Sociological Theory: Structural and Interpretive Perspectives英文论文代写|代写Assignment|代写Essay|英国澳洲论文代写-Essay3
Sociological theory can be understood as the body of ideas, tested and untested, making up sociological thought.
We can best understand the disagreements among contemporary sociologists, many of which have their roots in the thought of Durkheim, Marx and Weber, by examining some basic questions of sociological theory to which, in one way or another, all three gave answers. By considering the following questions, it is possible to construct an adequate sociological perspective. Of course it is possible to ask other questions, but these act as a starting point.
1. How is society constructed?
2. How does society “operate” or function?
3. Why are some groups in society more powerful than others?
4. What causes social change?
5. Is society in orderly balance or conflict?
6. What is the relationship of the individual to society?
7. What is the primary purpose of sociological study?
The answers given to these questions by Durkheim, Marx and Weber helped to produce three distinct traditions of sociological thought or perspectives: functionalism which owes much to Durkheim, marxism and critical theory (Marx) and social action theory (Weber).
All three of these sociological perspectives are structural in nature. Structural sociology is primarily concerned with how individuals and groups create society. Thus the sort of issue a structural sociologist would be interested in is how the class and family background of an individual (the individual`s social-structural position) affect his or her chances of doing well at school and getting a good job.
Functionalism is referred to as consensus structuralism because it emphasises the central role that agreement (consensus) between people on moral values has in maintaining social order.
Marxism and social action theory, on the other hand, stress conflict in society rather than consensus. It is a further crucially important feature of the structuralist theories that they tend to seek scientific or positivist explanations of behaviour.
Interpretive sociology, in contrast to structuralism, is primarily concerned with how individuals and groups create, find meaning in, and experience society, rather than in how society affects them. Examples of the kind of matters that have interested sociologists are what it ‘feels like’ to be labelled a ‘criminal’ or ‘mad’, or simply ‘not very bright’ at school work.
The structural sociologies of functionalism, Marxism and social action theory are described in the following documents by reference to the seven key questions stated above. It will be seen that the answers given to the questions by the various perspectives differ, sometimes to the point of contradiction.
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