This document discusses sociological theories related to conflict, functionalism, and capitalism. It provides an overview of Karl Marx's conflict theory perspective, which views society as comprised of class conflict between the bourgeoisie and proletariat. It also summarizes Emile Durkheim's functionalist perspective, which views society as a system of interrelated parts that work together to maintain stability and homeostasis. The document then discusses aspects of capitalism, including recent changes like declining wages, longer work hours in the US compared to other countries, and the rise of corporations as powerful economic actors that some argue prioritize profits over ethics and social responsibility.

1. Conflict/Functionalist Theories
KARL MARX EMILE DURKHEIM

2. CONFLICT THEORY
• Begins with Marx and his analysis of history
• Thesis/antithesis = struggle (conflict)

3. • Synthesis = a new order is produced because
of the struggle between the classes
• Three stages of history: feudalism, capitalism &
socialism (it was an inevitable destination!)
(Many call it communism)

4. Always a struggle
The materialist view of history = the most
important determinant of social life is the work
people are doing, especially work that results in
provision of the basic necessities of life, food,
clothing and shelter.

5. Power=ownership
• He maintained that everything of value in society
results from human labour. Thus, Marx saw
working men and women as engaged in making
society, in creating the conditions for their own
existence.
• Every part of human history and existence must
be understood through the lens of
social/economic theory
• All relationships are based on conflict/struggle
• Who has the power? Who wants it? Who owns
the resources?

6. Only 1 institution: private property
• The central institution of capitalist society
is private property, the system by
which capital (that is, money, machines, tools,
factories, and other material objects used in
production) is controlled by a small minority of
the population.
• This leads to two opposed classes, the owners of
capital (called the bourgeoisie) and the workers
(called the proletariat), whose only property is
their own labour time, which they have to sell to
the capitalists.

7. • Economic exploitation leads directly to
political oppression, as owners make use of
their economic power to gain control of the
state and turn it into a servant of bourgeois
economic interests.
• Police power, for instance, is used to enforce
property rights and guarantee unfair contracts
between capitalist and worker.

8. Oppression is everywhere!
• The economic structure of society moulds
the superstructure, including ideas (e.g.,
morality, ideologies, art, and literature) and
the social institutions that support the class
structure of society (e.g., the state, the
educational system, the family, and religious
institutions).
• What do you think? Is school oppressive?

9. Functionalist theory / Durkheim
• First theory in sociology
• Two fundamentals:
• 1- application of scientific
method (sociologists
must be objective &
without bias)
• 2- institutions fulfill basic
human needs and all
groups play a role in
achieving equilibrium

10. Balance, equilibrium, stability
• Key words for functionalism
• Think of any system that must co-ordinate its
parts for survival (body & organs)
• A social system with needs that must be met
• When change in one group happens, other
groups must adjust, adapt, respond...to
accommodate for the change, finding the
equilibrium again - Homeostasis
• HOMOEOSTASIS IS THE KEY WORD HERE

11. A society is
• A system of inter-related “parts”
• A change in one affects the others
• Most changes are the result of “evolution” or
natural progression of ideas and social
change
• Durkheim was influenced by Darwin`s work
• Functionalism focuses on the individual and
how social forces influence him (Macro
perspective)

12. The social self
• Functionalism understands the individual to
be a product of social forces in the
environment
• Almost puppet-like (has been the criticism)
• The individual`s place in the social structure
will determine their actions

16. • Functionalist want to PREDICT behavior
• This explains the emphasis on the scientific
method
• Shared values (solidarity) is key to group
cohesiveness
• Example: laws, rules, constitutions are an
explicit expression of supreme values
(justice, freedom) that are held in common
by a group/society

18. • Functionalism is
a macro approach to studying
society; it defines society as
a system of interrelated parts.
• A good metaphor is the body
with its interrelated organs
that all work together to
produce the state of health of
the person. It has built in
mechanisms that maintain
stasis or balance. (Sweating,
shivering, etc.)

19. In society, when things
happen to provoke change
or throw it off kilter, other
mechanisms come into play
to help bring back to a
balance. Sometimes this
new balance is slow change,
in the case of people`s
values changing faster than
the laws or the other way
around. What examples
can you think of to prove
this theory?

20. Capitalism and the Economy

21. Conflict + Functionalist

22. What Is Media?
• Media are any formats or vehicles that carry, present, or
communicate information – books, posters, Web pages,
clay tablets, and radio.
• Mass media refers to any form of media that reaches the
mass of the people.
22

23. Political Economy of the Media
• Media ownership in the United States is in
the hands of six companies.
• Those companies affect the information
and messages communicated to the
public.

24. Do Advertisers Control the Media?
Advertising is the primary
source of revenue for
newspapers, magazines,
television and radio
Advertisers may exert control
over the media by biasing
editorial content, limiting
coverage of certain issues, or
influencing program content
Media’s dependence on
advertising for revenue makes
them vulnerable to control by
advertisers

25. Do Advertisers Control the Media?
They must report the news
fairly and accurately to retain
public confidence
Advertisers need the media
more than the media need
any one advertiser
Media maintain separation
between news and business
departments “The Wall”

26. Sociological Perspectives :
Functionalism
The media gets people to go along with the ideas presented
because it seems to portray the status quo or the natural
order of things. In doing so, it helps reinforce values and
norms.
Transmission of the social heritage refers to the ability of the
media to communicate values, norms, and styles across time and
between groups.
A television network might air a violent police drama with the aim
of entertaining, but the actual function served for the audience
might be learning how to solve conflicts.

27. Sociological Perspectives:
Conflict
From a Marxist viewpoint, status-symbol
chocolate advertising exemplifies how
“commodity fetishism” helps maintain capitalism.
Such advertising legitimizes the elite class by
reinforcing the image of upper-class superiority
and by presenting the luxurious lifestyle as
something to aspire to.
Can you give me some other examples?
27
Godiva promotes the idea that consumers of their chocolates are somehow “higher class”
and more “tasteful” than people who do not consume them. As a result, their chocolates
have a higher exchange value than the everyday, $1 chocolates meant for middle and
lower-class consumers. Can you say “Starbucks?”

28. Sociological Perspectives:
Symbolic Interactionism
• The media uses symbols of happiness and success to
attempt to affect an abstract social structure. For
instance, companies no longer try to sell their
products – they instead try to sell a lifestyle.
• Customers believe that if they acquire the product,
their lifestyle will change. Examples?
28

29. Social and Cultural Consequences
Does advertising
encourage materialism?
Does advertising make people
buy things they don’t need?
Is advertising just
a reflection of society?

30. Advertising and Stereotyping
Portrayal of women to
reflect their changing role
in society
Portrayal of
women as
sex objects
Ethnic
stereotyping/
representation
Gender
stereotyping
Sexual
orientation
Criticisms of
Advertising
With Regard to
Stereotyping

31. What is your opinion of this ad?
Is this woman portrayed as a
sex object?
Does this ad contain
cues that are sexually
suggestive?
Does this ad present an image
of sexual submissiveness?

32. Working in America
• Workers are more productive than ever, yet job
insecurity is high.
• As a result, many people are working longer hours,
especially people at higher income levels, in order
to prove loyalty or achieve marginal benefits.

33. Theorizing the Transition to Capitalism
• Karl Marx
– stated that capitalism created alienation in workers—
including alienation from the products they produced,
from the production process, from other workers, and
from themselves and their creative tendencies
– predicted both that capitalism would ultimately destroy
itself and that the working class would rise against the
capitalist class, leading to a period first of socialism and
then of communism

35. Figure 14.4 Champagne-Glass Distribution
You May Ask Yourself, 2nd Edition
Copyright © 2011 W.W. Norton & Company

36. Recent Changes in Capitalism
• In society today, people actually earn less money
(relative to the cost of living) compared to the early
1900s. This is because:
– Only men were “supposed to” work.
– Men were paid enough to provide for the whole
family.
– Unfortunately, the higher wage was at the cost of
women’s freedom and autonomy.

37. 40% Of Americans Now Make Less
Than 1968 Minimum Wage

38. Recent Changes in Capitalism
• Compared to other industrialized countries and some
developing countries, Americans work longer hours and
have fewer vacation benefits and less generous family leave
policies.
• Even when generous benefits are available, workers often
do not take advantage of them, which suggests that work is
central in the lives of Americans.

39. Figure 14.3 Annual Vacation Days and Holidays Worldwide
You May Ask Yourself, 2nd Edition
Copyright © 2011 W.W. Norton & Company

40. Recent Changes in Capitalism
Conflict – Functionalist –
Symbolic Interaction perspectives
Globalization refers to the processes that create and
intensify worldwide social exchanges and
interdependencies.
– creates an increase in trade and economic exchanges
– magnifies the division between the world’s rich and poor

41. The Reign of the Corporation
• A corporation is a juristic person — an entity that
has all the legal rights, duties, and responsibilities of
a person, although their primary goal is generally
pursuit of profit.

42. The Reign of the Corporation
This model raises concerns about
– corporate ethics
– environmental responsibility
– fair wages

43. The Reign of the Corporation
To fight for workers’ rights, workers sometimes form a union -
a collective organization that unites for the purpose of
collective bargaining.