a key theory that was developed by Emile Durkheim‚ one of the founding fathers of sociology. This theory sees society as a mega structure of inter-related social institutions such as schools and the legal system that is in constant consensus. Functionalists believe all parts of society all work together to maintain the functional equilibrium of the society‚ viewing each part as a ‘functional clog’. It also touches on functional prerequisites for the survival of a society and anomie‚ an idea by Durkheim
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Question: Discuss the structural (ist) functionalist perspective in sociology. (Your answer should focus on the strengths and weaknesses of functionalist and Marxist perspectives) __________________________________________________________________ The Functionalist perspective has contributed immensely to the structure of society and the understanding of human behaviour in society. It is a based on an analogy between social systems and organic systems and has identified numerous ways which state
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Functionalist perspective on the role of education A functionalist’s perspective on education is to examine society in terms of how it is maintained or in other words how it is ran effectively. A functionalist exaggerates on positive aspects of schools such as socialisation‚ learning skills and attitudes in school. This is because functionalists believe everything in society happens for a reason to instil the smooth running of society. They see no wrong in society and turn their nose down at the
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Topic: The conflict perspective views society less as a cohesive system and more as an arena of conflict and power struggles. Compare and contrast the main tenet of the Functionalist and Conflict Perspectives. Over the years‚ sociologist has put forward their views when it came to defining‚ studding and understanding society. Society can be defined as a group or unit of people living in a geographical area‚ sharing a similar background and/or culture. In sociological term‚ a society is any group
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The Congo Crisis: An International Perspective There is a need to take advantage of the change that has taken place in the Congo‚ however tragic that has been in its coming. – Paul Kagame As the third largest country in Africa and blessed with a large endowment of natural resources‚ the Democratic Republic of Congo possesses great opportunity to develop itself into a successful nation. However‚ the great abuses of the Congo’s colonial rulers and the lack of central unity across its vast
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In 2008 the United Nations declared a global food security crisis‚ but what exactly is food security? According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations‚ food security “exists when all people‚ at all times‚ have physical‚ social‚ and economic access to sufficient‚ safe‚ and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life” (FAO 2011). Based on the definition of food security‚ food insecurity is then defined as “a situation that
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Connor A‚ MacLennan E (2009)‚ HNC in Social Care Student Book‚ Heinemann THE CAUSES OF DISCRIMINATION USING FUNCTIONALIST PERSPECTIVE Discrimination is what happens when an individual or group are treated unfairly or differently from others as a result of prejudice. Functionalists believe that discrimination is the result of the need to sort people into higher and lower. Functionalists see inequalities among groups as necessary because they believe that societies function most efficiently when
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Social Ethics 3.30.2013 Food Crisis in West Africa Africa looks like it might be hit once more by a food crisis‚ this time in the arid Sahel region of Western Africa. A Famine Early Warning System - which accurately prophesied the 2011 drought in the Horn of Africa now‚ warns millions in West Africans that they will face a food crisis in 2012. Men‚ women and children are destined to be buried because of deprivation‚ famine and starvation. We are looking at an unprecedented food catastrophe. “The parallels
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Functionalists agree with many of the positive aspects of the family such as provision of care and teachings of norms and values. The three main functionalist sociologists in this topic are Murdock‚ Parsons and Fletcher‚ who all have a different view towards family but main argument is the functions it provides for society. Murdock believes that the family have to provide 4 main functions: primary socialisation‚ financial support‚ the meeting of sexual and emotional needs and reproduction. These
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Basis of the structural functionalist perspective A society is a complex unit‚ made up of interrelated parts. All these parts form the structure of the society and each sub unit has to perform its given task. Social structures are stressed and placed at the center of analysis and social functions are deduced from these structures. This perspective looks at how the various parts of the society come together and perform their individual tasks interdependently and interrelated to promote social stability
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