Three Sociological Perspectives

In this paper will be talking about the three sociological perspectives as it pertains to the fraternities and sororities in today’s world. I have chosen this topic because it can be easily understood in all three perspectives.
Every year students at an accredited university have a decision to join groups/activities. In many cases a lot of students choose to join either a fraternity or a
Sorority to feel like they belong to something greater; in fact, it is greater than they are; without the whole Greek organization one person in it would be nothing. Each Greek organization or group performs the necessary function to work together, the functionalism of the organization must adapt and balance school, work and life. A french sociologist Emilie Durkheim defined the term “Social Facts”; which is the way of thinking and acting formed by the society that existed before any individual and that will continue to exist after one time. The social facts cannot be influenced by anyone; so, there for once you have moved on from the group as your life goes on it will not impact the Greek organization because it goes on with or without you. The social fact balances with the school, without it the Greek organization will die and with the school’s they

organization thrives and they continue to grow. The more they grow, they more united the groups become and united as one, we call it a family; the Greek organizations tend to have a unique bond, they work together to keep current and united. With growth comes more organization, but many organizations have to stop growing at some point because there is only a limited amount of space. So, more people join a certain Greek organization, by limiting the number of groups this helps them create that bond each group has earned it starts depending on each other on certain task they have or that one individual has so they do not fall apart.
Conflict among these fraternities and sororities would be the organizations against each other. There are some Greek organization who aren’t as big and powerful or thriving as others, this cause a friction. These groups make a lot of money more than others, but, they more you make the better stats, members, programs, etc. they have against another. Other Greek organization it isn’t all about money but race. Race also plays a factor in just getting into a group this is conflict, it seems like it is comparable to rich and poor but instead with your ethnicity. There are many groups who claim they give equal opportunity and some do, but, most do not. If you are not meet a certain expatiations including race you may not be able to join. Most people don’t see it as conflict but it is; another conflict theory would be non-affiliated members versus affiliated members, if you are not a part of this you can easily feel left out. Examples; Greek only events, even having a roommate(s), and they are taking pictures with their exclusive Greek letterings or just asking to take a picture or hanging out with their affiliated friends. In any of the scenarios listed above are theory conflicts.
Interactionism is people attach meanings to symbols, and then they act according to their subjective interpretation of these symbols.

That being said when people see Greek letter’s that means something to them. They may interpreted another way from someone who is or is not affiliated with certain organizations, being in a certain group the letter are assigned a symbolic meaning. These letters to some may mean family or a strong bond to a group, and others may see them as cool letters. Interactionism is not a permitted way of thinking example; if you go through hazing or you see you friend get bullied by a group of Greeks or someone affiliated with that group you may change how you feel about the letters they the group

represents.
Interactions is the most applicable to the issue, only because the letters mean a lot to most people regarding Greek lifestyle, most can identify the letters and know what they mean and what groups belong to which; what’s great about interactions is the perception can change on each organization by beliefs an expectations and each person(s) will be different.