Question

Imagine you are a sociologist interested in designing a research study to investigate whether or not there are differences in college students' academic outcomes depending on who they have in their social networks to help them through college. The works of which sociological theorist might be most useful in helping explain the theoretical basis of this research?

Answer 1

Sociological theories from thinkers like Émile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber offer frameworks to study the impact of social networks on college students' academic outcomes through functionalism, conflict theory, and insights into social organization.

Step-by-step explanation:

In sociological research focused on academic outcomes and social networks, the theories of sociological giants like Émile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber provide crucial frameworks. Durkheim's functionalism can be employed to understand how the various parts of society contribute to the stability and functioning of the whole, which includes how different social networks can influence academic success. On the other hand, conflict theory, derived from Marx's ideas, could be applied to investigate how social networks might perpetuate or alleviate inequalities in academic outcomes. Finally, Weber's insights into social organization could help explain how individual behavior within social networks impacts a student's educational experience. Analyzing college students' academic outcomes through these theoretical lenses would allow a sociologist to comprehensively explore the role of social networks in higher education patterns.