The Importance Of Sociology On Society

Conflict Theory originated from the great German theologian, Karl Marx. Many of the social beliefs that support and strengthen this theory have been rooted in the ideas of Karl Marx himself. He believed that it’s not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but their social existence which determines their stream of consciousness. With this being the motto of this theory it’s easy to see that Marx believed that the social infrastructure of each man and woman determines their very place in the society in which they live, not the other way around. This theory believes that the determinate for each individual social

The Functionalist theory emphasizes the contributions (functions) that all parts of society (e.g., social institutions) make within society. This theory has contributed to sociology by providing a view “which emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain stability.” (Schafer 2013, pg13)

In general, conflict theory is to explain the conflict between authority groups and powerless groups through the uneven distribution of power and resources in society (Lai, 2013). It is based entirely in power and how those in power do all they can to hold the majority of the population down and to keep them from gaining power, so as to secure their own position. Conflict theorists all assume that the existing social order is not a product of consensus and mutual benefit but rather a function of power differentials in society. These perspectives recognize that societal resources are limited and contend that opposing groups are in a constant struggle for a greater share of the resources and power that comes with them. As groups struggle to gain

The conflict perspective highlights the notion that society consists of individuals of different social classes and status groups that are of conflicting self- interests. As

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary (2010), Sociology is referred to as “.the systematic study of the development, structure, interaction, and collective behavior of organized groups of human beings” (para. 1); however, the transformable qualities of this science are not represented by this definition, as they should be. To best understand these changes, we must first consider changes within people as study objects; for as previously stated, Sociology changes in ways which are commensurate to changes in the world around it.

Arguing that exploitation lies at the core of most social relationships, Conflict Theory proposes that the rules by which society are governed are dictated by powerful actors, and that these serve to ultimately preserve the positions of those groups that hold power. This paradigm argues that the nature of society is inherently conflictual, and that social change only emerges when powerful actors are dislodged through mass-level collective action that is itself difficult to

Emile Durkheim came up with the functionalist theory. Functionalism sees society working together like a system. Society consist of interconnected parts that work together that keeps everything in a balanced state. Herbert Spencer gave the idea that societies are living organisms that grow and evolve. This theory emphasizes how different groups of society influence other parts of society. This could be a positive The two main principles of functionalism; The first would be that society is perceived as a functional system made of intertwining parts/groups. The second function is that each structure its own purpose that contributes to continue societies stability. If something does not contribute to society in a positive way and throws off its balance its considered dysfunctional. An example of dysfunctional would be things such as crime.

Conflict Theory – Macro level – This is built off of resources, status, and power that are not evenly distributed

The conflict perspective originating from ideas of Karl Marx, is a macro overview of competition for limited resources and how the elite or government control the weak. People are then impacted by the creation of social structures, and the usual result is a differential of power between the "elite" and the "others". Conflict perspective focus is the elite 's goal to keep creating the divide between us and them from distribution of resources, power, and inequality.

Conflict theory sees societies comprised of groups with conflicting values and interests. (Vold et al. 1998)

The study finds out how a culture fits in to the society and how the society

Conflict theory is the theory that human behavior in social contexts is the result of conflicts between competing groups, as different social groups, be they class-, gender- or race-defined, have unequal power and access to power, yet all groups compete for limited resources. This inevitably gives rise to tension and conflict, albeit often of the subtle variety, as oftentimes the conflicts between groups have been institutionalized in society to such a degree that the conflicts and tensions are such an expected part of society that the conflict, and inequality, itself disappears from public sight, and consciousness. For example, an adherent of a world systems theory of conflict would point to the global competition for resources, particularly the inequality between rich and poor nations struggling to provide the basic necessities of life to their inhabitants, as evidence of global conflict. Conflict theories seek to explain the interactions of groups within society, and assert that social order is preserved involuntarily through the exercise of power one social class holds over another (Lindsey, 2010, 7). The conflict between groups is not always obvious or apparent, so it must be unraveled and examined in order to identify and establish the impact of such conflict on society as a whole, as well as individual members and social groupings.

Structural Functionalism is “A major sociological perspective that views society as an interdependent system of parts (structures) and purposes (functions) that work together to make a society operate (Larkin, 2015)”. In order for a society to work all parts of the same society must work together. In structural functionalism society nearly depends on one another to stay afloat. If Something changes it can causes a disruption in society and begins to make things become unbalanced. Functionalism focuses on many groups that make up society, for example Government, Judiciary, and religion are some of the key groups that benefits in society strengthening their social relationships and the very world humans live in.

Sociology is the study of the behavior of people and groups within society. This helps out how society works and thinks, If people understand how society thinks we can improve it. With this in mind, you can apply sociology theories and ideas to any scenario of daily life dealing with person to person interaction or even to an individual in regards to the society.

Conflict theory is still prevalent today. “But as in all previous forms of society, a system that was once revolutionary has become the opposite. The potential to make new advances in the way that people use resources and produce things to meet their needs [...] has come into conflict with capitalism's social structure, dominated by a ruling class that puts its own wealth and power first”(Maass). In today’s world, products are not made to be distributed in bulk for people who need them, but to make a profit. This type of living creates conflict in society(Maass).