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Social structure
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Social structure (also referred to as a social system) is a system of social relations. Social
structure does not concern itself with people - individuals forming the society or their social
organisations, neither does it study who are the people/organisation forming it, or what is the
ultimate goal of their relations. Social structure deals rather with the very structure of their
relations—how are they organized in a patterns of relationships.
The concept of social structure was pioneered by 19th century German sociologist, Georg
Simmel, who studied structure as an abstract concept.
Social structure presents an idea that society is grouped into structures with different functions,
meanings or purposes. Family, religion, law, economy and class are all social structures. This is
related to the idea of "social stratification," which refers to the idea that society is separated into
different strata, according to social distinctions such as a race, class and gender. Social treatment
of persons within various social structures can be understood as related to their placement within
the various social strata.
For example, some argue that men and women who have otherwise equal qualifications receive
different treatment in the workplace because of their gender. Others note that individuals are
sometimes viewed as having different essential qualities based on their race and ethnicity,
regardless of their individual qualities. When examined, these social distinctions are often
considered stereotypes based on prejudice. However, these social distinctions often go
unexamined because they appear to be the result of social structures rather than prejudice.
Some believe that social structure is naturally developed. It may be caused by larger system
needs, such as the need for labour, management, professional and military classes, or by conflicts
between groups, such as competition among political parties or among elites and masses. Others
believe that this structuring is not a result of natural processes, but is socially constructed. It may
be created by the power of elites who seek to retain their power, or by economic systems that
place emphasis upon competition or cooperation.
Social structure can be divided into microstructure and macrostructure. Microstructure is the
pattern of relations between most basic elements of social life, that cannot be further divided and
have no social structure of their own (for example, pattern of relations between individuals in a
group composed of individuals - where individuals have no social structure, or a structure of
organisations as a pattern of relations between social positions or social roles, where those
positions and roles have no structure by themselves). Macrostructure is thus a kind of 'second
level' structure, a pattern of relations between objects that have their own structure (for example,
a political social structure between political parties, as political parties have their own social
structure). Some special types of social structures that modern sociologist differentiate are
relation structures (in family or larger family-like clan structures), communication structures
(how information is passed in organisations) and sociometric structures (structures of sympathy,
antipathy and indifference in organisations - this was studied by Jacob Moreno).
Sociologists also distinguish between:
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normative structure - pattern of relations in given structure (organisation) between norms
and modes of operations of people of varying social positions
ideal structure - pattern of relations between beliefs and views of people of varying social
positions
interest structure - pattern of relations between goals and desires of people of varying
social positions
interaction structure - forms of communications of people of varying social positions
Structures are important, as the actions of people and organisations are guided partially by the
structural determination. Organisation structure determines its flexibity, capacity to change and
many other factors, and is an important part of the management.
Social structure in the broader sense, known as social system can be viewed as a structure
composed of the economic system, law system, political system, cultural system, etc. Thus social
system is the parent system of those lower systems.
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See also
Related ideas:
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Conflict theory
Systems theory
Marxism
Norms
Structural functionalism
Theory of structuration
Values
Related theorists:
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Anthony Giddens
Emile Durkheim
Karl Marx
Max Weber
Robert K. Merton
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