Sociology

CHOOSE ONE- DO NOT WRITE TOPIC ON ALL 3. – one paragraph up to 200 words.

Option 1:  You learned about the sociological perspectives (Conflict, Functionalist, and Interactionist) in Chapter 1. Which one of those sociological perspectives resonated with you? Why?  For example, how might one of those sociological perspectives relate to a big decision in your life (for example the choice to go to college) or a social problem in society? 

Option 2: Is upward movement from lower/middle class to middle/upper class standing more difficult, less difficult, or the same today as it was in the 1950s/1960s?   How might social forces bigger than the individual play a role?

Option 3:   Discuss a specific concept or lesson you learned from the Chapter 1 or Chapter 2 reading.  How can you apply this new knowledge to your life (at home, work, or in the community)? 

From the textbook:

>> Three Sociological Perspectives

As we will see throughout this book, the answers sociologists offer to these five questions provide a glimpse of sociology’s complexity. Some theorists focus on society as a whole; others concentrate on individual interactions. Some are particularly concerned with inequality; others focus on maintaining social cohesion. Some approaches seem to overlap; others seem at odds with one another. But, regardless of their stance, all theorists share a common commitment to provide us with greater understanding of why we think and act the way we do. Each theory, whether broad or narrow, offers a way of seeing that allows us to perceive things we might have otherwise missed.

To simplify the rich array of sociological theories (especially for someone new to sociology), sociologists have classified various theories into three major theoretical page 16perspectives or paradigms: functionalist, conflict, and interactionist. Each perspective offers a different set of lenses, focusing our attention in slightly different ways. Or, to put it another way, it is like three people standing on the edge of a circle looking in at the same thing but each seeing it from a different point of view, able to recognize things that others might not even see.

Three Sociological Perspectives

According to the functionalist perspective, society is like a living organism with its various parts working together (or functioning) for the good of the whole. Functionalists posit that society and its parts are structured to provide social order and maintain stability. Aspects of society that may appear dysfunctional, such as crime or poverty, either contribute some hidden benefits that researchers have not yet uncovered or will wither away over time. Durkheim’s research into social order and its challenges, especially within modern societies, is a classic example of the functionalist perspective. Durkheim assumed that, over time, society would progress toward greater order as it came to terms with apparent threats or challenges.

Functionalist perspective A sociological paradigm that sees society as like a living organism in which its various parts work together for the good of the whole.

Whereas the functionalist perspective emphasizes consensus and cooperation, the conflict perspective focuses on power and the allocation of valued resources in society. According to conflict theorists, social order cannot be fully understood apart from an analysis of how the status quo is established and maintained by those who control key resources. Such resources include material resources (such as money, land, and property), social resources (such as family connections, social networks, and prestige), and cultural resources (such as education, beliefs, knowledge, and taste). The existing social structure page 17helps maintain the privileges of some groups and keep others in inferior positions. Marx’s work on inequality, social class, and alienation provides a classic example of the conflict perspective.

Conflict perspective A sociological paradigm that focuses on power and the allocation of valued resources in society.

SOCTHINK

From a functionalist approach, to what extent was your decision to go to college driven by a desire to fit in and contribute to society? From a conflict approach, how might access to resources have shaped your decisions about going to college? From an interactionist approach, what specific individuals influenced your decision and how did they do so?

Finally, whereas functionalist and conflict theorists both analyze large-scale, society-wide patterns of behavior, theorists who take the interactionist perspective maintain that society is the product of our everyday encounters (with parents, friends, teachers, or strangers) through which we establish shared meanings and thus construct order. Because it emphasizes the role we play in making sense of our interactions, this approach highlights our agency as humans. Society is dependent on this ongoing construction, making it fluid and subject to change. Goffman’s research focusing on life as a performance provides an example of the interactionist perspective.

Interactionist perspective A sociological paradigm that maintains that society is a product of our everyday encounters with others through which we establish shared meanings and thus construct order.

The three-perspectives model has the advantage of providing us with conceptual hooks that allow us to recall some of the key concerns and issues sociologists have raised. A disadvantage, however, is that it gives the illusion that these three are discrete categories with fundamentally different and incompatible ways of looking at the world. In practice, research rooted in one perspective almost inevitably draws on or addresses insights from the other two.

>> Sociology Is a Verb

One of the questions that students frequently ask about sociology is “What can I do with it?” This query often comes from students who really like sociology, and might want to pursue it further, but are uncertain where it leads. The good news is that there are many ways people can practice sociology.

PERSONAL SOCIOLOGY

We don’t have to become professional sociologists to apply what we have learned. The sociological imagination can help all of us better understand our beliefs and actions and make more informed choices. We can all practice personal sociology by recognizing the impact the positions we occupy have on who we are and how we think and act. For example, by drawing on insights gained from sociological theory and research, we might watch the news and ask whose interests are being represented. When we walk through the mall, we might observe how people display their social status and how they are treated accordingly. When we go in for a job interview, we might abide by the largely unspoken norms of conduct that shape interaction and influence our likelihood for success. Personal sociology empowers us by allowing us to see things that were previously invisible and to act on those insights.

Personal sociology The practice of recognizing the impact the positions we occupy have on who we are and how we think and act.

The sociological imagination provides us with the tools necessary to respond to challenges we face today. Though the expression has become something of a cliché, it truly is a small world after all. Social, cultural, political, and economic events around the world—including, for example, the global financial trends or terrorist attacks—have a profound effect on how we think and what we do. The process of globalization—the worldwide integration of government policies, cultures, social movements, and financial markets through trade and the exchange of ideas—shows no signs of stopping. College and university campuses often provide a microcosm of this trend. Students, faculty, staff, and administrators with radically different values, political views, customs, experiences, and expectations assemble together from around the world into a relatively confined space. If the resulting interactions are to be meaningful, positive, and respectful, we must better understand the factors that shape them.

Globalization The worldwide integration of government policies, cultures, social movements, and financial markets through trade and the exchange of ideas.