Compare And Contrast The Three Key Sociological Perspectives

There are three key perspectives of how one views the world sociologically: Symbolic Interactionism, Functional Analysis (Functionalism), and Conflict Theory. Everyone has their own opinion of which perspective is most dominant, as in, which they see more evident in their lives. However, I find myself to believe there is a greater combination of both Symbolic Interactionism and Conflict Theory at play. Some individuals argue that Symbolic Interactionism disregards the macro level of social interpretation – the “big picture.” In other words, those with this perspective may miss the greater concerns of society by having a narrowed concentration on the “size of the ring” rather than the “quality of the marriage”. This is why I see the world as both symbolic and conflicting, conflict views
Functionalism’s origin can be found in the works of Emile Durkheim, who was particularly concerned about how social order is conceivable or how society remains fairly constant. This perspective translates each component of society in terms of how it impacts the stability of it as a whole. Society is more than the quantity of its shares; rather, each factor of the community is operative for the solidity of the society. The diverse parts are predominantly the institutions of society, each of which is systematized to satisfy various needs and each of which has specific effects for the structure and nature of society. The elements are interdependent. When one part of the system is dysfunctional, it affects all other parts and creates social problems, which leads to social change. Functionalism perceives active social change as unfavorable because the various parts of society will compensate in a seemingly natural way for any problems that may arise. In contrast, the conflict perspective encourages such