Sociological Approaches in Community Work

Sociological Approaches in Working with Community

• Three primary paradigms dominate sociological thinking: structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. These provide useful explanations.

Structural Functionalism

• Structural functionalism posits that a society strives for unity and happiness for its citizens. Stability arises when social institutions fulfill citizen needs. Institutions are interdependent and work collectively to meet individual needs.
• Functionalism views society as a system of interconnected parts working harmoniously. This maintains a state of balance and social equilibrium.
• Examples of social institutions include families that reproduce and socialize children, education systems that transmit knowledge and skills, politics overseeing governance, economies managing production, distribution and consumption, and religion that provides moral guidance and worship.
• Structural functionalism emphasizes interconnectedness of society's parts. Changes in one part influence others. For example, a rise in single-parent or dual-income families can correlate with lower student performance due to reduced parental supervision.
• Emile Durkheim (1858-1917), a French sociologist, significantly contributed to structural functionalism, arguing that society functions logically to protect member interests. He scrutinized societal forces and identified humans as "social creatures," who define themselves through interactions.
• Talcott Parsons (1902-1978) furthered structural functionalism's U.S. roots, focusing on social behavior as a single entity. He posited that all social dynamics (like relationships) are understandable by examining their functions within society. He believed actions reflect individual and societal values.

Conflict Theory

• Karl Marx (19th century) described the class system. The bourgeoisie (wealthy) controlled production, dominating society, while the proletariat (working class) experienced exploitation.
• Conflict theory posits that society functions around competing groups striving for maximum benefit. Unequal distribution of advantages creates conflict between the advantaged and disadvantaged. This is most often observed through disputes between social "haves" and "have-nots".
• Max Weber, a German sociologist, agreed that economic inequalities in capitalist societies were a major source of conflict. Competition over scarce resources, materials, opportunities, and values fueled disputes. Powerful elites often leverage control over the less-powerful.
• Conflict theory highlights the idea that struggles in societies are largely driven by disputes among social classes or groups. Groups strive for more resources, and due to scarcity, competition ensues. Groups prioritize self-interest, which hinders progress for other groups.

Symbolic Interactionism

• Symbolic interactionism focuses on how people create meaning through symbolic words and how these words affect their behaviors.
• It emphasizes the significance of social meaning assigned to behaviors. This interpretation impacts the construction of the social sphere, identities, and behaviors.
• Symbolic interactionism looks at face-to-face interactions and relationships to understand how meaning is developed, views of the world are shaped, and communication occurs.
• Behaviors stem from perceptions of the self and others. Coakley (20xx) emphasizes that human interaction creates meanings for individuals, others, and the world around them. These meanings then guide their decisions.