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Contemporary
Theoretical Perspectives
Contemporary
sociologists view society from a
variety of perspectives, each of which uses a theory
Contemporary
Theoretical Perspectives
Theory
– A set of logically interrelated statements
that attempt to describe, explain and occasionally
predict social events
–Theories provide a framework or perspective for examining
various aspects of social life
Perspective
– an overall approach or viewpoint
toward a subject
Functionalist Perspective
This
perspective is based upon the assumption that
society is a stable, orderly system characterized by
societal consensus
Societal
Consensus – a situation in which the
majority of members share a common set of values,
beliefs and behavioural expectations
Functionalist Perspective
According
to Functionalism, society is composed of
interrelated parts, each of which serves a function and
contributes to the stability of society
–It compares society to a living organism (eg. the human
body)
–It was influenced by Comte, Spencer and Durkheim
Functionalist Perspective
Societies
develop social structures, or institutions,
because they help society survive
–eg. Family, education, government, religion, economy
–If anything happens to one of these institutions, all other
parts are affected
Functionalist Perspective
Talcott
Parsons, a Harvard sociology professor,
stressed that all societies must make provisions for
meeting social needs in order to survive
Functionalist Perspective
For example, Parsons said that a division of labour between
husband and wife is essential for family stability and social order
The
husband/father performs the instrumental tasks that
involve leadership and decision-making responsibilities in the
home, and employment outside the home to provide income for
the family
The
wife/mother is responsible for the expressive tasks,
including housework, caring for the children and providing
emotional support for the rest of the family
Functionalist Perspective
Parsons
believed that other institutions such as
government, school and church must function to
assist the family
His
work has been criticized for being too
conservative (i.e. regarding gender roles, etc.), but it
still has a great deal of influence on gender roles and
the family
Functionalist Perspective
Taking a look at suicide
(p.23-24)
What
does Functionalism emphasize with regard to
morality?
What is social solidarity and what did Durkheim believe
about its link to suicide rates?
What did Durkheim identify as the 4 distinct categories of
suicide? Give an example of each.
Why do you think suicide rates have become so high in
many Aboriginal communities in Canada?
Why does prostitution continue to
exist in Canadian society?
Functionalist Perspective:
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The functionalist perspective argues that the
presence of a certain amount of deviance in society
contributes to its overall stability
Institutions exist in society because they benefit
their participants
Institutions contribute to the harmony of society
Women become prostitutes because the profession
allows them to earn the money they need to meet
their daily needs
Many of them are unskilled and have limited earning
capacity; prostitution allows them to earn relatively
large sums of money
Con’t - Why does prostitution…
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Many of the women are unskilled and have
limited earning capacity; prostitution allows
them to earn relatively large sums of money
Clients buy sex for a variety of reasons
Excess sexual energy, inability to maintain
intimate relationships, excitement of buying
sex from a stranger
Society benefits from prostitution (as long
as it is safe)
Family units are not threatened because
there is no emotional bond