Three Theoretical Approaches to Sociology Essay Example

adjust to married life and divorce less frequently. If this theory was correct a functional analysis would see ‘negative selection’ against some societies (those whose age limit was counter to theory) and ‘positive selection’ for others, based on the variance of the control variable (age limits).

One might also note that functionalism describes social functions as usually in a process of evolution. The function of marriage in modern America is not perfect, for instance, as divorce rates and other issues make clear, but it still fulfills important socially stabilizing needs. The rising age of first marriage is one example of functional evolution, driven by social desire to preserve what has proved valuable but with (hopefully) useful modifications. Symbolic Interactionism:The sociologist Max Weber (1864-1920) emphasized the need to understand a social situation from the perspective of its participants. Weber’s thinking and work by many others grew into the symbolic-interaction approach to sociology, a theoretical framework in which ‘society’ is a system of values, norms, and behaviors which arise naturally as the by-product of the interactions of individuals who attach meaning to things, places, and people (e. g.

‘symbols’). Symbolic Interactionism is a micro-level description of sociology, as opposed to the macro-level descriptions of Functionalism and Conflict Theory.As such the Symbolic Interactionism approach is able to analyze social functions which vary from society to society. The function of marriage is again a good example. In modern American society couples getting married are expected to be in love, but in many societies love has very little to do with marriage decisions.

A symbolic interaction perspective explains such differences, and describes their effect on society, by focusing on the ‘meaning’ ascribed by

participants to social ‘symbols’ (institutions, such as marriage, whose meanings might include financial security, family, etc. . While a functional analysis of marriage concerns mainly broad effects; such as at what age children usually leave home, or whether or not married people get better jobs, and a conflict perspective might explore how the institution of marriage has served to aid societies by addressing oppression and power struggles, understanding what marriage ‘means’ to a couple ... describing how those persons are interacting with social symbols .

.. helps illuminate why love in marriage is important to Americans.Society in the USA has long held to expectations of life-long fulfillment and satisfaction. Indeed the ‘American Dream’ has been crucial to American social development. With symbols of impending success all around them, Americans naturally also expect marriage to be fulfilling and satisfying as well.

Symbolic Interactionism has been criticized for its inability to work with social structures (an important flaw) and macro-sociological issues. Also the approach favors qualitative data, thus creating research vagaries such as subjection in data interpretation and analysis.Conflict Theory: In the 1800’s Karl Marx (1818-1883) began to question the basic assumptions of Functionalism, particularly the premise that social functions exist naturally and develop over time to best serve all participants. His approach, called Marxism or Conflict Theory, emphasized four points; ? A materialist view of human history, ?Dialectical analysis in which one social convention (a ‘thesis’) creates its opposite (an ‘anti-thesis’), and a new convention (a ‘synthesis’) arises from conflict between the two, ? A critical eye toward existing conventions, and A political agenda of revolution or reform to establish the dialectically derived synthesis as the social norm

In Marx’s materialistic view of history how the material goods of a society are produced is the basis of that society. The workers, in this paradigm, are the chief creators of society.

Marx wrote: “In the social production of their existence, men inevitably enter into definite relations, which are independent of their will, namely relations of production appropriate to a given stage in the development of their material forces of production.The totality of these relations of production constitutes the economic structure of society, the real foundation, on which arises a legal and political superstructure and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness. The mode of production of material life conditions the general process of social, political and intellectual life. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but their social existence that determines their consciousness.

” (Marx 1971:20). Marxism generally fell into political disfavor during the Marx’s lifetime and languished through the industrial revolution and the rise of capitalism.In many parts of the emerging capitalist world, especially in America, those labeled ‘marxist’, ‘socialist’, or ‘communist’ were openly vilified, and the very concepts themselves were considered seditious. The Marxist view of exploitation of workers (proletarians) by owners (the bourgeoisie) through exploitation of the proletarians ‘capital’ (their labor time), and the political oppression inherent in the system as owners came to control political organs, was seen to lead to class struggle with eventual revolt and loss of capital by owners.Naturally the view was disparaged and repressed, sometimes violently, in all capitalist societies.

Early conflict theory mainly noted social inequalities and class stratification. Most proponents actively espoused that revolution and change was inevitable but did not actively

encourage (at least not in the mainstream) participants to action. In the middle 1900’s, however, world events revived Marxism and conflict theory with an emphasis on changing the system to redress inequity.This neo-Marxism inspired social upheaval in the form of protests, political involvement, and other social actions, bringing about significant changes such as the passage and enforcement of civil rights laws and the end to the Vietnam war in America, Mao Tze Tung’s Chinese revolution, and the formation of the Soviet Union and other Socialist and Communist societies.

The basic conflicts of society, class (economic) stratification, race and ethnicity differences, and gender differences, continue to exist today.These conflicts are effectively analyzed with dialectical methods and easily observed, so conflict theory is alive and well. Many modern socialist political organizations (few call themselves Marxist because of the negative connotations) base their agendas on conflict theory, most, however, without calling violence and/or revolution to effect change. References: Macionis, John J. Sociology Upper Saddle River, New Jersey : Pearson Prentice Hall 2008 Marx, Karl.

1971. Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy, Tr. S. W. Ryanzanskaya, edited by M.

Dobb. London: Lawrence & Whishart.