User:Jennlu/Evaluate an Article

Which article are you evaluating?
Marxist sociology

Why you have chosen this article to evaluate?
I chose this article because I wanted to refresh my knowledge of Marxism, and was not familiar with Marxist Sociology. I found it by going through the Wikipedia Outlines option. It matters because it aligns with what I am interested in studying and applies to so many aspects of our society. My preliminary impression of the article is that it is very direct and analytical. There is a lot of vocabulary in a short amount of space. The article conveys the complexity of Marxist Sociology, it links various other theories, philosophies and methodologies that I need to learn more about in order to get a better understanding of Marxism.

Evaluate the article
An informing article about an approach to sociology, I believe it could expand in certain sections. Here are my suggestions.

Lead Section

The introductory paragraph is concise, however, I think it would be beneficial in the first sentence to briefly describe what the ‘Marxist Perspective’ is, and who it is influenced by. This is so that all readers, including the ones who just want to understand the most important parts, can read the first paragraph without having to go to the external link.

The lead includes an overview of the article’s themes, linking other articles about related philosophies, theories and methods. It does not clearly include a description of the article’s major sections, or mention the primary study that Marxist sociology is concerned with: “the relationship between society and economics” (as stated in the first sentence under Concepts and Issues). I think it would be beneficial to include these things in the lead.

The lead includes a lot of information, referencing things like “Conflict Theory,” that require further reading to understand if a reader does not have prior background knowledge. I’d like to see these topics get expanded on, or draw connections between, whether it is in the Lead or in the Content section.

Content

I think that the Historical Development section could come before the Concepts and Issues section. Since this sociological practice derives from the work of Karl Marx, it may be beneficial to set the reader up with that historical knowledge prior to further concepts and analysis. It could be beneficial to further expand on his focuses and contributions. This would be a good place to explain "Critical Theory" further.

I like how the first paragraph under Content mentions the relationship between society and economics. I think that this is a very critical point that is worth expanding on: the relationships. Relationships between the differing classes in society, between Capitalism and labor markets, between different economic systems. And how these relationships contribute to the workings of society, and visa versa. What are they upholding, in which ways are they benefitting certain groups and suppressing others? I think that expanding on this would add to the argument.

Tone and Balance

The article is neutral.

I don’t think that there are any viewpoints that are over-represented, however, I do think that there could be more examination of the research that Marx focused on. This includes critical consciousness, relations and inequalities between the classes, and labor and capital.

Sources and References

The article does a good job of backing up facts with reliable sources. The majority of the sources are from after 2000, one of them is from the 1990’s. I think it could be useful to find more reliable and peer reviewed sources that examine Marx’s theories, along with more information about class inequalities and historical and contemporary economic violence.

Images and Media

The article includes one image of statues of Marx and Engels in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. I think that it could include a few more photographs: Karl Marx, symbolism of the working class, symbolism of exploitation, symbolism of protests, symbolism of revolution.

Talk Page

There are great ideas on the talk page for this article. A Wikipedia editor suggests that the article should include names and descriptions of some of the most important Marxists or Marxian influenced sociologists in historical and contemporary times. I agree with this, it is crucial to see how Marx’s research has influenced other scholars and led to new theories and discoveries about human relations.

This article is rated C-Class.

It is part of the WikiProjects: Socialism, Sociology, and Philosophy.