Daniel Johnson Only

Compare and contrast each of the three major sociological perspectives (functionalism, conflict, and symbolic interactionism) discussed in Unit 1 of the Interactive Units. Be sure to address the similarities and differences between each of the three perspectives.

Note: When looking for similarities, consider what matches in the perspectives, or theories. How are these things similar to each other? If you took notes while you were reading, you would be able to review those and look for paired concepts.

Functionalism, Symbolic interactionism, and Conflict theory are the 3 major Sociological perspectives used in Sociology today. The three perspectives deal with society and the interaction there of with them. Conflict theory is the most complex in my opinion, the group is made of individuals who are always in competition for limited resources. The resources can be social status, power in a big company, or something as simple as the biggest and best house. There shouldn’t be competition, if you earn it is yours and why try to always knock the next person down? This is our world and always has been. Unlike conflict theory, functionalism believes society has different parts and play different characters to succeed. They work together and don’t try to shut the next one out. I am all for this perspective. Symbolic interactionism deals with the day to day interactions between individuals and how they view things differently based on how they were raised or from experience. This perspective can work in our society if it based off what’s right and wrong only. It cannot work in conjunction with conflict theory or functionalism unless all prejudices are removed. I understand that what’s right to one culture or race may be wrong to another but morally right and wrong in any culture should be the same, but I know it’s not.

Select and state one social institution (education, family, or government, as discussed in Unit 1 of the Interactive Units) to analyze. Identify and discuss a social issue or problem related to the social institution. Note: Pick a social institution that you would enjoy exploring and reflecting upon. For example, if you are a parent experiencing the challenges of raising a teen, you could write about the social institution of the family.

I choose the government as my social institution to write about. The issue I found with the government is the problem of them using their power for monetary gain and control instead being for the people and for the country they represent. This country is supposed to be the greatest in the world, but from the looks of things we are the lesser of all countries. We worry so much about how much other countries have and what we can do to take control of it, that we miss the most important of them all. I will be writing on this topic in my essay. If you take care of home, it will surely take care of you.

Write three small paragraphs (2-3 sentences each)—one for each sociological perspective—in which you describe your chosen social institution from the perspectives of functionalism, conflict, and symbolic interactionism. For each paragraph, refer to at least one specific example from the Interactive Units or Required Resources to support your statements. In other words, support your ideas with evidence by connecting them to Interactive Unit content; the Resources; or something that you have read, heard, seen, or experienced. Cite your sources. Acceptable citations include “According to the Stanford Social Institutions website…”, “According to a January 5, 2015 article in the New York Times…”, and “According to Unit 1 in the Interactive Units…”

For more information on how to use evidence in an essay, please review the Walden Writing Center’s material on using evidence: http://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/evidence

“According to Unit 1 in the Interactive Units” (Education, 2018), 1. Conflict theory, is the “belief that society is in competition for limited resources”.  This country in my opinion practices and believes just that. The fact that they can just sit back and neglect their own country just to gain what others possess is sickening. The rich get richer and forget the little people. 2. Functionalism, is when a society has many different units and they all have a different task that works in conjunction to get the job done. This country would benefit from this type of perspective which I thought was how we were ran. As of recent, meaning the last 30 years in my opinion has been all about money, power, and greed. This is leaning more and more towards conflict theory. 3. Symbolic Interactionism, deals with day to day interactions amongst individuals. I see this type of perspective on a day to day amongst our younger generation. The kids today view the world differently and expresses themselves openly and aren’t afraid of the consequences of loving or living differently from our ancestors. They see without color and judgement; the world would be better if we all thought like this.

Create a rough draft of an introduction and conclusion you might use in your Final Essay. State your thesis statement clearly in each and support that thesis with three main points. The introduction and conclusion should mirror each other but contain fresh language. In other words, the conclusion should not be a word-for-word restatement of the introduction or the thesis.

Introduction:

I find myself today as a 50-year-old woman and wondering what type of country are we living in? As far as the government is concerned, are we living by conflict theory, functionalism, or symbolic interactionism? I see this country failing for lack of togetherness. Can we get it back?

Thesis statement:

Functionalism, Symbolic interactionism, and Conflict theory works best as a whole instead of separate and one-sided because, you need all of them in order to get our country back to number one.

Conclusion:

As I grow older, I wonder, will this country will heal? The lack of togetherness that we have here will surely cause further failure. Are we too late to regenerate and start over?

SOCI 1001S: Introduction to Sociology [Lecture Notes] Unit 1: Foundations of Sociology. Retrieved from Laureate Education, Inc.: https://class.waldenu.edu (2018).