presentation of sociology · •emile durkheim •integrity and coherence in the society. •lays...

PRESENTATION OF SOCIOLOGY

FUNCTIONALISM

• Meaning

• Notable Persons

• Features

• Importance

• Criticism

• A related Video

Contents

Functionalism

Meaning of Function

• Function refers to the act of working mechanismof different parts (social institutions) toaccomplish its own functional needs butunknowingly performs different function in aunison.

• Functionalist assume every social institution assingle functional unit. Family, Economy,Religion and Polity performs its own function,

Meaning of Functionalism

• According to a functionalist perspective, differencesin power, wealth, and other rewards within the socialstructure are justified, because they motivate the mostqualified people to exercise their talents in the mostimportant jobs.

• All functional unit performs its own specific function,

• The functionalist perspective attempts to explainsocial institutions as collective means to meetindividual and social needs,


• Why functionalism is also called StructuralFunctionalism?

• It often focuses on how the social structureperform their basic function to meet the socialneed.

• How family, polity, economy, religion, andeducation works,

• Family: Small unit, helps in production,consumption and exchange,

• Economy: Regulates production, consumption,and exchange activities

• Religion: Religion is also a phenomena thatcreates stratification in people through its ownunique practices and concept of purity.

• Polity: Polity is the game of acquiring andexercising power. It govern the state mechanism.


PolityLaw making,Governance

EconomyProduction, Consumption,Exchange

ReligionReligion binds,Unique practices,Purity

EducationEnlightenmentMakes peopleHigher or lower

Social Institution


• Emile Durkheim

• Influential Figure in functionalism,

• the unity that derives from the fact that the

relationships between its parts are exactly regulated,

that unity resulting from the harmonious articulation

of its various functions assured by effective discipline

• Concept of social facts: According to

Durkheim, social facts are the values, cultural norms,

and social structures which transcend the individual

and are capable of exercising a social constraint.

Notable Persons

• Emile Durkheim

• Integrity and coherence in the society.

• Lays down the concept of Mechanical solidarity

and organic solidarity

• Religion: Religion is the unified system of belief

and practices; religion binds people;

• Sacred and Profane

• Suicide: Suicide is also a social act. It is the

phenomena of social activity. Catholic ethics and

Protestant ethics.

Notable Persons

• Talcott Parson

• Influential Figure in functionalism,

• Influenced by Durkheim and Max Weber,

• He stresses on the unity and unison of the socialinstitution,

• According to Parson’s, “ all parts of socialsystem are interrelated, however, different partof society have different function.”

Notable Persons

• Talcott Parson

1. Adaption to the environment

2. Goal Attainment

3. Integrating members to the harmonious unit

4. Latency or maintaining basic cultural pattern

Called as AGIL scheme

Notable Persons

• Herbert Spenser

• Stresses on Darwin's theory and how societieschange and evolve over time.

• Spencer did not feel the need to correct or improvesociety, for he felt that societies were bound tochange automatically.

• No need of revolution as evolution takes in thesociety automatically,

Notable Persons

1. Society consists of a number of interdependentparts• Every part of society performs its own function,

• Every aspect of society is interdependent to each-other,

• Family influences economy vice-versa,

• No any agent of society is independent,

• The defragmentation in one of the social institutioncauses whole society to suffer,

• Discard of religious philosophy, defragmentation offamily,

Characteristics of Functionalism

2. Functional Unity

• Every element performs some common function,

• Family performs its own function, however, allfamily performs three basic functions socialization,harmonious integration , and consumption,

• Functional unity in religion, economy, and polity,

• All Hindus follows same norms, people guided byprotestant ethics are motivated to work,

• Economy in every part of the world focuses onproduction, consumption and


2. Functional Unity

PolityLaw making,Governance

EconomyProduction, Consumption,Exchange

ReligionReligion binds,Unique practices,Purity

EducationEnlightenmentMakes peopleHigher or lower

Social Institution


3. Manifest, Dysfunction, and Latent Function

• Robert K. Merton has described about manifest, andlatent function,

• Latent function refers to the element of a behaviorthat is not explicitly stated, recognized, orintended, and is thereby hidden,

• Manifest function refers to the element of behaviorthat is stated, recognized or intended by the societyand is thereby the primary function of society,

• Dysfunction is the opposite of manifest function,


4. Stability and Equilibrium

• Society is itself a complete system,

• There is stability in society,

• There is state of equilibrium in the society,

• Rich and Poor are the phenomenon of society andthese phenomenon makes society in balance,

• Social Dynamic and Social Static; Social static isbased on stability and equilibrium


5. Social Facts

• Social facts are the values, cultural norms,and social structures which transcend theindividual and are capable of exercising asocial constraint.

• Values, and norms controls the individuals,


5. Society tends towards consensus

• Consensus is necessary but conflict destroysconsensus.

• Nearly every one in the society is guided by somebasic rules,

• According to Durkheim, “ People are likely tocooperate when they feel that they share things incommon with one another.


6. Perfect Equality is impossible

• Perfect equality is impossible,

• Inequality in the society makes a society to run,

• Unbalance in the society creates social stratificationwhich in turns forms societal balance,

• If all are affluent, no one would will to be laborer,


Renaissance

Scientific Inventions

British Revolution

American Revolution

French Revolution

Industrial Revolution and Female empowerment

Technological Advancement

World Wars

Changing Law, Religious Views

Thinks all changes as evolutionary and

automatically intuitive

1. Basic Foundation of Sociology,1. Lays down the basic concept of society,2. The way the society functions,3. The interconnectedness between the elements of society

2. Functioning mechanism of society,1. No any element is independent,2. Human is social animal, and social facts make them more social-able,

3. Makes unity in society,1. Views society as a system of unity that works in complete harmony,2. Religion is the greatest source of unitedness,

4. Interconnects the roles of various elements of society,

5. Power, and wealth are the motivating factor,

6. Qualification determines the distribution of power, wealth andprestige

Importance of Functionalism

1. No any society is stable

2. No condition of equilibrium and satisfaction,

3. Treats society as alive like human

4. Revolution as a complete dysfunction

5. Power, wealth, and other rewards motivate thequalified people might not be always true,

6. Religion binds and contributes in unity of peoplemight be a lop-sided view,

7. Conflict and competition as the inalienable elementsof society,

Criticism of Functionalism

• In the functionalist perspective, societies are thoughtto function like organisms, with various socialinstitutions working together like organs to maintainand reproduce societies.

• According to functionalist theories, institutionscome about and persist because they play a functionin society, promoting stability and integration.

• Functionalism takes society as self-regulating, selfguided, and stable unit with the persistence ofequilibrium,

• Functionalism has been criticized for its failure toaccount for social change,

KEY POINTS

• Functionalism has been criticized for attributinghuman-like needs to society.

• Emile Durkheim’s work is considered the foundationof functionalist theory in sociology.

• Merton observed that institutions could have bothmanifest and latent function.

KEY POINTS

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