Sociological Perspective P2

In this booklet I will be explaining sociological perspectives. Sociological perspectives are perspectives on human behaviour and how they link in to society.

Functionalism:

The functionalist perspective was founded by Emile Durkheim. Functionalism is a sociological approach that perceives institutions of society as working in harmony with each other. The approach is based upon a universal agreement of conflict and agreement. They believe that the rules and values of society are vital to ensure survival and the proper functioning of society.

A criticism of functionalism is that it focuses too much on the positive effects institutions have, ignoring the negative ways in which institutions and socialisation can affect people. Another criticism

Women produce, raise and take care of the next generation as well as supporting their husbands/partners by cooking, taking care of the children and cleaning the home, all whilst earning no income themselves. Therefore they are being dominated by their husbands.

Radical feminism – this approach says that it is men and not capitalism that dominate women. These feminists consider socialisation of women as a form of oppression; they believe women can do a much better job in the world than men. They also want women to be more aware of how much they are being exploited.

A criticism of radical feminism is that it ignores the progress that women have made in the modern day in areas such as being able to control their fertility, initiate divorces and get jobs not matter the

Interactionists believe that our behaviour stems from how individuals react to situations, how they are interpreted and how individuals see themselves in relation to other people in their social group. Interactionists believe that individuals are influenced but also have the power to choose how they behave and create their own roles.

A criticism of interactionism is that it fails to look at the bigger picture, interactionists may overlook the bigger issues of society.

Collectivism:

‘Collectivism is a political theory associated with communism. It is the idea that people should prioritise the good of society over the welfare of the individual.’

A criticism of collectivism is according to George Orwell is that it has resulted in the authorisation of a minority group, leading to further oppression of the majority, e.g. more people become rich and own business but the vast majority will still be poor/less fortunate.