Application of Conflict Theory to the Gun Control Debate Being a debate, the conflict theory is a very applicable theory that can be applied to guns/gun control laws and their roles in society. A debate is something that is associated with conflict, so by observing how deep and exactly in what directions this conflict extends, one might be able to understand this topic in a new light. In other words, by analyzing the very nature of this argument, this sociological perspective can be used to generate a deepened understanding of the debate on the extent of gun control laws. The Conflict Theory This theory was conceptualized by C. Wright Mills in 1948-1962 (Ralph Dahrendorf, Lewis Coser, and others also advocated this theory) as he was criticizing …show more content…
As another example, feminism is a movement that fits in this school of thought. Feminism focuses on the subordination of women (a group conflicting with another more advantaged group [men]) and looks at how the relationships among the two groups are defined, perpetuated, and …show more content…
For others, a view that has arose later, guns are the “perpetuation of illicit social hierarchies, the elevation of force over reason,” and a promoter of collectivity and remover of individuality. This latter view of guns is a direct application of the conflict theory. For those who hold this view, and likely support the passage of gun control laws, guns are representative of social inequality that is abundant in modern society, that the usage of guns is a means of violently coercing those of lower classes to remain in their class. The view of guns as a symbol of protection is also an application of the conflict theory. “Honor,” one of the qualities that guns represent, is a socially constructed factor that can be used to differentiate class. “Human triumph over nature” is a literal presentation of humans supposed ability to dominate nature, and “individual protection” is a means of maintaining one’s socioeconomic status. All of these three qualifications suggest an idea that guns are used to demonstrate or maintain one’s social class (or domination over lower social classes and