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FUNCTIONALISM & CONFLICT THEORY.
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Compares social theories & applies them to social inequalities, sterotypes, discrimination & socialization.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Compares social theories & applies them to social inequalities, sterotypes, discrimination & socialization.
Paper Introduction:
The purpose of this research is to assess the relative merits of functionalism versus conflict theory according as each theory explains the historical emergence and maintenance of social inequalities based on race, ethnicity, or gender in the U.S. The plan of the research will be to set forth the principal tenets of each theory of sociology and then to discuss, with reference to concrete examples, how each theory appears to explain prejudicial stereotypes, personal and institutional discrimination, and pervasive patterns of socialization.
Even the most superficial look at the field of sociology reveals that various "schools" of sociological thought, method, and theory appear to be associated with one or more specific core theorists whose writings define the principal bases on which1 social analysis will take place. In the case of functionalism theor
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According to Collins (62), conflict theory is shaped around thehistory of social change. Suicide: A Study in Sociology. But functionalism is relevant tosocial complexity and division of labor because complexity is what makes upthe social structures that shape individual and social-unit lives.Durkheim's term for lack of unity or social disarray is anomie, andDurkheim explains that anomic suicide is a result of individual failure tointegrate with the highly demanding power and structure of industrialsociety (Durkheim 258). In his survey of sociology, Swingewood identifies this attitude withTalcott Parsons's explanation of the creation of institutions that mediatesocial conflicts and that "function[] to adapt individuals to the 'goals ofthe social system'" (Swingewood 236-7). . Halls. What that means is that what functions is the integrated,solid society. Even the most superficial look at the field of sociology reveals thatvarious "schools" of sociological thought, method, and theory appear to beassociated with one or more specific core theorists whose writings definethe principal bases on which1 social analysis will take place. But what is the identity of that people if it is not mainstream,i.e., not biased in favor of the values. In otherwords, a fully developed society itself is characterized by complexdivision of labor that is nevertheless (or for that very reason) a coherentwhole. But all of this is consistent with the view that functionalismanalyzes society in terms of units of social organization, not in terms ofpsychological states of individuals (Swingewood 228). Interplay between individual and society is structuredas a dialectic of competing priorities. Collective tendencies have an existence of their own; they are forces as real as cosmic forces, though of another sort; they, likewise, affect the individual from without, though through other channels (Suicide 3 9). Martin's Press, 1991. The main conflict theorist is Georg Simmel, who stresses antagonismbetween social institutions, social policy, and the effect of policy onhuman development. The Division of Labor in Society. Trans. In the caseof functionalism theory, the principal theorist appears to be EmileDurkheim, who is also considered the father of all sociology. Society as an integrated entity supersedes theindividual consciousness of particular persons or groups within the whole. The functionalism R.K. This would explain the feministcritique of male-dominated society, or the racial-minority critique ofwhite-dominated society. New York: Philosophical Library, 1955.Swingewood, Alan. Boston: Beacon Press, 1967.Runes, Dagobert. New York: The Free P, 1984.---. life styles, and experience ofwhite, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant males as the norm--with all who are notspecifically WASP deviations (deviants) from the standard? Simmel describes this dialectic in ThePhilosophy of Money, which "examines the ways in which the money economytransforms cultural forms into external objects and breaks up the unity ofindividual and society" (Collins 159-6 ). But the functionalism view is ofthe bigger picture; what does one more suicide really matter after all in astructured society? Runes comments that for Simmel,"the decisive factor of human attitudes is antecedent to changes of socialor economic institutions" (11 6; emphasis added). Treasury of Philosophy. Whatever does not function within that scheme is "other,"and somehow suspect. This could give an incompletepicture of "social change and social conflict; the historical basis ofsociety as a process and structure is assimilated to a static concept ofsocial solidarity and social consensus" (Swingewood 23 ; Durkheim, Division3 8-11; 316). Money has a decisive role inshaping that structure, putting individuals in conflict with the structure(and probably with other individuals). To theextent the society is a separate entity with a life of its own, independentof subsidiary elements existing within it the result is the formation of asocial collective or of a "conscience collective" (Swingewood 226), ofwhich individual elements within the collective are to one degree oranother representative. Trans. Works CitedCollins, Randall. In other words, the system absorbs dysfunction, and adapts it tosocial functioning. Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? nature to beeternally dissatisfied, constantly to advance, without relief or rest,toward in indefinite goal" (Durkheim 257). Now this is problematic to the extent a racial,gender, or ethnic minority does not wish to relinquish its identity withinthe scheme of social experience. Conflict creates new norms and values, re-establishes unity between different groups and the boundaries between them and redresses potentially disruptive inequalities in power and authority. In other words, the disaffected populations set astandard of judgment of the mainstream society, rather than the other wayaround, as in the functionalism approach. Conflict theory is a specific school of sociological thought thatseems to act at least in part as an intellectual, academic critique offunctionalism. Anomie understood in this formulation is the response to theunaccepted message, or to a message that it is psychologically impossibleto bear. In other words, the complex functioning of societyitself always overtakes the vicissitudes of individual psychology orexpression. Moreover, when this short step istaken by so-called functionalists, then they have stepped into a trap that"functions" as a critique of this mode of theory. Where functionalism emphasizes the stability of societydespite individual experience of anomie or dissociation from society,conflict theory emphasizes a society that is actually structured aroundresponses to it, notably structures arrived at through a process of change.More than this, disruption (social anomie, so to say) of the norm canactually reform or restructure society in potentially good ways. Durkheim's work as a functionalism theoristis notable because he sought to apply the scientific method to the task ofexamining the form, function, and substance of contemporary society (forDurkheim the Western, particularly French, society of the latter nineteenthand early twentieth centuries). This is consistent with Dr. King's call in the late 196 s for "truerevolution of values," looking "uneasily on the glaring contrast of povertyand wealth" as a worldwide phenomenon. This basic position is reflected throughout the functionalismdiscourse. But the story to be told in conflicttheory is not of how badly the individual is alienated from the mainstream;rather, the story to be told is the content of that alienation and whatresponses to it, which (as in the case of civil rights or anti-apartheid orabortion-rights challenges to social structure) may result intransformation of the a whole society itself. Every nation must now developan overriding loyalty to mankind as a whole in order to preserve the bestin their individual society" (King 188-9 ). Indeed, in Durkheim's theory of anomie, what deviatesfrom the equilibrium of the system can be considered dysfunctional, andsuch elements "tend to become institutionalised or resolved" (Swingewood233). . In other words, functionalism's main assumption isthat individuals have a mutual interest in the coherence of social unitsand subunits. That is where Durkheim's view of the division of labor comesinto play. One does not have to agree that this absorption andadaptation are a good thing to see that they are powerful forces; however,it seems a short step from describing a force as powerful social toendorsing it as desirable social control. New York: Oxford U P, 1985.Durkheim, Emile. This concept operates as a natural law governing humaninteraction. Swingewood says that as a theory functionalism emphasizes socialintegration rather than dissociation. It "concerns equally the normal structure ofdominant and subordinate interest groups that make up the larger part ofthe iceberg [of conflict] submerged below." This approach would tend togive voice to disenfranchised populations in a society that might have beendiscriminated against. . A Short History of Sociological Thought. The character of thesociety is formed by the individual interactions that occur in consequenceof these attitudes, each action contributing to the framework of socialchange. . The purpose of this research is to assess the relative merits offunctionalism versus conflict theory according as each theory explains thehistorical emergence and maintenance of social inequalities based on race,ethnicity, or gender in the U.S. As in functionalism theory, inconflict theory, structured society, or "objective culture," dominates theindividual, "subjective culture" (16 ). Rather, individual elements of a society rely uponone another and so constitute the integrated society itself. A society lacking conflict ossifies and stagnates; societies in which conflict has become institutionalised are correspondingly more stable and integrated than those with rigid structures (Swingewood 247). There is a constant interplay between the thesis of the socialsituation and the antithesis of the possible outcome, always with changelurking in the background. As interaction becomes more complex and labor divisions becomemore specialized, the moral structures of society tend toward an organiccollective conscience, because no single person or group can provide forall its wants and needs. Three Sociological Traditions. Crime, or homicide,would be one example of deviation. New York: The Free P, 1951.King, Martin Luther, Jr. Merton modifies the theory with "concepts suchas 'functional alternatives', 'dysfunctions' and 'moving equilibrium', andthe identification, in some functionalism writings, of 'the positivefunctions of social conflict', its creative role in systemic change"(Swingewood 231). To varying degrees, Radcliffe-Browne andParsons take this view. For functionalists, the position of the individual in society ismeasured either mechanically or organically, but always in relation to thesociety as integrated organism. This would explain the assertion of revolution against theapartheid society of South Africa, or civil disobedience against theinjustice of segregated schools in America. New York: St. Social control itselfmust be justified by the degree of legitimacy that the institutions ofsociety have. Spaulding and George Simpson. So is suicide, and Durkheim devotes anentire volume to the discussion of suicide in modern industrial society.Suicide is a consequence of an "everlastingly repeated . Durkheim views society as the sum total or "integration" (Swingewood226) of various forces interacting--more exactly, functioning-- within it.The basic society that Durkheim envisions is organic in nature. That potentially transformsfunctionalism from description to outright advocacy of social equilibrium,particularly through shared social institutions, and the desirability ofindividual adaptation to structure. Swingewood adds thatsome functional theorists take the view that the objective of analyzingsociety in terms of the difference between a coherent whole and anomie isto find solutions to social problems that will have the result ofintegrating the individual to the whole: "For [Talcott] Parsons, the answerto social disorganisation lay in the furthering of moral values which wouldbind society together as a cohesive unity" (Swingewood 229). A difficulty is implicit in functionalism theory to the degree thatsociety interpreted functionally can equate the structure of society withwhat is the desired structure of society. John A. But this imperative seems to be implied byfunctionalism theory. Now of course there are deviations from this description, foraccording to Durkheim, the larger consciousness informs and in partdetermines the development of individuals within it. For example, the familiar melting pot theory ofAmerican society has it that all different peoples become one Americanpeople. Even though Durkheim's description of solidarity does notnecessarily count as a moral endorsement of the fact, inequalities based onrace, ethnicity, or gender could be interpreted as the failure of out-groups identified with such attributes to integrate into or adapt to thesocial system's mainstream. 2nd ed. The plan of the research will be to setforth the principal tenets of each theory of sociology and then to discuss,with reference to concrete examples, how each theory appears to explainprejudicial stereotypes, personal and institutional discrimination, andpervasive patterns of socialization. Functionalismwas, indeed, the dominant tradition of social theory from the nineteenthcentury onward, and it appears to be the basis from which a whole range ofmodern social theory proceeds. W.D. Institutions can be seen as legitimate orillegitimate in their authority over the whole population, to the degreetheir norms have the effect of oppressing a part. .
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