The view that social institutionsboth formal organizational
sets (law, religion, politics) and informal but commonly recurring
social actions (crime, volunteerism, suicide, love)have
consequential effects upon society (functions that they serve)
These effects may be explicit and deliberate (manifest), or
they may be surprising and unintended (latent)
Durkheim is seen as the founder of this school of thought, and
his theories were significantly developed by Robert Merton
3. Functionalism
The focus of functionalism is often to demonstrate why
seemingly negative or problematic institutions manage to
persist
The functionalist explanation is that we do not or cannot do
away with these institutions because of the important, but
taken-for-granted, functions they serve
4. A Framework for Comparing Theoretical Approaches
Relation-ship between the individual and society; how do social
exp. Create identity How do different hierarchies work hand in hand
to oppress some and privilege others Who is treated as other? How
do the marginalized find power Relative positions of men and women,
meanings of gender What does race mean? How is it organized What
are the beliefs and values of a society Who rules?How is
strat-ification reproducedWhat need is served by institutions What
are the norms, goals, and means? Key Questions Agency Matrix of
Domination Dispersed Patriarchy White supremacy; racial
dictatorship Hegemony Ruling class, bourgeoisie and capitalists
Power important for social cohesion Neutral Implication for Power
Social Psychology Comb-ination of race, class, gender, sexuality,
etc. Sexuality; social boundaries; mainstream Gender Racial
hierarchy Systems of Meaning Economics Purpose of every social
institution How society is organized; resources and schema Focus of
Explanation Social Self Inter-sectional Queer Feminist Theory
Racial Conflict Inter-pretive Class Conflict Function-alism
Structur-alism 5. Functionalism cf to Structuralism What need is
served by institutions What are the norms, goals, and means? Key
Questions Power important for social cohesion Neutral Implication
for Power Purpose of every social institution How society is
organized; resources and schema Focus of Explanation Functionalism
Structuralism 6.
Example of functionalism, Durkheims theory that crime is
necessary
Crime is normalfound in every society
Crime produces normsexpectations of acceptable behavior
Crime produces social boundarieswhos in and whos out
Crime produces rituals that generate social
solidaritytrials
