...Institutions are the main structures of our society and the basis of our social interactions. Sociology is the study of social behaviours of humans in a group; a society. Therefore the most important study of sociology is structural functionalism stating that a society is stable when all institutions meet the needs of its citizens. Structural functionalism places a large emphasis on how these structures are the main importance to social interactions and how they bring happiness to a community, creating a positive function in society. Think abou the last itme you met someone or just interacted with another human being outside of your home setting, it was most positively in a social institution such as a school, work or possibly a church. Without these structures, interactions with others would be at a minimum, maybe when you would have a brief conversation when passing someoe on the street but it is very rare you would socialize with a stranger unless you are put into a institutional setting. Emile Durkeim’s theories are what make up the base of structural functionalism. Durkeim created his theories on the belifes that society functions logically, protection the intrest of it’s members as well as looking at the forces that unite individuals in society. Obviously social interactions are extremely important to us because we define ourselves by our social interactions with others at home but more importantly at work, school and worship where you usually share similar views with...
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...According to Kendall (2012), sociology is “the systematic study of human society and social interaction.” (p.5). It is the study of societies with emphasis on modern and complex societies. Sociology is also the study of the development and structure of the human society. It is concerned with group activities such as how people interact with each other and their behavior during the interaction. Sociology includes four major sociological perspectives: functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, and post-modernism. All of these theories in sociology equip us with different perspectives with which to view the social world. Each of the four major theoretical perspectives offer a range of explanations about the human behavior and social...
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...In any political system are structures that have different functions to ensure an effective and smooth running of things in that particular political system. This is why this essay will discuss the problems faced by opposition political parties in Zambia using the structural functionalist theory. First it will explain what structural functionalism is, then it will define structures, functions, a political party and an opposition party then before giving the conclusion it will discuss the problems faced by opposition parties in Zambia. Johari (2011) defines structural functionalism as a means of explaining what political structures perform what basic functions in a political system, it is a tool of investigation. Macions and Gerber (2010:14) states “this approach looks at society through a macro-level orientation, which is a broad focus on the social structures that shape society as a whole and by this society evolves like organisms”. According to Johari (2011:73) “functions deal with the consequences involving objectives as well as processes of the patterns of action, Structures refer to those arrangements within the system which perform the functions. For example the police are a structure within the political system that have a function of maintaining peace and order. “In the concept of functions, three basic questions are involved- what basic functions are discharged in any given system, by what instruments those functions are performed and under what conditions the performance...
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...Rosie Edwards, Sociology essay: Many different sociologists have different interpretations and opinions upon the family, the family is a very sensitive issue to many of the general public, so it’s a subject matter in which needs to be dealt with carefully. Sociologists have different opinions on when and how families developed into the popular family structures that we have today, the dominant roles within those families etc. Here are just a few examples of this: Functionalists believe that the family is the heart of society, it is essential in the world because the family set you up for your future. For example, without the family primary socialisation would not exist, and therefore we would not gain the acquired skills needed to survive in the future. Murdock, a famous Functionalist, claimed that the nuclear family is so useful to society that it is inevitable and universal, appearing everywhere all over the world. Also, Functionalists believe that there are four essential functions to a nuclear family. These being: sexual, this provides stability for the adults of the family. Reproductive, provides the new generation of the family and society. Economic, providing for the family, in nuclear families this is generally done by the male as he is the breadwinner. And finally, educational, the secondary socialisation needed to teach young adults and provide them the skills needed for the working world and the future. But, people have criticised the Functionalist perspective upon...
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...All countries have to be prepared for the anything that comes their way. Societies can be corrupted if there’s any destruction or big changes at all. When things change, adaptation plays a big role as individuals have to live their lives to different aspects. Nigeria is one of those countries that was unprepared for what was coming. A terrorist organization called Boko Haram has taken lives and corrupted Nigeria’s society Boko Haram had first started in Nigeria, but has quickly moved and become Cameroon’s problem as well. Boko Haram is the nickname given to the Group of the People of Sunnah for Preaching and Jihad (Schneider). The founder of this group is Mohammed Yusuf, a Salafi Literalist Preacher that created in an islamic sect in 2002 (Schneider). He eventually got murder and in 2010, Abubakar Shekau took his place for leadership. At first Boko Haram attacked police and prisons, but also robbed banks as well. However in 2011- 2012, this organization became more indiscriminate in its violence with a spate of bombings (Schneider). Boko Haram has also been involved in many kidnappings as they spreaded around the borders of Chad, Cameroon, and Nigeria. As the attacks and kidnapping got worse, it was bound to happen that this issue would like go national. The most high profile act was done in 2014, where they kidnapped the traditional ruler of Cameroonian Town (Schneider). The battle with Boko Haram has been steady, but the war isn’t going to end any time soon. They need more...
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...[1] The U.S. is 5% of the world’s population, yet we use 30% of the world’s resources. [2] What two things do we do with the little leisure time we do have? The two things we do with the little leisure time we do have is watch tv and shop. [3] What is the difference between perceived obsolescence and planned obsolescence? Give examples. Planned obsolescence, “Designed for the dump” which means companies create stuff that’s designed to be useless and breaks easily so we can throw away to buy new products. For example, plastic bags, mops, camera and computer software Perceived obsolescence brainwashes society to throwing away stuff that still have value by changing the look of the same item they may have. If you have a one year old ipad, a newer ipad mini comes out with the same processor and picture display, but because its smaller and newer it lures consumers in. A couple examples of perceived observations are fashion, video games, computers, and phone. [4] Annie Leonard says that “we aren’t paying for the stuff we buy.” What does this mean? Products that are made in factories aren’t paying the full cost of production. Cost of productions are externalized to undeveloped countries. Which causes pollution in the air that they breath that eventually harms them. So, the products we buy the workers’ pay for through their health insurance essentially. [5] Briefly explain why our primary identity in the U.S. now one of consumers. Use information from the...
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...The Nuclear Family is a household consisting of two generations. It is the traditional ‘cereal packet family’ with a Husband and a Wife and children either adopted or biological. The New Right also believe that the Nuclear Family should also have traditional segregated roles within the family. This traditionally means that the women would be in charge of the household chores and looking after the children whilst the husband would be the main breadwinner and would go out to work. The New Right are a perspective who believes that government policies do not support the traditional Nuclear Family and the roles that should be upheld within that family. One of the main policies that are thought to undermine these traditional roles and values is that of the Divorce reform Law of 1969. This law made divorce, especially women, easier, less costly and less shameful for the women who were involved. It also introduced the concept of family courts which helped to protect the children who were almost, inevitably involved in the rare divorce of their parents. The reform of the law is something that the New Right doesn’t agree with. They feel that the law encourages divorce and in this way it does not support the Nuclear Family. They feel that because divorce is no easier for the majority of people then more people are going to get a divorce and become lone parents and because they believe that the Nuclear Family has to consist of two married parents and their children then this is a policy...
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...Lady Kris P. Paller Marizz V. Villegas Bernadette P. Layaban Eifel Angela Gante COMMON SENSE AND SOCIAL THINKING 1. Marriage Naturalistic Explanation 1. “ Ang kasal ay sagradong seremonya ng pag-iisang dibdib ng dalawang taong nagmamahalan.” – Mhara Masinas, Teenager 2. “Marriage is the union of two people who love and understand each other differences. It is another beginning of a chapter of my life to build and achieve my dreams with my partner.” – Rose Romea, Married 3. ” Ang kasal ay legal na pag-iisa ng dalawang tao upang bumuo ng isang pamilya. Ito ang nagbubuklod sa mga taong handing humarap sa responsibilidad ng pagiging magulang.” Marlene Baurile, Married Sociological Explanation 1. Marriage is legally spiritually and religiously accepted in the society. - The Functionalist Perspective 2. Nowadays, there are lovers who live in the same roof without getting married. - The Conflict Perspective 3. All people are expecting that once a woman and a man are stable there are ready to settle down they will get married. - The Symbolic Interaction 2. The Domestic Role of Women Naturalistic Explanation 1. 2 3. Sociological Explanation 1. 2. 3. 3. Poverty Naturalistic Explanation 1. “Poverty is a situation where in a person experience difficulty in life. For example, lack of food or money. If a person was not able to sustain a good life in many aspects, he or she is experiencing so called...
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...Video Games and Sociological Theory July 22, 2012 Video games have become as pervasive an aspect of our society as television, with many people spending more time playing video games than watching television. There are many perspectives with which to gauge videos games’ effect on society, from a functionalist, conflict or interactionist perspective. (Schaefer, 2011) Each of these sociological theories can provide a different view of video games, how they affect society and the subcultures that develop around them. The functionalist perspective would emphasize the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability. (Schaefer, 2011) A functionalist may point out the manifest functions of video games as a facilitator of social interaction among friends, or the function of educational games in younger children. The functionalist may also observe latent functions, such as improving hand-eye coordination, or even unintended educational aspect of video games not intended for children (such as police coming and arresting the player character when crimes are committed in games, mirroring the real-life consequences of one’s actions) A functionalist can also characterize video games as a dysfunction I n society, with individuals neglecting other responsibilities in favor of playing the games, or stating that the games encourage violent or antisocial behaviors. The conflict theory would focus on tensions between groups (Schaefer, 2011), so someone analyzing...
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...SCHOOL OF BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT AND LAW Module Information Pack Module Name: Sociology of Work Module Code: HRMT 3204 Academic Year: 2014/2015 A. Module Convenor Name: Mr. Harish FHOOBLALL E-mail: harishlall@yahoo.com / harishfhooblall@gmail.com B. Module Coordinator: C. Programme Coordinator: Mr Needesh Ramphul, Senior Lecturer D. Credits: 3 Credits E. Teaching and Learning Strategies: Lectures/Tutorials/Practicals/Seminars /etc. F. Method of Delivery & frequency of Class Lectures: 15 x 2-hours sessions Self learning plus tutorial: 15x 1 hour session Total: 45 hours G. Student Progress and Assessment: 30%: Continuous Assessment: (class test/assignments) 70%: Examination Total: 100% H. Summary of Module Content: This course will cover the following topics: Critical examination of changing nature of work in Mauritius (agriculture to manufacturing, service), changes in variety and pattern of employment relation, hours of work, patterns of reward and remuneration; employee representation and forms of employee participation; effects of social, demographic and macroeconomics forces such industrialisation and technological advances on labour market, gender and ethnicity, patterns of education and skill formation, globalisation etc.; families’ adaptation to these changes; future shape of employment in Mauritius. I. Module Aim(s): To familiarise students with basic sociological concepts and perspectives on work and develop their analytical abilities so as to better understand the...
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...Assess the view that the nuclear family functions to benefit all its members and society as a whole. A nuclear family can be defined as a unit consisting of a father, mother and their dependant children. There are many views against and for the nuclear family from a consensus perspective, a class perspective and a gender conflict perspective. The consensus sociologists, new right and functionalists, believe that the best and only type of family is the traditional, nuclear family. In contrast, the class and gender conflict sociologists, Marxists and feminists, argue that it meets the need of capitalism, not those of family members or society as a whole and see the family as serving the needs of men and oppressing women (feminists view). To evaluate the functions of the family, I will look into the different perspectives before any conclusions are made. The views of the functionalists are positive and see the nuclear family as the dominant family in society that meet the needs of all members of the family. Furthermore, as functionalists see the family as a particularly important sub-system- a basic block of society, functionalist sociologist George peter Murdock (1949) put forward three points that was mentioned in item 1. Item 1 suggests the family providing three basic functions: “stable satisfaction of sexual needs”, “ production and rearing of children” and “provision of a home”. These three points were put forward by Murdock while he put forward the case that the nuclear...
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...Structural functional theory is when society is a complex system of interconnected and interrelated social structures each having a function and working together to promote social stability. One hundred million people shop at Wal-Mart every week. Wal-Mart is very convenient for people to shop at. Most people do not even have to shop at other stores because Wal-Mart has everything. It’s also convenient because it is right around the corner from a lot of customers houses; they don’t have to travel far to find a Wal-Mart store so they save gas. People already know that Wal-Mart has the lowest prices so they don’t have to search for stores with low prices. The items sold are good quality as well as cheap. What more could someone ask for. Wal-Mart is a world leader in logistics and promotes greater efficiency between its suppliers. Bob McAdam who is the Wal-Mart vice president states in the video, “We are raising the standard of living through lowering the cost of goods for people.” He is saying that Wal-Mart is good for Structural functional theory is when society is a complex system of interconnected and interrelated social structures each having a function and working together to promote social stability. One hundred million people shop at Wal-Mart every week. Wal-Mart is very convenient for people to shop at. Most people do not even have to shop at other stores because Wal-Mart has everything. It’s also convenient because it is right around the corner from a lot of customers houses;...
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...Sociological Theories in My Own Road Map A professor once said that sociological theories are simple maps of our own social world (Roberts, 2015). Just like maps provide individuals with information of how to get from point A to point B, sociological theories allow us to relate important social features to our society and especially to our own lives. Sociological theorists have tried to explain ways of how individuals have been affected, through their own experiences of present and past social features. Some of those features are known to be race, class, gender and also power. Like a map, a theory allows us to see how one of these features relates to the others and how it can affects us in a micro- and macro- level perspective. With the perspectives...
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...Is Wal-Mart good for America? Wal-Mart is one of the most powerful and broadest companies in America. There are more than 5,000 stores worldwide, 100 million shoppers per week and they had $256 billion sales in 2003.Everything is very inexpensive there and they always have the lowest prices. Although that is a good thing, it is bad because it keeps people out of work and the workers get low wages. Global retailers are the most powerful companies in America now. Sam Walton, the creator of Wal-Mart said his formula was, “Buy cheap, sell for less than the other guy and make your profit on high volume and fast turnover.” Wal-Mart can be examined using both structural functional and social conflict theory. Structural functional theory is when society is a complex system of interconnected and interrelated social structures each having a function and working together to promote social stability. One hundred million people shop at Wal-Mart every week. Wal-Mart is very convenient for people to shop at. Most people do not even have to shop at other stores because Wal-Mart has everything. It’s also convenient because it is right around the corner from a lot of customers houses; they don’t have to travel far to find a Wal-Mart store so they save gas. People already know that Wal-Mart has the lowest prices so they don’t have to search for stores with low prices. The items sold are good quality as well as cheap. What more could someone ask for. Wal-Mart is a world leader in logistics and...
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...July 22, 2012 Video games have become as pervasive an aspect of our society as television, with many people spending more time playing video games than watching television. There are many perspectives with which to gauge videos games’ effect on society, from a functionalist, conflict or interactionist perspective. (Schaefer, 2011) Each of these sociological theories can provide a different view of video games, how they affect society and the subcultures that develop around them. The functionalist perspective would emphasize the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability. (Schaefer, 2011) A functionalist may point out the manifest functions of video games as a facilitator of social interaction among friends, or the function of educational games in younger children. The functionalist may also observe latent functions, such as improving hand-eye coordination, or even unintended educational aspect of video games not intended for children (such as police coming and arresting the player character when crimes are committed in games, mirroring the real-life consequences of one’s actions) A functionalist can also characterize video games as a dysfunction I n society, with individuals neglecting other responsibilities in favor of playing the games, or stating that the games encourage violent or antisocial behaviors. The conflict theory would focus on tensions between groups (Schaefer, 2011), so someone analyzing video games from a conflict perspective...
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