Functionalism views society as a system of interconnected parts that work together to ensure stability. It emphasizes how each institution fulfills necessary functions for both individuals and the whole society. However, it is criticized for overlooking conflict and change, as well as the power dynamics that influence social order. Functionalism provides an overly harmonious view of society that takes a politically conservative position.
2015 Left Forum session on contemporary Maoism (rough, assorted notes) Stephen Cheng
Uploaded are the notes I took from a session on contemporary Maoism, held by actual Maoists no less, back when I attended the Saturday sessions of Left Forum in New York City on a summer weekend in 2015. I already uploaded previous session notes and I thought I'd upload these as well. This is a redacted version out of respect for speakers' privacy.
2015 Left Forum session on contemporary Maoism (rough, assorted notes) Stephen Cheng
Uploaded are the notes I took from a session on contemporary Maoism, held by actual Maoists no less, back when I attended the Saturday sessions of Left Forum in New York City on a summer weekend in 2015. I already uploaded previous session notes and I thought I'd upload these as well. This is a redacted version out of respect for speakers' privacy.
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SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY -Read the following guide to the three cen.docxsamuel699872
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY -
Read the following guide to the three central theories of sociology.
Choose
one
social issue or problem that you know something and attempt to apply
each theory
to the problem.
on what aspect of the problem would your theory focus (i.e. macro structure, micro relationships)?
according to this perspective, what might be considered causal factors?
what might be considered solutions?
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES -- A LAYPERSON'S GUIDE
Macro Perspectives
Structural Functionalism
Functionalists view society as a stable, well-organized system in which the parts function to maintain the whole. When disequilibrium occurs, there is a tendency for balance to be restored. In general, there is consensus regarding the basic values in a society. These folks are interested in how the various parts of the social system -- its major social institutions --function to contribute to the maintenance of social order. When all members of the group perform their roles correctly, based on societal norms, the group is said to be functioning well. The main reason for the existence of social problems is that societies are always changing and having to adapt to new conditions; failure to adapt successfully leads to social problems.
society is viewed as a smoothly functioning organism
parts work together to contribute to well-being of the whole
values are the "glue" which hold society together
dysfunctions are the result of dysfunctions within a mechanism (institution) which is a result of deviance from the "norms"
social change often triggers problems -- change in values
CENTRAL QUESTION: HOW DOES A PART CONTRIBUTE TO OVERALL STABILITY?
Conflict Theory
Conflict theorists, in contrast to the functionalists, believe that conflict, especially class conflict, is the process that shapes society. Society is in a constant process of change and is marked by conflicts due to inequalities of class, race, ethnicity, gender, age, and other major divisions. The origins of social problems may be found in the way societies organize access to wealth and power. There is a great disparity in the wealth of the powerful and the powerless. Because the resources that people value are always in short supply, there is a struggle for them. Those who gain control of scarce resources (i.e. money) have an interest in keeping them for themselves and will exploit the masses in order to gain more power over them. Those who lose out have an interest in wresting control from those in power. This conflict between the "haves” and the “have-nots" provides the fuel for history. The major figure associated with this school is Karl Marx.
conflict is normal in the functioning of society
focus on the unequal divisions in society
problems are natural outcome of struggle for scarce resources
powerful want to keep control and exploit the powerless in the process
CENTRAL QUESTION: WHO BENEFITS?
Micro Perspective
Symbolic Interactionist
The interactionist pers.
I have forgot to put my other reference that help me in this presentation. She is Josephine Pineda Dasig that have made also a presentation about social dimension of education. Thank You so much Ma'am...
School as a social organization and its bereaucratic interpretation রোকন দৌলা
In this paper i have discussed about the school and its social and bureaucratic structure of school and its weakness and solutions , hope you will enjoy reading
1. FUNCTIONALISM
For this exercise you should complete each of the following statements of strengths and
weaknesses. You will find a list of 15 words at the end that you should use to fill in the gaps
shown.
Strengths
1.This approach shows how a part of society can work at two different
levels, both fulfilling the needs of each individual and meeting the needs of
the whole society at the same time.
2.It provides a very positive view of society.
3.Functionalists show how each of the parts of society are interdependent
each contributing to the well-being of the whole.
4.Functionalism allows us to examine the possible functions of rituals which
might otherwise appear to be purposeless.
5.It provides a useful focus on the importance of social structure and social
institutions .
Weaknesses
1.Functionalism overemphasises the harmonious nature of society.
2.It therefore tends to ignore the conflict and change stressed by Marxists.
3.Similarly, functionalism fails to recognise the importance of power and
the dominance of those who have power.
4.It takes a politically conservative position, appearing to support the status
quo.
5.Functions are assumed to exist because the institutions that provide them
exist. But an effect cannot explain a cause – therefore this explanation is
teleological.
6.Interactionist sociologists have accused functionalism of being too
deterministic seeing people as programmed and controlled by the social
system, with little choice of action.
Missing words:
controlled
conflict
teleological
harmonious
interdependent
society
dominance
well-being
conservative
deterministic
positive
rituals
institutions
change
individual
