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Sociological Perspectives

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Sociological Perspectives
Purpose of Paradigms and Theory Sociology has different ways of approaching the world and ideas in it
● Each one has its own assumptions, and own perspective on how to explain a particular social problem or phenomenon Theories are explained of the relationship between two or more concepts
● Theories provide a way for organizing facts about some phenomena
● Theory : A statements of how and why particular facts are related There are three major paradigms in sociology :
● Structural Functionalism
● Social Conflict
● Symbolic Interactionism Macro vs. Micro Structural Functionalism (MACRO) ● Functionalism compares society to an organic unit like the human body
­ If something is found in our body, it must serve some purpose and have a consequence for the operation of the overall system
­ Society, like the body, is a stable system (equilibrium) ● Each part of society contributes to the overall functioning of the social system
­ Three major underlying assumptions of this theory are that every part of society exists because of it ­ Contributes something positive to the overall stability and functioning of society
­ It serves some purpose ­ It fulfills some basic need ● From a functionalist perspective a social problem stems from a breakdown in one or more structures of society
­ The breakdown is called
Dysfunction

Big Names in Structural Functionalism Auguste Comte ­
Viewed society like a living organism Herbert Spencer ­
The parts of a society work together to form a society
­ Society is like a system a change in one part produces a change in other parts of the system Emile Durkheim ­ added the concept that society has needs that have met if a society is to function well
­ When all parts fulfill their functions society is in a state of balance
­ in order to understand society one needs to study both the structures and their functions Robert Merton and

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