The Sociology Of Health And Illness - 1292 Words

Light Hughes (2000) explains that Medical sociology or the sociology of health and illness is majorly based on the empiricist philosophy which uses the measurement of objectives for quantitative change. Lupton (2012) traces that early in its development, medical sociology inherited rationalist approach for its acceptance as semi-scientific methodology and by virtue of which is considered as a component of social medicine rather than critical sociology and the consequent development in medical sociology and the sociology of health and illness the biological, human anatomy conception of the body has remained unchallenged. A single unified sociological†¦show more content†¦However, in more recent time s a third position has developed which attempts to breakdown this duality between the relative importances attached to social actors versus social structures. These three dominant theoretical perspectives in the history of the sociology of health and illness are as follows: functionalism, the political economy approach and social constructionism. Also, their exceptions are currently in accordance with sociological health and illness because functionalism and the political economy approach after 1970s have been on a lower note, quite less into consideration. Social structural approaches to exploring social reality include those empiricist sociologists who believe that an objective science of society is possible in much the same way as a physical science such as biology or physics. This empirical sociology looks to explain the norms of social life in terms of various identifiable linear causal influences. Social structural approaches would also include those sociologists who see human society as being shaped by an underlying material social and economic structure. These are structures that may not always be visible, but nevertheless are fundamental in explaining social and individual processes. In relation to health, a predominantly social structural approach would draw upon quantitative data derived from social surveys, epidemiological