Professor John O’Hara
Sociology 101
6 February 2018
The Structural-Functional Perspective Structural functionalism sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. The differences in this complex system, are social structures that shaped our lives through our family, religion, schools, and our government. Each of these social functions are influenced by and dependent on its relationships with each other that guide structure to our everyday lives. The structural-functional perspective work together at Hudson County Community College through socialization, learning, and social placement, these parts work together because within functionalism schools perform two basic functions, …show more content…
Starting from preschool, students are taught to practice various societal roles. The French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858-1917), characterized schools as “socialization agencies that teach children how to get along with others and prepare them for adult economic roles” (Durkheim 1898). Hudson County Community College (HCCC) has demonstrated this with its diverse culture. The manifest function also prepares students to enter the workplace and how to interact within their field of study. The latent function in education deals with the social skills and attitudes such as self-discipline, cooperation with peers, and having respect for authority. Community colleges enable students to grasp a certain subject area in two years to function as citizens and to perform in the workplace of their choice or move on to a four-year college. Emile Durkheim believed that school made us feel like we are a part of something bigger. This can be accomplished through learning. Durkheim also noted that an advanced industrial economy required a massive and complex division of labor. HCCC individuals learn the skills necessary to meet the demands of the workplace. For example, there is now a STEM and Nursing department that prepares students for the health