2. Marx, Durkheim and Weber each have particular ways of handling social cohesion and change in human society or culture. Where does social cohesion and change come from, how does it happen, and what causes it? Does each have an analysis of change or merely a typology of stages? Are the causes of social cohesion and change materialist, idealist or some other approach?
He argued that one of the main tasks of sociology was to transform personal problems into public and political issues or vice versa. To have sociological imagination is to have “vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society" (Mills 2). Overall, sociological imagination is the concept which is based on social locators. As mentioned previously, there is a difficulty to grasp control on class, gender, and race because a person is born into these three categories. In a practical sense, my personal choices are shaped by my social locators.
Structuralism is worried with the general structure of society and the way social establishments go about as a limitation or breaking point and control singular conduct. Structuralism offers a perspective of the individual being controlled by the society they live in; Marx and Durkheim are comparative in that they can both be depicted as structuralisms, and however their individual thoughts are to some degree distinctive. Functionalism, the structural agreement sociological theory is a key theory that was produced by Emile Durkheim, one of the establishing fathers of sociology. This theory considers society to be a user structure of between related social foundations, for example, schools and the lawful framework that is in consistent agreement. Functionalists trust
This basically means the social structure of society needs to focus on society as a whole. (Ritzer and Stepnisky, n.d.) If society does not function as a whole it will chaos. Being able to function in a society promotes functionalism and conformity. To have a functioning society you must conform to their standards and behaviors. (Ritzer and Stepnisky,
It has its origins in the works of Emile Durkheim, who was especially interested in how social order is possible or how society remains relatively stable. As such, it is a theory that focuses on the macro-level of social structure, rather than the micro-level of everyday life. Notable theorists include Herbert Spencer, Talcott Parsons, and Robert K. Merton. Functionalism interprets each part of society in terms of how it contributes to the stability of the whole
These perspectives hold very different and specific characteristics that make them all appropriate to understanding sociology (Cury, Jiobu, and Schwirian 12). The functionalist perspective says that society and its systems work together to maintain stability. This perspective heavily relies on the belief that each part of society affects another. Functionalists believe that “social mechanisms hold society together” (Cury, Jiobu, and Schwirian 12). They focus heavily on how different institutions affect social life.
Sociology is the study of the society and human behavior whereas, the word perspective can be defines as a view of things in their true connection or importance. Hence, the social perspectives provide standpoints used to look at human behavior and interaction as they relate to individuals and groups within society. The social perspective emphasizes that to understand humans for not what is inside of them, but what’s influencing them that should be observed. There are four theoretical perspectives used to understand society and human behavior. The four discussed here are structure functional, consensus and conflict, the gender problem and symbolic interaction.
His theories were found on the concept of social facts, defined as the norms, values and structure of the society. This perspective of the society differed from other sociologist of his era as his theories were found on things external in nature, as opposed to those internal in nature such as motivations and desires of individuals. According to Durkheim, collective consciousness, values and rules are critical to a functional society. Throughout his career, Durkheim was concerned primarily
Durkheim's theory regarding social facts particularly show the difference between Sociology with any relatively similiar subject such as Psychology or Philosophy. Social facts could be divided in two, material or immaterial. What interested Durkheim most was the study of immaterial social facts which include
Productive forces and relations of production are the key concepts of his analysis. Those are relevant each other and related with other social relations. He sees entering into production relations is indispensable and independent of the will (Marx). Production relations specify general process of social, economic and political life. Marx’s ideas can be best explained by: