CHOOSE ONE- DO NOT WRITE TOPIC ON ALL 3. – one paragraph up to 200 words.

Option 1: You learned about the sociological perspectives (Conflict, Functionalist, and Interactionist) in Chapter 1. Which one of those sociological perspectives resonated with you? Why? For example, how might one of those sociological perspectives relate to a big decision in your life (for example the choice to go to college) or a social problem in society?

Option 2: Is upward movement from lower/middle class to middle/upper class standing more difficult, less difficult, or the same today as it was in the 1950s/1960s? How might social forces bigger than the individual play a role?

Option 3: Discuss a specific concept or lesson you learned from the Chapter 1 or Chapter 2 reading. How can you apply this new knowledge to your life (at home, work, or in the community)?

From the textbook:

>> Three Sociological Perspectives

As we will see throughout this book, the answers sociologists offer to these five questions provide a glimpse of sociology’s complexity. Some theorists focus on society as a whole; others concentrate on individual interactions. Some are particularly concerned with inequality; others focus on maintaining social cohesion. Some approaches seem to overlap; others seem at odds with one another. But, regardless of their stance, all theorists share a common commitment to provide us with greater understanding of why we think and act the way we do. Each theory, whether broad or narrow, offers a way of seeing that allows us to perceive things we might have otherwise missed.

To simplify the rich array of sociological theories (especially for someone new to sociology), sociologists have classified various theories into three major theoretical page 16perspectives or paradigms: functionalist, conflict, and interactionist. Each perspective offers a different set of lenses, focusing our attention in slightly different ways. Or, to put it another way, it is like three people standing on the edge of a circle looking in at the same thing but each seeing it from a different point of view, able to recognize things that others might not even see.

Three Sociological Perspectives

According to the functionalist perspective, society is like a living organism with its various parts working together (or functioning) for the good of the whole. Functionalists posit that society and its parts are structured to provide social order and maintain stability. Aspects of society that may appear dysfunctional, such as crime or poverty, either contribute some hidden benefits that researchers have not yet uncovered or will wither away over time. Durkheim’s research into social order and its challenges, especially within modern societies, is a classic example of the functionalist perspective. Durkheim assumed that, over time, society would progress toward greater order as it came to terms with apparent threats or challenges.

Functionalist perspective A sociological paradigm that sees society as like a living organism in which its various parts work together for the good of the whole.

Whereas the functionalist perspective emphasizes consensus and cooperation, the conflict perspective focuses on power and the allocation of valued resources in society. According to conflict theorists, social order cannot be fully understood apart from an analysis of how the status quo is established and maintained by those who control key resources. Such resources include material resources (such as money, land, and property), social resources (such as family connections, social networks, and prestige), and cultural resources (such as education, beliefs, knowledge, and taste). The existing social structure page 17helps maintain the privileges of some groups and keep others in inferior positions. Marx’s work on inequality, social class, and alienation provides a classic example of the conflict perspective.

Conflict perspective A sociological paradigm that focuses on power and the allocation of valued resources in society.