Sociological Approaches In Working With Community PDF

SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACHES IN WORKING WITH COMMUNITY  Three paradigms have come to dominate sociological thinking, because they provide useful explanations: structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM Structural Functionalism believes...

SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACHES IN WORKING WITH COMMUNITY  Three paradigms have come to dominate sociological thinking, because they provide useful explanations: structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM Structural Functionalism believes that: A society is capable of bringing unity and happiness to its citizens. Stability is achieved when a society’s social institutions meet the needs of the citizens. Institutions/structures are interdependent and work together to meet the needs of individuals.  According to Functionalism, society is a system of interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium for the whole. Example: Each of the social institutions contributes important functions for society: family provides a context for reproducing, nurturing and socializing children. Education offers a way to transmit a society’s skills, knowledge, and culture to its youth. Politics provides a means of governing members of society. Economics provides for the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. Religion provides moral guidance and an outlet for worship of a higher power.  It emphasizes the interconnectedness of society by focusing on how each part influences and is influenced by other parts. Example: The increase in single parent and dual-earner families has contributed to the number of children who are failing in school because parents have become less available to supervise their children’s homework. Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) Durkheim was a French sociologist. His theories greatly contributed to building the foundation of structural functionalism. Durkheim argued that society functions logically and protects the interests of its members. He paid close attention to the forces that bring people together in a society. He viewed humans as “social creatures,” who define themselves by their social interactions. Talcott Parsons (1902-1978) Parsons was a structural functionalist. He helped structural functionalism establish strong roots in the U.S. He focused on social behavior as a single entity or mass. Parsons believed that all social dynamics (eg. relationships) could be understood through examining their functions in society. He argued that everything that exists in a society exists for good reasons. He was certain that our actions reflect our own values or the values of the people around them. CONFLICT THEORY Karl Marx described the class system in 19th century. Bourgeoisie – wealthy, control means of production, small group in society, but had massive amount of control. Proletariat – exploited working people.  Conflict theory states that society or an organization functions so that each individual participant and its groups struggle to maximize their benefits. Conflict or tension between competing groups society is based on an unequal distribution of advantage and is characterized by a conflict of interests between the advantaged and the disadvantaged. The theory is mostly applied to explain conflict between social classes; ie the “haves and the “have nots”.  The German sociologist Max Weber agreed with Karl Marx that the economic inequalities of the capitalist system were a source of widespread conflict. Competition between groups over scarce resources or material goods, opportunities, and values. How the elite control the poor and the weak.  Conflict theory generally surrounds the idea that most struggles in society happen because of conflicts between different social classes or groups. Each group struggles to attain more resources and because resources are scarce, they must struggle with other groups. Groups try to protect their own interests, therefore blocking the progress of other groups. SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM A frame of reference of how humans create understanding through symbolic words and how those words affect human behavior. It focuses on the interpretation (social meaning) that is given to behavior, and on the way such interpretation helps to construct the social world, the identities of people, and, ultimately how they behave.  It studies how people use symbols to establish meaning, develop views of the world, and communicate. Our behaviors depend on the way we define ourselves and others. Symbolic integrationists study face to face interactions and relationships.  According to Coakley 47, “it is based on the idea that human being, as they interact with one another, give meanings to themselves, others, and the world around them, and use those meanings as a basis for making decisions and taking action in their everyday lives”.