How Can Social Science Help Us To Better Understand Our Lives And The Lives Of Others In Society?

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Introduction: Social Science Explains Crime and Education

Social Science is very much present in day-to-day lives and it plays an important role in facilitating social growth and development. According to Little and McGivern, (2014), by studying social science awareness can be developed regarding how groups in society communicate with each other which helps to understand the framework within which the society exists. The aim of this assessment is to address the question “How can social science help us to better understand our lives and the lives of others in society?” To address this question focus will be given on correlating the two topics “crime” and “education” with the social science theories and concepts.

Discussion: Understanding Society

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First Topic: Crime

According to the Oxford Dictionary of Sociology the term “crime” can be defined as an offense that goes beyond the personal and into the social sphere, breaking the prohibitory regulation, with which legitimate punishment is associated and which needs the proper intervention of the government or public authorities (The Scottish Centre for Crime and Justice Research, 2015). The term “crime” was first proposed by Romanian-born Canadian historian, linguist, and etymological dictionary author “Rabbi Ernest Klein”, It originated from the Latin word “crimen”, and comes from the ancient Greek word “Krime” which refers to the condemnation or judicial sentences (Mcculloch, 2023). According to French sociologist Emile Durkheim, crime is an inevitable and normal aspect of social life (DiCristina, 2016). He proposed that crime exists in every society, regardless of the type and level of advancement in criminology activities. He also stated that crime is a morphological function for society.

Theoretical Perception of Crime: Anthony Gidden Theory

According to the concept of Structuration theory by Anthony Gidden, a British sociologist, social structure is not any outer part of individual action, rather it is chronically implicated in its production and reproduction (Giddens, 2014). More specifically, the social structure of a society is the outcome of practices that have occurred prior and it also makes those practices, possible. This theory rejects the Positivism theory and argues that individual tends to construct their social realities while constrained by existing social structure, therefore as per this theory, “crime” cannot be defined as just an outcome of external social forces, but it can also be referred as the product of individual’s choice and interaction with the structures (Thompson, 2017). Therefore, in the essence of Anthony Gidden's theory, crime can be defined as the behavioral approach of individuals within society that includes both social structures that influence the individuals, and the way individuals exercise their agency within those structures (Giddens and Sutton, P.W., 2021). This theory also provides an in-depth understanding of the crime which integrates both individual and structural factors.

Considering the Crime and Income in different boroughs of London, it can be stated that crime in London is more prevalent within the boroughs with the highest level of income deprivation. More specifically, in 2022, more than 52% of the crime cases were recorded in the most income-deprived regions (Trust for London, 2022). For example, violence, sexual offense, and robbery were recorded by 2 times more in income-deprived boroughs of London, in comparison to high-income regions, whereas the number of cases related to drugs and weapons offenses was 2.3 times higher in income-deprived regions in comparison to the areas with least-income deprived in London (Trust for London, 2022). Gidden’s theory of crime refers to the interconnection between structure and agencies in terms of differentiation of the occurrence of crimes in lower-income boroughs of London and higher-income areas. As per this theory, in lower-income boroughs, structural factors like poverty, limited opportunities, limited access to resources, and social disorganisations are used to create strain and lead people to engage in criminal behaviors as an alternative means of achieving social goals (Lawal, 2023). In comparison, in higher-income boroughs easy access to resources, opportunities reduces the stain on individuals and provides a legitimate path to be successful in life, and thereby limiting the occurrence rate of crime.

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Theoretical Perspective of Crime: Strain Theory

The strain theory explains the relationship between social structure, social goals, and crime. Emile Durkheim first introduced the concept of anomie, where it has been discussed that when society exerts pressure on individuals to acquire culturally defined goals but does not access the institutional means to achieve that goal, it leads individuals to changed behavior (Serpa and Ferreira, 2018). On the other hand, Robert Merton argued that strain people used to feel willingness to achieve culturally defined goals like prestige and wealth. This in turn leads them to be engaged in activities like crime to achieve that goal (Thompson, 2016). Robert Merton identified five possible responses to strain, which are ritualism, retreatism, rebellion, innovation, and conformity. Considering the variation of the occurrence of criminal activities in lower-income boroughs of London to the least deprived-income borough, Strain theory states that in lower-income regions, residents often face challenges like economic deprivation, limited opportunities, and social disorganisations which can create strain on them. This also leads them to struggle to attain culturally prescribed goals like financial success. This strain also leads the individual to adopt alternative ways like smuggling, robbery, and other criminal activities to acquire that aspiration. On the other hand in higher-income boroughs greater access to financial resources, and opportunities offers legitimate avenues to lead lives and reduce strain, which causes lower crime rates. Strain theory states how structural inequalities or disparities can contribute to the occurrence rate of criminal activities in society which addresses the necessity of addressing the socio-economic disparities to reduce the crime rate (Agnew, 2020).

Second Topic: Education

According to Plato, education is a means of achieving justice, both social as well as individual justice, whereas Aristotle propounded that education is the process of preparing a person for eudaemonic life, where he can pursue and attain the highest level of excellence and can get the opportunity to be flourished (McCoy, 2021). So, fundamentally, education is a process of socialising individuals into society by making them aware of cultural values, and social norms. Therefore, from social perception, education can be defined as a deliberate process that occurs outside of the family and through which society transmits values, norms, and knowledge to individuals. Similarly, in a social context education is considered as a complex system that comprises both informal and formal institutions that impart not only the knowledge and skills but also the values to ensure the success of people (Little, 2014).

Theoretical Perspective of Education- Anthony Gidden Theory

Anthony Giddens the British Sociologist has made a significant contribution to the social theory of education. This theory states that every individual gets shaped by the social structure through their action, which highlights the interplay between structure and agency related to human behavior (Elliott, 2020). In the context of education, Anthony Gidden’s theory refers that educational institutions are not mere passive structures, but it can actively produce and reproduce from the interaction of individuals with society, for example, student teachers policymakers, and administrators- all play important roles in constructing the educational system through their decision and regular activities (Lawal, 2023). Gidden's theory also prioritises the importance of power in relation to education, where he states how institutions can reinforce or challenge the existing social hierarchical structure. For example, access to high-quality education can always influenced by socio-economic status, perpetuating the disparities across the generation. By taking the example of “many prisoners used to have poor education”, it can be stated that socio-economic inequalities and limited access to resources like economies, and education can contribute to the educational deficiencies among a specific or derived segment of the population. Furthermore, considering the Gidden theory, it can also be highlighted how educational institutions can perpetuate the existing disparities by reinforcing the exclusionary practices, and social hierarchical structure (Elliott, 2020). More specifically, in the lower or deprived income borough of London, students used to come from disadvantaged backgrounds and receive inadequate amounts of support and resources in school. This in turn can lead them to academic failure and increase the likelihood of involving in criminal activities.

Theoretical Perspective of Education-Cultural Deprivation Theory

The cultural deprivation theory in sociology refers to the scenario, where people from deprived regions used to access inferior skills, opportunities and resources. This theory states that people from low socio-economic classes used to experience cultural deprivation in comparison to those who come from the least-deprived regions of society (Friedman, 2020). So, the core concept of Cultural deprivation theory in terms of education is that educational inequality is related to the socio-economic and cultural aspects. More specifically, an individual from a deprived background used to have limited access to education rather than an individual who comes from stable socio-economic and cultural backdrop (Leviston et al., 2020). In the context of prisoners with poor education, the Education-Cultural Deprivation theory offers insight into how social inequalities can contribute to the education deficiencies, among incarcerated people. More specifically, it can be stated that many prisoners come from poor socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds and get limited access to quality education, and economic support. These circumstances create a barrier to academic success and perpetuate a cycle of educational disadvantages.

Conclusion

In this assessment, the focus has been given to in-depth discussion on the topic how can social science provide a better scope to understand the lives of others in society. Considering the key concept of Anthony Gidden’s structuration theory and Robert Merton’s Strain theory, it can be stated that interaction between the individuals’ agency and social structure can lead a person to change behaviour in society. More specifically, it can be stated that social inequalities and lack of resources can lead an individual to be involved in criminal activities to acquire social goals. Similarly, to address how education can shape to the lives of individuals in society, the concepts from Anthony Gidden's theory and Cultural Deprivation theory have been taken into consideration, which underscore that socioeconomic and cultural disparities contribute to educational inequalities. As a whole, it can be concluded that structural inequalities in society, equitable access to education, and a supportive environment are important to shape the social lives of any individuals within a society.

References

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