Describe and Evaluate the Effectiveness of Sociological Theories in Explaining the Role of the Public Services in Contemporary Society.

Describe and evaluate the effectiveness of sociological theories in explaining the role of the public services in contemporary society.

Since the beginning of time (Giddens, 2009), human kind has constantly striven to reflect and improve their past behaviour and conducts, with aspiration that their knowledge will help create a better society. Charles Wright Mills an American Sociologist refers to this as ‘Sociological imagination’ highlighting how humans empirically link past events to present day situations, affiliating Giddens(2009) suggestion that humans need theories for clarification and an understanding on why the world and the social structure is like it is. In the words of Mills (1959) ‘What ever sociology may be, it is the result of constantly asking the question, what is the meaning of this?’ Could possibly be considered as an example why sociologists since the 1800’s have been writing theories on social structures.
The nineteenth century saw the development of social science, as traditional values changed with the birth of the industrial revolution, which consequently saw human behaviour adapt as a new positive social structure was formed. Early theories by Auguste Comte (Functionalist), Karl Marx (Marxist) and Erving Goffman (Interactionists) provide the original principles that are the make-up of Functionalism, Marxism and Interactionism, which other sociologists (Durkheim,E, Parsons,T, Gramsci,A, Habermas,J, Mead,G,H and Goffman,E) have referenced in collaboration to their own theories on social structures.
In today’s society (Giddens, 2009) the impact of modernization can unfortunately still be observed by using classical theories that were published over a century ago. Recent explanations into social divisions and exclusion can also be liked to eras that saw the birth to feminism and the rise of modernism, resulting in the ripple effects that are experienced and observed worldwide.
Sociologists Comte and Durkheim theoretical perspectives on...