Sociology9699 (04-Specimen 2021) Paper+Ms+Answers

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Cambridge International AS & A Level
SOCIOLOGY9699/04
Paper 4 Globalisation, Media and Religion For examination from 2021
SPECIMEN PAPER 1 hour 45 minutes
You must answer on the enclosed answer booklet.

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You will need: Answer booklet (enclosed)
INSTRUCTIONS
●● Answer two questions in total, each from a different section.
●● Follow the instructions on the front cover of the answer booklet. If you need additional answer paper,
ask the invigilator for a continuation booklet.
INFORMATION
●● The total mark for this paper is 70.
●● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ].
This document has 2 pages. Blank pages are indicated.
© UCLES 2018 [Turn over
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Answer two questions in total, each from a different section.
Section A: Globalisation
EITHER
1 ‘Global migration has only economic consequences for society.’ Evaluate this view. [35]
OR
2 ‘It is becoming harder to detect and punish global crime.’ Evaluate this view. [35]
Section B: Media
EITHER
3 ‘The hypodermic syringe model provides the best explanation of media effects.’ Evaluate this view.
[35]
OR
4 ‘The media reflects the interests of all groups in society equally.’ Evaluate this view. [35]
Section C: Religion
EITHER
5 ‘Religion supports the interests of the rich and powerful.’ Evaluate this view. [35]
OR
6 ‘Religion has lost its social significance.’ Evaluate this view. [35]
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© UCLES 2018 9699/04/SP/21
SOCIOLOGY 9699/04
Paper 4 Globalisation, Media and Religion For examination from 2021
MARK SCHEME
Maximum Mark: 70
Specimen
This document has 16 pages. Blank pages are indicated.
© UCLES 2018 [Turn over
9699/04 Cambridge International AS & A Level – Mark Scheme For examination
SPECIMEN from 2021
Generic Marking Principles
These general marking principles must be applied by all examiners when marking candidate answers.
They should be applied alongside the specific content of the mark scheme or generic level descriptors
for a question. Each question paper and mark scheme will also comply with these marking principles.
GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:
Marks must be awarded in line with:
•• the specific content of the mark scheme or the generic level descriptors for the question
•• the specific skills defined in the mark scheme or in the generic level descriptors for the
question
•• the standard of response required by a candidate as exemplified by the standardisation
scripts.
Marks awarded are always whole marks (not half marks, or other fractions).
Marks must be awarded positively:
•• marks are awarded for correct/valid answers, as defined in the mark scheme. However, credit
is given for valid answers which go beyond the scope of the syllabus and mark scheme,
referring to your Team Leader as appropriate
•• marks are awarded when candidates clearly demonstrate what they know and can do
•• marks are not deducted for errors
•• marks are not deducted for omissions
•• answers should only be judged on the quality of spelling, punctuation and grammar when
these features are specifically assessed by the question as indicated by the mark scheme. The
meaning, however, should be unambiguous.
Rules must be applied consistently e.g. in situations where candidates have not followed
instructions or in the application of generic level descriptors.
Marks should be awarded using the full range of marks defined in the mark scheme for the
question (however; the use of the full mark range may be limited according to the quality of the
candidate responses seen).
Marks awarded are based solely on the requirements as defined in the mark scheme. Marks should
not be awarded with grade thresholds or grade descriptors in mind.
© UCLES 2018 Page 2 of 16
SPECIMEN from 2021
Using the mark scheme
The questions are marked using a generic analytic mark scheme, which separates the marks for
the different assessment objectives (AO). The work is marked for each AO using generic levels of
response mark schemes. The marks awarded are usually based on a judgement of the overall quality
of the response for that AO, rather than on awarding marks for specific points and accumulating a
total mark by adding points.
Indicative content is provided as a guide. Inevitably, the mark scheme cannot cover all responses that
candidates may make for all of the questions. In some cases candidates may make some responses
which the mark scheme has not predicted. These answers should nevertheless be credited according
to their quality.
SPECIMEN from 2021
Indicative content
Question Answer Marks

1 ‘Global migration has only economic consequences for society.’ 35
Evaluate this view.
Key focus of question

This question is about the consequences of migration and requires
candidates to weigh the economic consequences of migration (positive and
negative) against non-economic consequences, such as cultural and political
consequences. Candidates may evaluate the view in the question by arguing
that the economic consequences are linked to the political and cultural
consequences so it is impossible for the consequences to be only economic.
Indicative content
For:
•• Economic benefits of the migration of labour, including highly skilled
workers such as doctors and low skilled workers such as service industry
workers and manual labourers.
•• The economic benefits of fee paying university students as a valuable
source of income.
•• Negative economic consequences relating to the dependency ratio
in the countries people are migrating from as those emigrating are
predominantly of working age.
•• Negative economic consequences such as highly trained medical staff
emigrating to work in another country, leaving their country of origin short
of specialist skills, for example, Bulgaria.
•• Sociological arguments highlighting the importance of economic aspects
of migration for example Marxism and functionalism.
•• An analysis of perceptions of the economic impacts of migration through
popular discourse as opposed to empirical evidence.
Against:
•• Political consequences of global migration such as a changing voting
demographic as a result of migration, growing representation of a wider
range of migrant groups in politics.
•• The need to change social policy as a result of immigration, such as
housing, health care and education provision.
•• Political consequences such as the rise of nationalism and xenophobia
as a result of perceived problems with immigration, hate crimes.
•• The growth of global political organisations and social movements such
as Black Lives Matter.
•• Cultural consequences of migration such as the benefits of multicultural
society.
•• The increase in religious pluralism and the possibility of a lack of value
consensus as different values and beliefs coexist.
•• The cultural benefits of the contribution of migrants to cultural practices
and national identity, such as music, food and the arts, the growth of
hybrid culture or alternatively, cultural homogenisation/westernisation.
•• Sociological theoretical interpretations of the political and cultural
impact of migration such as Neoliberal, Marxist, Conservative, Social
Democratic views.
•• A discussion of the interconnected nature of political, cultural and
economic consequences of migration.
SPECIMEN from 2021

2 ‘It is becoming harder to detect and punish global crime.’ Evaluate this 35
view.
Key focus of question:

This question is about whether changes linked to globalisation have made
it more difficult to detect and punish crime. Candidates are likely to focus on
examples of global crimes such as human trafficking and corporate crimes
and explain why these crimes are difficult to detect and punish. Candidates
should evaluate the view in the question by exploring the ways that changes
associated with globalisation may make it easier to detect and punish crime,
for example through increased global coordination by police organisations
and increased surveillance.
Indicative content
For:
•• Examples of crime with a global dimension with an explanation of why
these crimes may be more difficult to detect and punish.
•• The particular challenges of different legal/policing systems in different
parts of the world, for example, crimes against the environment where
this is not yet considered a crime.
•• Increased freedom of movement resulting from globalisation allows
criminals to travel and operate across borders more easily.
•• Evidence that new technologies, such as the Dark Web and
cryptocurrencies, have made it easier for criminals to operate globally.
•• The movement of business activity to places where state rules are less
strict to take advantage of weaker regulations without any punishment or
repercussions, for example, where there are less strict health and safety
regulations.
•• The continued lack of regulation by internet service providers, search
engines and social media of illegal activity on the internet.
Against:
•• Global police organisations, for example EUROPOL and INTERPOL,
are becoming more efficient in tracing and prosecuting global criminal
networks for cybercrimes.
•• The expanding role of surveillance by both the state and private
companies, new legal possibilities and police powers.
•• The increasing use of social media and global media to raise awareness
of particular forms of crime as well as to catch particular criminals.
•• Examples of changing policing practices and laws which attempt to
respond to the changing nature of crime, such as global police operations
working together to tackle global drugs networks and terrorism.
•• The introduction of international laws and courts which hold transnational
criminals to account, for example, the International Criminal Court, or the
United Nations International Court of Justice.
•• Examples which show that global criminal networks, such as drug cartels,
are challenged through multinational campaigns with some success.
•• Lack of agreement about what constitutes ‘global crime’ and shortage
of clear evidence that so-called global crimes are increasing, partly
reflecting differences in the way crime statistics are recorded in different
societies.
SPECIMEN from 2021

2 •• Global crime has a long history and we should be wary of
underestimating the extent of such cross-border crimes in previous
epochs, for example, raids by invading armies, piracy, slavery, transfer of
wealth illegally seized, etc.
SPECIMEN from 2021

3 ‘The hypodermic syringe model provides the best explanation of media 35
effects.’ Evaluate this view.

The hypodermic syringe model is a media effects theory that argues that
media messages are like a drug injected directly into the audience’s mind,
changing their behaviour in a direct and tangible way. The model emerged
amid concerns about new media forms and the idea of mass society in
the USA and Western Europe in the 1930s and 1940s. There have been
more recent developments of the theory, including cumulation theory and
transmission models. The hypodermic syringe model has close links to the
concept of mass society and the Marxist theory of mass manipulation. The
hypodermic syringe model can be contrasted with indirect models of media
effects, such as the cultural effects theory.
Indicative content
For:
•• Some study evidence supports the idea of direct effects (Bandura, Belson).
•• Subsequent developments of the hypodermic syringe model are more
nuanced than the original version and therefore harder to dismiss.
•• Evidence for indirect effects is, arguably, just as debatable as evidence
for direct effects. It is very hard to isolate the variables involved in order
to test whether, and how, behaviour is affected by exposure to the media.
•• While it may be true that the media does not always have a direct effect,
there may be some circumstances where the effect is tangible and
immediate (such as examples of the spread of rioting, copy-cat crimes,
and outbreaks of mass public mourning).
•• Companies would not spend so much money on media advertising if it
were not possible to influence audiences directly.
•• Some groups may be particularly vulnerable to direct media influence;
recent developments of the hypodermic syringe model have focused
on this point, rather than assuming that the media has a uniform effect
across all social groups.
Against:
•• There are limitations with the evidence used to support the idea of the
media affecting behaviour directly.
•• The original hypodermic syringe model has difficulty explaining why some
people appear to be influenced by the media more than others.
•• Direct effect models wrongly assume that audiences are uncritical
individuals easily influenced by the media.
•• Fears about mass society and the power to control behaviour through the
media proved greatly exaggerated.
•• The media is more interactive today and audiences are smaller and
more diffuse. Audiences are therefore less likely to be influenced in large
numbers by the direct impact of the media.
•• Where advertisements are effective, studies suggest the impact on
audiences is more subliminal and indirect.
•• Public protests directed at the media (or some elements of the media)
occur quite frequently and it would be difficult to explain this using the
classical hypodermic syringe model.
•• There is evidence from studies to support indirect models of media
effects (e.g. Kraeplin, Cohen, Stam, Glasgow Media Group).
SPECIMEN from 2021

4 ‘The media reflects the interests of all groups in society equally.’ 35
Evaluate this view.

This question is about the influences of media content and how far that
content reflects the interests of all groups in society as opposed to, for
example, only the elite groups. The pluralist theory of the media supports the
view that media content fairly reflects different interests in society. By contrast,
the Marxist theory views the media as serving the interests of the ruling class
only. The digital pessimism/optimism debate may also be relevant for this
question, with the digital optimism case suggesting that the new media has
opened up more opportunities for diverse groups and interests to influence
media content, while the digital pessimism case suggests that the new media
is controlled largely by the same powerful interests that exercise power over
the traditional media.
Indicative content
For:
•• Evidence of media campaigns to support vulnerable groups.
•• Diversity of media content reflects the interests of diverse groups in
society.
•• The values associated with a ‘free media’ are highly valued and this
lends some support to the pluralist view that the media is independent in
seeking to represent different interests fairly and truthfully.
•• Examples to show that the media can bring issues into the public domain
and encourage debate incorporating different groups and interests (e.g.
Watergate exposure, Thalidomide, discredited US and UK government
claims about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, Pakistan Steel Mills
scam).
•• Discussion of how the new media provides many opportunities for
individuals and diverse groups to shape media content and debate.
•• Evidence of how liberalisation of media markets has undermined the
entrenched power of some media organisations.
•• Opportunities created by the new media for citizen journalism and other
ways in which individuals and diverse groups can influence media
content.
Against:
•• Evidence of bias and distortion in the media that systematically favours
some groups (the more powerful) over others (socially deprived and
marginalised groups).
•• The observation that measures such as liberalisation of media markets,
government regulation and censorship have proved largely ineffective in
curbing the powers of media moguls such as Rupert Murdoch.
•• Arguments against the pluralist claim that the state acts to ensure that
the media represents all groups in society fairly; the state may have its
own interests which are expressed in the way it regulates the media and
seeks to influence media content.
•• The point that control over the media no longer lies within the nation
state and that globalisation has weakened the scope to hold the media
accountable.
SPECIMEN from 2021

4 •• Arguments that the new media, far from being a democratising force, is
merely an extension of the entrenched power of those who control the
traditional media.
•• Challenges to the idea that a ‘free media’ exists which allows journalists
and producers to fairly and truthfully represent different interests and
viewpoints. For example, it can be argued that the majority of media
organisations are focused almost exclusively on achieving commercial
ends, and they are not truly committed to the idea of a free media that
upholds liberal values and defends the rights and freedoms of the
individual.
SPECIMEN from 2021

5 ‘Religion supports the interests of the rich and powerful.’ Evaluate this 35
view.

The question invites consideration of conflict theories of religion. An
evaluation of the Marxist theory of religion could provide the basis for an
appropriate answer. An evaluation of the feminist theory of religion would also
be acceptable. Another way of approaching the question would be to consider
sociological material pointing to entrenched privilege and exploitation in
specific religious organisations/movements (Barker’s study of the Unification
Church, for example). Sociological reflections on theocracies and the elite
structures that such regimes may support should also be rewarded.
Indicative content
For:
•• Evidence that men (often from privileged backgrounds) dominate the
positions of power within many religious organisations.
•• Examples showing correspondence between religious doctrine and
practices and the interests of capitalism.
•• Evidence showing links between privileged individuals and elite groups
channelled through religious affiliation.
•• Arguments that the growth of fundamentalist religions is best understand
as a defence of entrenched power and privilege (particularly male
power).
•• Sociological material suggesting that NRMs often have hierarchical
power structures that are exploitative and promote inequality.
•• Defence of the idea that religion remains a powerful influence in society
and therefore a way by which the interests of the rich and powerful can
be supported.
•• The argument that religion makes an important contribution to the
cohesiveness of elite groups and thereby helps the rich and powerful to
maintain power and retain wealth within their own group.
Against:
•• Arguments that the Marxist theory of religion is too deterministic and
exaggerates the extent to which religion directly serves the interests of
the ruling class.
•• The functionalist theory of religion, whereby religion contributes to social
consensus and the fulfilment of common interests for all members of
society.
•• The view that religion serves individual needs and that people from all
social backgrounds may benefit psychologically from the experiences of
religious belief and worship.
•• Examples of religion challenging entrenched interests and supporting
the dispossessed and marginalised in their struggles, as with Liberation
Theology for instance.
•• Religion may not have that much influence on the less powerful groups
in society; for example, evidence suggests that very few working-class
people attended church in the nineteenth century and religion was not a
significant influence on their behaviour and way of thinking.
•• Postmodernist ideas about the significance of religion as a source of
individual identity (as opposed to religion being a power structure imposed
on society in a way that serves the interests of the rich and powerful).
SPECIMEN from 2021

5 •• The secularisation thesis would suggest that religion has little
significance in contemporary societies and therefore lacks scope to
support the interests of the rich and powerful.
•• Arguments that the power of established religious organisations is
breaking down and privatised, consumer driven forms of religious
practice may be on the rise. This might suggest less opportunity for the
rich and powerful to exercise control through religion.
SPECIMEN from 2021

6 ‘Religion has lost its social significance.’ Evaluate this view. 35

The question invites an evaluation of the secularisation thesis. Good
answers will examine the extent to which religious influence has declined in
contemporary societies. This raises questions about how religion is defined
and what indicators are used to measure religiosity. The importance of religion
in public life (ceremonies, politics, moral debates, welfare, education) would
also be a relevant topic to consider.
Indicative content
For:
•• Religion no longer has a strong hold over people’s lives; belief today is a
matter of individual choice and forms of religious practice are increasingly
individualised.
•• Religious organisations have been weakened and now often compromise
with the secular world in order to retain/attract followers and to avoid
criticism and censure; for example, acceptance of gay marriage, Sunday
opening hours, female clergy.
•• People are exposed to knowledge, such as scientific explanations or
different cultural beliefs, that challenge religious ideas and weaken their
power.
•• Religious diversity in contemporary societies undermines the plausibility
of any single religion, leading to a general decline in religious influence
(lack of religious unity leads to loss of power and social significance).
•• Many of the functions once performed by religion (education, welfare,
communication, sanctioning of state authority) have been taken over by
secular institutions.
•• Evidence of decline in religious participation and membership is
overwhelming (there may be scope to question some details of this
decline, but the overall trend is clear to see in many societies).
•• Sociological material that highlights the supposed loss of public functions
of the established religions.
•• Changes in religious organisations that may reflect a loss of influence
in society, such as willingness to compromise on issues of theological
significance in order to remain popular and retain/attract followers.
Against:
•• It is difficult to measure the social significance of religion (i.e. religion can
mean different things to different people and people may be religious
in different ways) and it is therefore difficult to show convincingly that
religion has lost its social significance.
•• The influence of religion in the past may have been overstated and the
contribution made by religion to contemporary societies understated
(Stark). For example, religion provides the rationale for moral codes that
form the basis of political life, and religion takes the lead in arguing for
ethical practices to inform economic life today.
•• There is a strong undercurrent of individual religious belief, even in
secular societies.
•• Declining congregations may be specific to Western Europe; church
attendance is rising in the USA and in many developing countries.
SPECIMEN from 2021

6 •• Only religious organisations that tried to accommodate to the secular
world have seen declining membership; religious growth has occurred in
fundamentalist organisations (Kelley).
•• Change in religious organisations represents evolution not secularisation
or loss of power.
•• Examples of the ongoing importance of religion in public life.
•• The view that disenchantment with rationalisation and science is leading
to a religious revival.
SPECIMEN from 2021
Generic levels of response
Level AO1: Knowledge and understanding Marks

3 •• Good knowledge and understanding of the view on which the question is 7–9
based.
•• The response contains a range of detailed points with good use of concepts
and theory/research evidence.
2 •• Reasonable knowledge and understanding of the view on which the question 4–6
is based.
•• The response contains either a narrow range of detailed points or a wider
range of underdeveloped points, with some use of concepts and references
to theory or research evidence.
1 •• Basic knowledge and understanding of the view on which the question is 1–3
based.
•• The response contains a narrow range of underdeveloped points with some
references to concepts or theory or research evidence.
0 •• No knowledge and understanding worthy of credit. 0
Level AO2: Interpretation and Application Marks

4 •• Very good interpretation and application of relevant sociological material. 10–11
•• The material selected will be accurately interpreted and consistently applied
to the question in a logical and well-informed way.
3 •• Good interpretation and application of sociological material. 7–9
•• The material selected will be accurate and relevant but not always
consistently applied to the question in a way that is logical and clear.
2 •• Reasonable interpretation and application of sociological material. 4–6
•• The material selected will be mainly accurate but its relevance to the question
may be confused or unclear at times.
1 •• Limited interpretation and application of sociological material. 1–3
•• The material selected is relevant to the topic but lacks focus on or relevance
to the specific question.
0 •• No interpretation and application worthy of credit. 0
SPECIMEN from 2021
Level AO3: Analysis and Evaluation Marks

4 •• Very good analysis and evaluation. 12–15
•• Clear and sustained analysis of the view on which the question is based, with
detailed and explicit evaluation.
•• There is also likely to be a range of contrasting views and/or evidence
discussed, demonstrating good understanding of the complexity of the issues
raised by the question.
3 •• Good analysis and evaluation. 8–11
•• The evaluation may be explicit and direct but not sustained, or it will rely on
a good outline of contrasting views and/or evidence, clearly focussed on
evaluating the view in the question.
•• The response demonstrates some understanding of the complexity of the
issues raised by the question.
2 •• Reasonable analysis and evaluation. 4–7
•• There is a description of some relevant contrasting views and/or evidence but
these are only implicitly focussed on evaluating the view in the question.
•• The response demonstrates some awareness of the complexity of the issues
1 •• Limited analysis and evaluation. 1–3
•• There are a few simple points of implicit or tangential evaluation.
•• The response demonstrates little awareness of the complexity of the issues
0 •• No analysis and evaluation worthy of credit. 0
Specimen Paper Answers

Paper 4 – Globalisation, Media and Religion
Sociology 9699
For examination from 2021
Contents
Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 4
Assessment overview .......................................................................................................... 5
Section A – Globalisation ..................................................................................................... 6
Section B – Media .............................................................................................................. 11
Section C – Religion .......................................................................................................... 16
Introduction
The main aim of this booklet is to exemplify standards for those teaching Cambridge International AS & A
Level Sociology for examination from 2021. In this booklet we have provided one high grade answer for each
of the three sections of the Paper 4 (Sections A, B and C). Specimen answers are available for questions 1,
3 and 5.
Each response is accompanied by a brief commentary explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the
answers. Comments are given to indicate where and why marks were awarded, and how additional marks
could have been obtained. In this way, it is possible to understand what candidates have done to gain their
marks and how they could improve.
The mark schemes for the specimen papers are available to download from the School Support Hub at
www.cambridgeinternational.org/support
9699 Sociology 2021 Specimen Paper 04
9699 Sociology 2021 Specimen Paper Mark Scheme 04
Past exam resources and other teaching and learning resources are available on the School Support Hub
www.cambridgeinternational.org/support
Assessment overview
Assessment objectives as a percentage of Paper 4

AO1 Knowledge and understanding 26%
AO2 Interpretation and application 31%
AO3 Analysis and evaluation 43%
Section A – Globalisation
Question 1
1 ‘Global migration has only economic consequences for society.’ Evaluate this view.
[35]
Specimen answer
Although there is a long history of people moving around the world, global migration
has increased significantly with globalisation and improved technology. As countries of
the world become more interconnected, so people move around the world. The
movement of people to other countries can have economic consequences both for the
country they join and for the country they leave and these consequences can be both
positive and negative. However, the view that global migration has only economic
consequences can be questioned due to the cultural and political consequences of
migration.
One major economic consequence of global migration is that the host country will
benefit from the labour provided by migrants. Following the Second World War,
many European countries had a shortage of labour, particularly in manufacturing
industries. To overcome this shortage countries looked to other countries, particularly
less developed countries, to provide labour. In many cases, labour came from
previously colonised countries. The workers were often required for heavy manual
low-skilled jobs that those who lived in the country did not want. Borjas points out
that in many cases the low-skilled jobs taken by economic migrants are casual and
seasonal and so not taken up by indigenous workers due to the insecurity of the
work. In this way, global migration has a positive economic consequence for the host
country by providing a workforce for jobs that otherwise would face labour shortages.
Marxists would argue that in this way, migrant workers are forming a reserve army
of labour that has the effect of reducing wages. While this is positive for capitalism, it
may be negative for the workforce as employers are able to keep wages lower as they
do not have to raise wages to attract workers from the domestic workforce.
Not all migrants are low-skilled workers. The British NHS, for example, relies heavily
on migrant workers. According to Hann et. al, 42% of doctors joining the NHS
between 1992 and 2005 had obtained their medical qualifications outside of the UK.
Specimen answer, continued
This migration of working age high-skilled and high wage workers can have positive
economic consequences as they are likely to contribute more through taxation than
receive through social services. In the USA, the Congress Commission on Immigration
Reform (1997) concluded that overall immigration into the USA had a positive effect
on the US economy as migrants made a significant tax contribution and they mainly
spent their spare cash on US goods.
However, while the economic consequences may be positive for the recipient country,
they may be negative for the country that the migrants leave behind. The ‘brain
drain’ is a term often used to describe the effect where developing societies lose their
most talented and educated citizens who move to well paid jobs often in Western
Europe, the USA, Japan and Australia. For example, Koser found that only 50 out of
the 600 doctors trained in Zambia since 2020 are practising medicine in Zambia.
This brain drain can impede the process of economic development in developing
countries and so has negative economic consequences.
Global migration may also have positive economic consequences for the countries from
which people migrate due to the value of remittances. Remittances are cross-border
transfers of money from workers in one country back to their country of origin,
often through payments to family members. Many migrant workers send payments
such as these back to extended families in their country of origin, contributing
positively to the economy in those countries. The World Bank estimates that around
80% of all global remittances went to less industrialised countries. The amount being
transferred is nearly half a trillion US dollars which is around double the amount of
global development aid.
Global migration does clearly have economic consequences both for the country that
people move from and the country that people move to. However, this does not mean
that it has only economic consequences for society. Indeed, there are also social,
political, and cultural consequences to migration.
Remittances, for example, do not only have economic consequences. Hanlon and
Vicino highlight the social consequences of remittances as in households receiving
remittances from abroad, children are less likely to drop out of school and the health
of children tends to be better too. While the practice may largely be driven by
economics, its impacts spread beyond simply supporting the economy. Likewise, while
people may become migrants for economic reasons, the consequences for them
individually span far beyond economics. They may have to leave friends and family
behind to begin a life in a new country. Massy argues that due to this, migrants often
form networks in the countries they move to. This can facilitate the process of
settlement and also provide support and employment opportunities. Developing a
social network due to migration is another clear social consequence.
Despite the economic advantages that global migrants may bring to a country,
immigration is often a political issue in many countries. For many countries the
arrival of immigrants who have different lifestyles and beliefs created demands for
immigrants to assimilate. Immigrants were encouraged to adopt the culture of the
host country including language and values. This proved a problem as migrants were
not willing to abandon their culture. Multiculturalism was the view that immigrants
should be able to retain their culture. This became the preferred policy for many
countries as attempts at assimilation had proved unsuccessful. However, subsequently
there have been renewed calls for assimilation following events such as 9/11 in
America and terror attacks in the UK. Another social consequence of migration is
that the news media of receiving countries have negatively represented immigrants as
a social problem. Research by the information Centre about Asylums and Refugees
observed that newspapers across Europe have constructed an image of migrants as a
problem or threat to the identity and cohesion of European societies. In this way, the
news media are creating a moral panic about immigration which may further fuel
fascism, hostility and hate crimes. These are all clear social and political consequences
that result from migration.
Migration can also have positive cultural consequences. It can lead to greater cultural
diversity, with people from different cultures living alongside each other. While this
may create tensions at times, it also leads to greater understanding of others and
widens people’s horizons. Bourn argues that young people living in societies in which
migration and cultural hybridity are the norm are the social group most likely to be
open to the idea of adopting a global identity. They are also more likely to be
involved in digital global networks and movements against global inequality. Global
migration can therefore have positive cultural consequences too.
Overall, although many migrants move for economic reasons the consequences of
migration are more than just economic. Global migration clearly has economic
consequences for both the host nations and the home nations of migrants. However,
alongside these consequences there are also political and social consequences of global
migration.
Examiner comment
The answer achieves Level 3 for AO1 by showing good knowledge and understanding of the social and
economic consequences of global migration. Both the positive and the negative impacts of migration are
considered and several examples are used to illustrate the economic consequences in particular. The
answer achieves Level 4 for AO2 because there is very good interpretation and application of relevant
sociological material. Theory is used to support the discussion; for example, through references to the
Marxist concept of the reserve army of labour. Some use is also made of relevant statistical data, with
reference to figures from a study by Hann et. al and from a study by Koser.
Level 4 is achieved for AO3 because there is a clear and sustained analysis of the view on which the
question is based, with detailed and explicit evaluation. Several points are made by the candidate to show
that global migration has cultural, social and political consequences, highlighting a range of contrasting views
and evidence. High quality analysis is shown at various points, including where the candidate refers to the
possibility of complex interlinkages between cultural, political, and economic consequences of global
migration. The evaluation is supported with references to a range of examples and evidence and the impact
of global migration is considered in terms of both the host nations and the home nations of migrants, thereby
demonstrating breadth of analysis.
Other possible approaches to this question

The candidate’s answer overall is of a very high standard and it is unlikely the candidate would have been
able to include more content within the time limit of the exam.
An alternative approach would have been to consider different theoretical approaches to the question.
Additionally, candidates could explore how the consequences of global migration have varied across time.
For example, the political consequences of global migration have become more prominent in some countries
in recent years with opposition to global migration.
Common mistakes (Essay question)

• A common mistake that a candidate may incur in answering a question of this type is to discuss the
consequences of migration in general rather than global migration specifically. For example, points
about the impact of rural-to-urban migration within a country would not directly be relevant to the
question as set, as there is no linkage with the global aspect of migration.
• A mistake that a candidate might make is to consider the consequences of global migration in an
undifferentiated way, without clearly distinguishing between economic consequences and other
types of impact, such as environmental, cultural, social, and political. Conceptual clarity in
understanding the differences between, for example, economic, cultural, and political factors is
important generally in answering the A Level questions.
Section B – Media
Question 3
3 ‘The hypodermic syringe model provides the best explanation of media effects.’
Evaluate this view. [35]
Specimen answer
There are several different models that explain the effects that the media can have
on their audiences. These models differ in their explanation of the extent of the effect
of the media on their audiences. The hypodermic syringe model suggests that media
messages are injected into their audience like a drug. The two-step flow model
suggests that messages pass through stages before they are accepted by audience.
Whereas, the uses and gratifications model suggests that people are active consumers
of the media.
The hypodermic syringe was an early model of media effects. As the name implies,
this model suggests that the media is like a drug being injected into the audience. The
model therefore claims that the audience are passive recipients of media messages.
An example of this model in action was seen in 1938 when a radio broadcast of H.
G. Wells’ War of the Worlds caused mass hysteria as members of the public who heard
it thought it was real and that the earth was being invaded by Martians. Although
this so-called proof of the effect of the media was questioned by some it still served
to validate the theory that audiences passively accept messages from the media.
Some sociologists have argued that the media can have a similar effect by inducing
political, physical and mental apathy. Marcuse described how the media has a
‘hypnotic power’ to deprive us of our capacity for critical thought. In this way, the
audience are passive and the media have a direct influence upon them. For Marcuse
this direct influence is to induce apathy and prevent people from changing the world.
Laboratory studies conducted by psychologists can also be seen as evidence to support
the hypodermic syringe model. Bandura, Ross and Ross studied simple cause-and-
effect relationships between a media message and the audience response. They
concluded that film images were as effective in teaching aggression as real-life
models, particularly in boys. Studies such as these influenced the social learning
approach in psychology. This approach argues that people learn behaviours through
observing and imitating others. The idea that this observation can happen through
the media supports the hypodermic model of media effects.
A further variation on the basic hypodermic syringe model is the idea that media
effects are cumulative, rather than immediate. For example, the idea that prolonged
exposure to violent films or games can result in violent behaviour and desensitisation
to violence. Belson, for example, claimed that prolonged exposure to media violence
produced violent behaviour in young males.
In recent times the focus of direct effects models has moved away from general
audiences and towards the idea of vulnerable audiences, children in particular. The
argument here is that their lack of experience and tendency to imitate makes
children more susceptible to direct media effects.
One weakness of the hypodermic syringe model is that it ignores the influence of
other people on our interpretation of the media. In reality, people do not simply
accept everything passively, there is some process of interpretation and other people
can be particularly influential upon this process. The two-step flow model developed
by Katz and Lazarsfeld attempt to address this weakness. This model suggests that
within social networks there are ‘opinion leaders’ who are those who influence others
and have strong ideas. Opinion leaders will consume a range of media, form opinions
on these issues and then pass these on to others in their social group. This means that
the views of other people, and particularly those whose views are respected, shape
how an individual responds to the media. This model seems to fit well with how
advertising works on social media. People with large numbers of followers on social
media are paid significant amounts of money to give positive opinions on products.
They are being targeted as opinion leaders and paid for their influence on the views
of others. The two-step flow model is a better model of media effects as it recognises
that our interpretation of the media is influenced by social interaction.
Subsequent theories of the media effects tend to see the audience as less passive in
their consumption of the media. Such models tend to look at how audiences use the
media rather than the media’s effect on audiences. Blumler and McQuail’s uses and
gratifications model looks to explain the way audiences use the media to satisfy their
needs. This means that the uses will differ from group to group and will depend on
the needs they have and the ways in which these needs can be gratified. Wood for
example suggests teenagers will use horror films as a way of gaining excitement.
Blumler and McQuail suggested four needs that may be met by the media. The first is
diversion, to escape from everyday life. The second is personal relationships, we may
need media due to our loss of community. Thirdly is personal identity, audiences may
relate to characters to help them form their identity. Finally, the media may act as
surveillance, as audiences need to know what is going on in the world around them.
While this model seems more realistic that the hypodermic syringe model in its
recognition that audiences do not consume all media in the same way, it does not
offer much in terms of explaining how the media affects the audience. Indeed, the
model could be interpreted to mean that the media are powerless in their ability to
influence behaviour. The model also seems to assume that these needs are pre-existing
and the media is simply filtered through them. In reality, needs may be created by
the media itself, through advertisements, or through social interaction. This model,
like the hypodermic syringe model, is largely asocial, it does not take into account the
cultural context that influences interpretation.
While the uses and gratifications model seems to suggest that because the audience
are active the media must be having little effect, other sociologists have argued that
even though the audience are active the media may still be influencing them, just in
less direct and obvious ways than the hypodermic syringe model suggests. The
cultural effects model looks at media effects from a neo-Marxist viewpoint. This
model suggests that if audiences are constantly exposed to media messages, they will
begin to internalise the ideas that are being given to them from the media. The
Glasgow University Media Group, a left-wing group of sociologists, suggest that
models that suggest the audience are active fail to recognise the enormous power of
the media to influence opinions of audiences. The suggestion here is that in many
cases audiences will have little information about a topic and so will rely on the
media to supply that information. An example of this is the portrayal of benefit fraud
in the media. The media’s portrayal of the extent of benefit fraud has led to an
assumption amongst audiences that this problem is far larger than the reality. This
model then sees the real power of the media in its ability to become part of an
audience’s cultural background through advising and guiding audiences and in doing
so exercising ideological control.
It is clear that the hypodermic syringe model is a simplistic model of media effects.
Audiences are not entirely passive as the model suggests, and other models seem
better able to account for ways that audiences may actively interpret and make
sense of the media. For this reason, the hypodermic syringe model is not the best
model of media effects. However, the amount of money spent globally on advertising
would suggest that businesses at least believe that the media are able to have a
significant influence upon an audience’s behaviour and opinions. While this influence
may often not be direct and immediate, it may be that the media is still be able to
infiltrate the beliefs and behaviour of the audience, particularly on issues with which
they have no personal experience.
Examiner comment
Level 3 is achieved for AO1 because the candidate demonstrates good knowledge and understanding of the
hypodermic syringe model of media effects.
The historical origins of the model are considered and a useful contrast is made with the two-step flow model.
The assumption that consumers of the media are passive, which is implicit in the hypodermic syringe model,
is made clear in the answer.
Level 4 is achieved for AO2 skills because a good range of relevant sociological material is applied to the
question in a logical and well-informed way. For example, different developments of the hypodermic syringe
model are considered, including the ideas of Marcuse, the laboratory studies by Bandura, Ross and Ross, and
the concept of cumulative effects associated with Belson. Good use is also made of a range of contrasting
models of media effects.
Level 4 is achieved for AO3. There is clear analysis of the hypodermic syringe model through drawing out
different variations on the model, including the social learning approach, cumulate effects, and the idea of
vulnerable audiences. There is also clear and explicit evaluation through direct comparison with alternative
models. Other models are explored, demonstrating contrasting evidence and these are related back to the
hypodermic syringe model to explicitly draw out similarities and differences.
Alternative approaches to the question

An alternative approach not taken by this candidate would be to consider relevant methodological issues. For
example, the candidate could have explored the difficulties of studying media effects, such as the limitations
of the type of laboratory study used by Bandura and the difficulty of researching indirect effects that may
develop over many months or years.
The candidate could also have considered in more detail the possible strengths of the hypodermic syringe
model as the evaluation largely focuses on the perceived weaknesses.

• A common mistake in answering this type of question would be to describe the hypodermic syringe
model without placing it in the context of other approaches to explaining media effects. The
specimen answer avoids this mistake by helpfully distinguishing between direct and indirect models
of media effects, recognising that the hypodermic syringe is the primary example of the direct model
and contrasting this with the two-step flow and uses and gratifications models which see media
effects as indirect.
• Another common problem a candidate may encounter is to be too dismissive of the hypodermic
syringe model, failing to acknowledge its possible strengths and, by extension, underestimating the
limitations of alternative approaches, such as the uses and gratifications and cultural effects models.
Attempting to explain the hypodermic syringe model without references to supporting studies and
evidence would also be limiting in terms of accessing AO1 and AO2 marks.
• Candidates often make the mistake of describing different theories/models without highlighting ways
in which they differ. Rather than leaving the differences between the theories implicit, higher marks
could be accessed by explaining the relevant contrasts and their significance for evaluating the view
on which the question is based.
Section C – Religion
Question 5
5 ‘Religion supports the interests of the rich and powerful.’
Evaluate this view. [35]
Specimen answer
Conflict theorists argue that religion supports the interest of the rich and powerful.
For Marxists, religion supports the interests of the bourgeoisie, the group with power
due to their ownership of the means of production. Feminists agree that religion
supports the interests of the powerful, but for them religion supports the interests of
men rather than those of a capitalist class.
Marxists see religion as an ideology that distorts people’s perception of reality in
capitalist society. Marxists argue that we live in a capitalist society where the
bourgeoisie (ruling-class) exploit the proletariat (working-class). Marx argued that
religion is an ideological weapon used by the ruling-class to disguise their exploitation
of the proletariat and to prevent the proletariat from recognising its own interests.
Marx described religion as ‘the opium of the people’. By this, he meant that religion is
like a drug that both dulls the pain of exploitation and prevents the working-class
from improving their situation. Marx argued that religion dulls the pain of oppression
by promising a paradise of eternal life for those who follow their religious duties.
Religion also justifies the social order by providing an overall narrative for why the
world is as it is. In this way religion presents the social structure as God-given and
inevitable. Religion also dulls the pain of oppression by offering a hope of supernatural
intervention to solve problems. Religion’s followers can pray for help with problems
they face and this hope can make the present more acceptable.
At the same time, religion prevents the proletariat from improving their situation by
acting as a mechanism of social control. Marx described how religion preaches
submissiveness and humbleness. In this way, religion keeps people in their place and
prevents them from improving their situation. In this way, Marxists see religion as a
conservative force – it acts to maintain society as it is. By preventing the proletariat
from seeing how they could truly improve their situation, religion contributes to a
false class consciousness. It blinds the workers from their true situation and diverts
their attention from the true source of their problem – the system of capitalism.
There is a wealth of historical evidence that can be seen to support the Marxist view
of religion. The caste system of traditional India was justified by Hindu religious
beliefs. Likewise, in medieval Europe, kings and queens were seen to rule by divine
right. In the USA during the era of slavery, slave owners often encouraged the
conversion of slaves to Christianity, seeing it as a controlling influence that helped to
prevent them from fighting against slavery. Similarly, in England during the
industrial revolution employers used religion as a means of controlling the masses and
encouraging them to remain sober and work hard. Overall, these examples support
the idea that religion is a conservative force that serves the interests of those in
positions of power.
However, Marx has been criticised as in some situations religion can be force for social
change. Gramsci, a neo-Marxist, argues that some clergy may help to challenge
ruling-class hegemony in society by acting as organic intellectuals. For example,
Billings studied two sets of workers in the 1920s and 1930s who were both religious.
He points out that organic intellectuals helped miners, one of the groups, to rebel
against the status quo as they were more rebellious. Religion provided the organic
intellectuals to give leadership, organisation and support to the miners.
Feminists agree with Marxists that religion serves the interests of the powerful, but
they see religion as helping to maintain male domination of society. Feminists argue
that religion is patriarchal and legitimises women’s subordination. For example,
sacred texts are often filled with male gods or prophets and the women in the Bible
are often portrayed to be evil such as Eve eating the fruit first causing humanity’s
expulsion for the Garden of Eden. Places of worship often segregate the sexes with
women sometimes seated behind a screen. Religions may not allow women to take
higher offices in a religion, for example in Catholicism women are not allowed to be
priests. Also, religious laws and customs have stopped women from having full rights.
Women may not have access to divorce or may have to dress in a particular way
such as wearing a hijab. Therefore, feminists argue that women are treated unfairly
in religion and religion performs an ideological function of supporting patriarchy. As
such this supports the powerful, in this case men.
However, some sociologists argue that religion can be supportive to women. For
example, the hijab can be seen as a sign of liberation which allows Muslim women to
enter the public sphere or join higher education. Religious feminists also argue that
religion can enable women to gain status and respect for their domestic role. For
example, Pentecostalism has strong beliefs that men should respect women. Women
can use this belief to ensure they do not face oppression from husbands.
Some sociologists disagree with the general view of conflict theories that religion
supports the interests of the rich and powerful. Malinowski, an anthropologist,
suggests that religion provides psychological benefits to individuals by reducing
anxiety and tension. In this way religion benefits individuals and also benefits society
as a whole through mitigating stresses that could threaten the social order.
Malinowski argued that this can be seen clearly in times of crisis as in all societies
birth, marriage and death are surrounded by religious rituals. Malinowski also argued
that religion relieves anxiety in important but unpredictable situations. He used an
example from his fieldwork with the Trobriand Islanders to illustrate this function.
Trobriand Islanders are fishermen. When fishing in lakes they were relatively safe and
relied only on their skill and not on religious ritual. However, when the Trobrianders
went fishing in the ocean they performed rituals before the trip. This was due to the
increased dangers of ocean fishing. These examples highlight that religion can be used
to support all members of a society, not just the rich and powerful.
Religion may perform positive functions for society as a whole rather than just for
the benefit of the rich and powerful. For example, functionalists argue that religion
unites people in a social solidarity through a value consensus which is the shared
norms and values in society. Functionalists use the example of totemism. Durkheim
studied the Arunta tribe who came together to worship a symbol known as a totem.
By worshipping the totem, the tribe were united. Durkheim considered this worship
to show the tribe actually worshipped the society. This shows that religion does not
always serve the rich and powerful but performs the function of bringing a society
together, which benefits everyone within the society.
In conclusion, religion can be seen to support the rich and powerful by supporting
capitalism and patriarchy. Religion often justifies the suffering of either the lower
class or women by persuading these groups that their suffering is God’s plan rather
than due to the oppression of either the ruling-class or men. However, this does
neglect the many ways in which religion can be a positive experience for all, rather
than just the rich or powerful.
Examiner comment
Level 3 is achieved for AO1 because the candidate demonstrates a good understanding of the underlying
theoretical debates about the role of religion and uses this well in discussing the links between conflict
perspectives and the idea that religion serves the interests of the rich and powerful. A detailed account of the
Marxist theory of religion is used to illustrate the view on which the question is based. This includes good use
of relevant concepts such as ideology, social control, oppression, and exploitation. Understanding of the
view on which the question is based is also demonstrated through discussion of the feminist analysis of the
patriarchal aspects of religion.
Level 4 is achieved for AO2 skills because there is good interpretation and application of relevant
sociological material. For example, relevant historical evidence in selected to support the Marxist view that
religion serves the interests of the ruling-class. A range of relevant examples are also used to illustrate the
feminist argument that religion serves the interests of men. In the answer, the evidence is interpreted
accurately and relates back to the view that religion supports the interests of the rich and powerful.
Level 4 is achieved for AO3. Very good analysis and evaluation is shown through explicit evaluation of the
Marxists and feminist views on religion, using Billings as evidence against the Marxist view and evidence
that religion can be supportive of women to evaluate the feminist view. The candidate also considers a range
of contrasting views and evidence through the functionalist contributions of Malinowski and Durkheim,
demonstrating a good understanding of the complexity of the issues raised by the question.
Alternative approaches to the question

An alternative approach to this question would be to consider Weber’s analysis of the role of religion in the
rise of capitalism. Weber used his historical study of the origins of capitalism as a basis for criticising Marxist
ideas about the links between religion and class domination. This could have been drawn out as a criticism
of the view expressed in the question.
In the above response, the candidate uses Gramsci’s ideas to criticise the Marxist perspective. The
candidate could also have noted ways in which Gramsci, as a neo-Marxist, argued in favour of the view that
religion in most cases supports the capitalist power structure.
A further alternative approach would be to more directly analyse the limitations of the view that religion
supports the interests of the rich and powerful. For example, the candidate could have challenged the
economic determinism implicit in the Marxist theory of religion or used evidence about religious participation
and belief to directly question the extent of religiosity among subordinate groups.

• A likely mistake made by candidates with this question is to link the view that religion supports the
interests of the rich and powerful with a relevant theory (Marxist, feminist), but without explaining the
actual mechanisms through which religion achieves this effect. The specimen answer avoids this by
offering a clear and sustained account of how, in the Marxist view, religion is linked with the
exploitation and oppression of the working-class in the interests of the ruling-class.
• A problem candidates encounter in answering a question of this type is confusion about the
significance of Weber’s study of the role of religion in the rise of capitalism. Although Weber was
writing about the links between religion and capitalism, his findings should not be seen as supporting
the Marxist view that religion serves the interests of the capitalist class. On the contrary, Weber used
his study of the rise of capitalism to critically confront what he saw as the unjustified economic
determinism in the orthodox Marxist perspective.
• A common mistake is that candidates rely primarily on juxtaposing different theories as a form of
evaluation, but without explicitly relating the alternative theories back to the view in the question.
Answers that rely primarily on the description of contrasting theories as a form of evaluation would
achieve no higher than Level 3 for AO3. To access Level 4 for AO3, there must also be some direct
and explicit analysis and evaluation of the view on which the question is based.

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Cambridge International AS & A Level

SPECIMEN PAPER 1 hour 45 minutes

You must answer on the enclosed answer booklet.

You will need: Answer booklet (enclosed)

This document has 2 pages. Blank pages are indicated.

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Answer two questions in total, each from a different section.

© UCLES 2018 9699/04/SP/21

Cambridge International AS & A Level

This document has 16 pages. Blank pages are indicated.

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Generic Marking Principles

GENERIC MARKING PRINCIPLE 1:

Marks must be awarded in line with:

Marks must be awarded positively:

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Using the mark scheme

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Question Answer Marks

Key focus of question

Question Answer Marks

Key focus of question:

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Question Answer Marks

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Question Answer Marks

Key focus of question:

Question Answer Marks

Key focus of question:

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Key focus of question:

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Generic levels of response

Level AO1: Knowledge and understanding Marks

Level AO2: Interpretation and Application Marks

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Level AO3: Analysis and Evaluation Marks

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Specimen Paper Answers

9699 Sociology 2021 Specimen Paper 04

9699 Sociology 2021 Specimen Paper Mark Scheme 04

Assessment objectives as a percentage of Paper 4

has increased significantly with globalisation and improved technology. As countries of

consequences can be questioned due to the cultural and political consequences of

many European countries had a shortage of labour, particularly in manufacturing

industries. To overcome this shortage countries looked to other countries, particularly

Specimen answer, continued

spent their spare cash on US goods.

countries and so has negative economic consequences.

SPECIMEN PAPER 1 hour 45 minutes

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