The Three Paradigms in Society

In the world of sociology there are many different ways that humans interact with the world. Although we are all human beings, we do not always see the world the same way that others do. Even though not many are aware of the different ways they can see the world, there are three sociological perspectives. Using structural functionalism, the conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism one will be able to decide which view best represents the way they see this world. When asked about my perspective on the world, I view it using the conflict theory due to the examples that society gives us based on events that happen frequently. Even though all three of these theories are socially correct, the conflict theory defines my view of the world more than structural functionalism and symbolic interaction.

Functionalists and conflict theorists focus on the macro level, while in contrast, symbolic interactionists focus mainly on the micro

There are three different theoretical perspectives. Functionalist perspective, which emphasizes the way in which the parts of a society are structured to maintain its stability. Functionalists see the contribution that it makes to society. The conflict perspective, assumes that social behavior is best understood in terms of tension between groups over power or the allocation of resources, and political representation. The interactionalist perspective, which generalize about everyday forms of social interaction in order to explain society as a whole (Schaefer).

Functionalism is a theory by Durkheim that conveys that all aspects of a society serve a function and are necessary for the survival of that society. In this way, society is like an organism. If all institutions work properly it contributes to the

Functionalism interprets each part of society in terms of how it contributes to the stability of the whole society. It is a study that interprets that society is a complex system whose parts work together to encourage balance in our society. This perspective attempts to explain social organizations as collective means to meet individual and social demands. One example of this theory is the justice system. The justice system is made up of different independent parts, like police, lawyers, judges, etc., and they all make up one group if they work together. This group being the justice system.

In sociology, a few theories provide broad perspectives that help to explain many different aspects of social life. These theories are so prominent that many consider them paradigms. Paradigms are philosophical and theoretical frameworks used within a discipline to formulate theories, generalizations, and the experiments performed in support of them. Three of these paradigms have come to dominate sociological thinking because they provide useful explanations: structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.

Throughout the novel, Candide, Voltaire repeatedly exploits the nature of humans to consider other's situations and lifestyles to be better than that of their own. Voltaire uses Candide's journeys to portray the human assumption that the grass is always greener on the other side. This theme is shown in Candide's strife for companionship, his experience with wealth, and his interaction with other characters. The situations that develop the theme do so in such a way that the reader is able to understand and relate to the aspirations of Candide.

The next aspect that we are going to talk about is race. Growing up race wasn’t something that was around. While in grade school there were one or two Hispanic students but other than that there weren’t any racial differences in my school. When I went to high school the number of Hispanic students increased but otherwise that was it. We didn’t treat any of these students any different just because of their race. Around town there were Hispanics as well but there was never anything that caused problems. When I was very young I always found it interesting to try and listen to the Hispanic people talk to see if I could pick up any words that they said since I was learning Spanish in school. When I went to Central Community College this is when race was really shown to me.

Functionalist and Marxist are macro sociological theories that give a better understanding of the society. Functionalist theory is referred to as the consensus whilst the Marxist theory is known as the conflict theory. Key features of both theories are going to be identified and discussed.

To begin with, structural functionalism looks at the society as a bundle of a complex system with different parts that work to support the whole. It stipulates that a society is a combination of interrelated components, which work independently, but seek to achieve a common goal, which supports the growth of the whole system. Some of the systems in the society include the government, schools, businesses, and families. In essence, all these different components are fundamental in the society as they serve different functions to develop the society. On the other hand, social conflict theory looks at the society as a system with equal components, but within the endeavors to grow to find themselves in conflicting paths. Thinking about the society, some of the trends lead to conflict among the people living together. For example, ageism,

The Functionalist theory believes that society functions so that each individual plays a specific role. Their perspective of social inequality is the belief that "inequality is not only inevitable but also necessary for the smooth functioning of society."

are the three major paradigms that function in today’s society. Functionalist, and conflict paradigms are macro-sociological paradigms. Symbolic interaction is a micro-sociological paradigm. Functionalist paradigm focuses on the integration of society, while social conflict focuses on the issue of division among society. Symbolic interaction works on communication and social change as a consequence. The three paradigms are completely different from each other in a social point of view. The macro-sociological paradigms view America as an inequality state. The social conflict paradigm fits today’s society.

Understanding the concepts of these theories that occur through interaction, functionality and conflicts requires a comprehensive view of the primary theoretical models. Symbolic interaction for instance is a prominent theoretical perspective that highlights the understanding of social life. The emergence of symbolic perspective emerged from the sociological analysis and the approach of ideas that ascertain the use of symbols. The interactions are based on the systems and structures of human action. Functionalism theory is the most dominant theoretical aspect in sociology as well as other social sciences. This theory emphasizes on the application and the scientific method that is based on the explanation of the research conducted. The capacity of the functionalism theory dominates the present research as the most famous contemporary theory of the

The functionalist perspective believes that each aspect of society is interdependent and makes the society function as a whole. Deviance may seem as though it is dysfunctional for society, but functionalists believe that deviance is necessary because it puts an emphasis on behaviors that are normal and creates a social standard for behavior. Symbolic internationalism is a sociological theory that uses symbols of everyday life. According to this theory, people attach meanings to symbols and act according to their interpretation of the symbols. Sociologists hold that the symbolic interaction theory shows that deviance and criminal behavior are attributed to the meanings surrounding deviance and how people view those meanings. The functionalist and symbolic theories focus on the positives of society. The third theory that sociologists use is the conflict theory. The conflict theory focuses on the negative aspects of society. Conflict theorists encourage social change. The conflict theory looks at how different groups of people compete against one another because of differing values.

The fact that nowadays Chaucer is studied, discussed, and read means that his works are still interesting for modern readers. They are great pieces that shaped literature as we know it today. However, apart from that, The Canterbury Tales written in the 14th century catches readers’ attention now because it is a collection of brilliant stories with plots so old that they seem very fresh and extraordinary in a stream of modern literature.