts: Durkheim said that “sociology is that social science which studies the social facts and social institutions”. Social facts are concrete ideas about any concept. There are two types of social facts. i.e. material and non-material facts. People focus on non-material facts except suicide in social work practices.
Non-Material Facts: (i)- Morality, (ii)- Collective Conscience, (iii)- Division of Labor, (iv)- Social Solidarity, (v)- Collective Representation, (vi)- Social Currents.
Suicide also includes in non-material social facts but we include only those which are related to social work.
As an individual leads his life under the influence of social facts, he avoids violating them. In this way, he acts for the welfare of the society which ultimately contributes in the social work.

(II)- Social Solidarity: “It means social forces which are promoting mental harmonies and uniformities among the members of society”. As without society, it can’t be measured, he measured the social solidarity in two types of the society. (i)- Mechanical Society, (ii)- Organic Society. In the Mechanical Society, people are adhering to their long term social values. He observed that there is strong solidarity because people are attached with one another due to primary group which create strong association and this thing promotes solidarity in the society, i.e. social work. So, there is more and sincere basing social work practices in the mechanical society. Whereas in Organic Society, people co-operate one another on the basis of their interests. Solidarity exists but only for watching their own interests. There are no/less feelings to serve the humanity. So, we can differentiate both the mechanical and organic societies as under;
Mechanical Society; (a)- Almost same professions, e.g. agriculture, (b)- Cultural values have much more importance. e.g. females should live in the four walls of their homes, (c)- People ties with one another on the basis of blood relationships. e.g. Brotherism, (d)- Interaction is informal.
Organic Society; (a)- Division of labor is in full swings, e.g. Fields of specialization such as eye specialist, heart specialist, etc, (b)- Modern/social values are dominant, e.g. females have the legal liberty to do what they want, (c)- Relationships are based on abilities, e.g. with aristocrats, (d)- Interaction is formal.

We can say that the organic society teaches you that how you can stand on your footing. It creates self reliance among the members. It is threat for patriarchic system in the society. So, we can conclude that social solidarity not only creates mental harmony but also protects the cultural values and as well as creates inspiration among the members of society for economic and social development.

(III)- Collective Conscience: “The totality of beliefs and sentiments common to average citizens of the same society forms a determinate system which has its own life”. This is the approach of common people. It commonly exists in the rural areas and very strong in rural areas rather than the urban ones. Without it, social work services will be useless. To make it affective, social worker has to build collective conscience.

(4)- George Ritzer

George Ritzer has formulated post modern sociological theory which is converted into social theory. It not only focuses on specific approach but for the development of community. For example, how to improve; livelihood, maximum utilization, ego, leadership, etc

According to new approach, sociological theory/social theory focuses on all spheres of social life. In present era, social theory not only addresses specific issue but all the spheres of life. He has introduced three modern modes of utilization. He said that these modes of utilization not only promote development in the society, but also enhance the interaction among the members of the society.

Regarding Social Work, we can realize that his theory reflects the assistance and betterment of community and his sociological theory changes into social theory which focuses on social work practices.

His most important approach is that he has introduced three types of paradigms. “Paradigm encompasses two or more theories, as well as different images of the subject matter, methods, and examples”. For example, under the structural functional school of thought, there are the theories of Talcott Parsons (AGIL Scheme), Robert K. Merton (Mode of Individual Adaptation), Kingsley Davis (Behavior of Individuals, e.g. individual’s behavior changes regarding the situation), Emile Durkheim (Social Facts, Social Actions, logical actions) with their given subject matters.
So, he has formulated three types of paradigms.
(i)-Social Fact Paradigm, (ii)-Social Definition Paradigm, (iii)-Social Behavior Paradigm.
Here question arose that; why Ritzer has formulated these paradigms. Answer is that, he has considered that sociology is multiple paradigm science. On the basis of this, he has formulated new ideas towards more integrated sociological paradigms, i.e. macro and micro approaches.
(5)- Karl Marx

Regarding social work, Karl Marx has also a number of contributions. Some major contributions are discussed below.

(1)- The Dialect Materialism: The dialect means the art or practice of arriving at the truth by the exchange of logical arguments. It is the philosophy of Karl Marx. According to many followers of Karl Marx’s thinking, it is the philosophical basis of Marxism. He takes this approach from Hegal’s Dialectic Spiritualism (i.e. the religious forces satisfy the human beings). Dialectic materialism means that all social and political activities revolve around the economic activities. He said that the state and other concerned agencies resolve the economic problems of the members of the society. On the basis of this, he puts light on the social phenomena. He said that the members of the society adjust themselves in society according to rules and regulations. This is sociology. Therefore, he concluded that the dialectic materialism not only focus on the existence of social, economic and political values but also generate new economy. Marx said that the ruling class should focus on economic activities and fulfill the basic necessities of the mass. So, we can say that Marx through this approach has stressed the society members to involve in economic activities in order to fulfill their basic needs, i.e. which is social work.

(II)- Alienation Theory: “It is the breakdown of natural interconnection among people and what they produce”. In this, the people are alienated from what they produce. Bourgeoisie keep himself away from the proletariat. Marx said that people should not be separated from their services. The owners should give them those products at low costs, because they have more wages to buy them. In this way, this is a form of social work.

(III)- Class Conflict Theory/Class Struggle: In this, one class exploits the other. The owners do not give proper wages to the labor/workers. When this exploitation increases so much, then the oppressive class stand against the dominant class. In this way, revolution takes place. After revolution, there is class-less society. There is no rich, no poor, all are equal. In that society, the needy people are assisted in order to improve their livelihood. That’s why; this approach is related to social work.

(IV)- Capitalism to Communism: Capitalism only focuses on elite class and other is deprived from basic necessities. Capitalism is the system in which one class is repressed by the other dominant class. In this, the basic rights of laboring class are violated. As an opposition of capitalism, communism comes into existence. Communism offers equal social and economic opportunities to all the members of society. This not only focus on one class but work for the betterment of whole community, i.e. social work. Communism is the system in which all people have equal opportunities and is provided with basic services and needs. So, communism contributes a lot for social work.

(V)- Labor Class Value Theory: According to this theory, the skilled labor gets more money/earnings as compared to the others. There is greater demand of skilled labor because the skilled labor causes the greater production.
Now we can conclude that all these social approaches are directly/indirectly relate with social work because these focus on the betterment of the society.