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Sociology Chapter Summary

Decent Essays

When studying Sociology, you learn to start viewing the world “sociologically”. Reading chapter two of this book, breaks down the three major theories which were started from Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and George Herbert Mead. There are three main types of sociological views which are structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. Taking a closer look at structural functionalism and conflict theory, they both function on a macro level while symbolic interactionism functions on a micro level. The sociological perspective that most closely represents my view of the world is structural functionalism. This theory is macro-level which sees society as a whole unit. Many parts and systems are used to make this theory work. …show more content…

His theory is based on societies always being in competition with one another to be able to gain power, wealth, and prestige. This theory also used on a macro level since it affects everyone in the society. Karl Marx focused on class conflict like the elites gaining wealth and power, while the others worked in the factories for meager wages. There was nothing to spare the workers from exploitation. This theory is more based on past times when racism and sexism was a huge conflict perspective. Like history of white dominance over another racial group and how women were referred to as second-class citizens who were not allowed the right to vote. There is a few issues we are still facing but our society today is not communist but a country who has their system like that is China and other …show more content…

This theory works on the micro level which is different from the first two theories. Symbolic interactionism looks at society based on a collection of relationships between people which have a common meaning and significance. People view social life as a stage with roles and how there is expected behaviors in the situation. The metaphor of drama and script is a part and they think people create roles in the drama of human life. People are able to relate to one another based on the basis of perceived roles. People imagine how the particular role will think and try to relate, if they are correct, interaction will be smooth. Each has an identity which is called “self”. Self is created with the process of interaction with another. Mead believed that each person had an “I” and a “Me” which is also referred as generalized other. This was a set of collected values and attitudes learned from others. “I” is the subject form and “Me” is the object. Mead’s theory focused on roles and interactions in the social drama. This is not how I view the world with the mindset of roles. The one theory that I had similar viewpoint was with structural functionalism. This theory that Emile Durkheim came up with view societies as a system with parts. I was able to connect this theory with today’s society. The other two theories I did not have any similar viewpoints with. I feel that there is balance in the United States system and that

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