Sociology Thearys

The Theories

Structural Theories 

• These are the oldest theoretical theories

• Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim used structural theories to describe rapid social change

• They both believed that society and its institutions controlled and influenced people the way people think and act

Key Facts

• Society has a large amount of power over the individual

• Believes that the individual is controlled by society 

• Society moulding our thoughts and controlling what we do 

• Argues that we we are socialised into society by the culture of society

• Our behaviour is shaped by the social construct 

• We are kept in line through mechanisms of social control

• We are taught how to behave and therefore act accordingly

Structural theorists believe that we are simply passive puppets being controlled by society. They are often referred to as a macro approach. This theory looks at the relationship between individuals and institutions or systems. 

Structural theory breaks down into two, these are consensus and conflict theories.

Consensus Theory

• Basically means agreement 

They believe

• That society runs on consensus, a basic understanding between everyone about something. This is usually right or wrong

• If we didn’t have consensus society would collapse and nobody would know how to behave

• Having consensus helps us all to unite and share values. It gives us a sense of togetherness

• Having consensus brings us harmony and peace meaning that that society can be successful

Functalism

• This is part of the consensus theory and the structural theory

Emile Durkheim

• Most of the time he is considered the founding father of sociology being an academic

• He is best known for creating the rules of studying society by looking at government statistics

• His main interest was to explore the way society worked and what joined people together

• He identified religion in traditional societies and education in Modern Society as key institutions

 Key Facts

• Society is a social system that is held together by a shared culture or shared way of being

• Members of society are socialised into the shared culture

• The shared culture helps to make us feel like we are a part of a group, this is called social solidarity

• Society has basic needs which need to be met, one of them is social order 

• In order for social order to be accomplished we need to have a  value consensus

• Social institutions help to maintain social order

Auguste Comte

• Was a 19th century philosopher, he influenced Durkheim's work and his belief of society

• Both Comte and Durkheim believed that you could understand how society and how its functions worked if you compared it to the human body. This was called organic analogy 

• Each body part has an important role, however has to rely on other parts in order to function

• If one organ fails to function, then the rest can fail. Causing a domino effect

• This is a basic example of society

Institutions

• Family (the most important one to functionalists)

• Education

• Religion

• Government

• Economy 

It's the family's responsibility to socialise children into society, therefore making the…