Functionalism is a sociological perspective that focuses on the ways in which a complex pattern of social structures and arrangements contributes to social order. It was designed to carry out the essential functions of human life. A flaw in functionalist perspective is that we have rarely seen anything approaching equilibrium in human society. Ultimately, change is seen as a dysfunction within this school of thought.
Two prominent theorists within the functionalist school of thought were Emile Durkheim and Talcott Parsons. Emile Durkheim was the founder of sociology in France. His best known books are “The Division of Labor in Society”, “Rules of the Sociological Method”, and “Suicide”. Durkheim was the first University professor with a chair in the Social Sciences department and also established the first scientific journal in sociology called “L’année Sociologique”.
Durkheim developed a model of society evolving from the simple to the complex solidarity. According to Durkheim, simple societies do not have division of labor. Also, there is no variation in individuality hence these societies are more unstable and prove to be influence by change. Complex societies, by contrast lead to specialization of labor, individuality and interdependence.
In a feature article from Durkheim entitled “The Dualism of Human Nature and it Social Conditions” Durkheim describes two kinds of tendencies within each individual. These tendencies are sensation and sensory tendencies and conceptual thought and moral activity. Durkheim explains sensation and sensory tendencies and conceptual thought and moral activity as two poles that most often oppose each other. Sensation and sensory tendencies are described as” they are concerned with our indivi...
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Durkheim was concerned with what maintained the cohesion of social structures. He was a functionalist, he believed each aspect of society contributes to society 's stability and functioning as a whole. He theorised that society stayed united for two reasons “mechanical solidarity” and “organic solidarity.” Premodern societies were held together by mechanical solidarity, a type of social order maintained through a minimal division of labour and a common collective consciousness. Such societies permitted a low degree of individual autonomy, Social life was fixed and there was no sense of self. They had retributive legal systems so no individual action or deviance from the common conscience was tolerated. In industrialised modern societies Durkheim says Mechanical solidarity is replaced with organic solidarity. In organic solidarity capitalist societies their is a high division of labour which requires the specialisation of jobs people do, this allows for individual autonomy
Kendall, Diana. 2012. Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials, Edited by M. Kerr. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Durkheim was concerned with studying and observing the ways in which society functioned. His work began with the idea of the collective conscious, which are the general emotions and opinions that are shared by a society and which shape likeminded ideas as to how the society will operate (Desfor Edles and Appelrouth 2010:100-01). Durkheim thus suggested that the collective ideas shared by a community are what keeps injustices from continuing or what allows them to remain.
The world is a very complex system with over a 100 diverse cultures and norms. Religion, wealth, poverty, and political diversity pull us apart. Since the beginning of time humans were never similar for a purpose. What if we try? Try to find our differences more alike in ways we never thought of. What will happen when these views and perspectives coincides with one another?
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Talcott Parsons have some of the same views of sociology as Durkheim, he believed that social life is categorized by social cooperation. Parsons also believed that commitment to common values maintains or...
[10] Kendall, Diana, et al. Sociology in Our Times. ITP Nelson and Co. Toronto, 1997. 126.
A social system as a concept in sociological theory is one of great importance and indeed necessary. As a theoretical concept and component of theoretical explanation, it highlights the intricate nature of the society we live in. (Craib 1992) Talcott Parsons, a dominant functionalist theorist, focused much of his work on the concept of a social system. (Water 1994) Such a concept is indeed synonymous with his work. Whilst there is no universal sociological definition of the concept, Parsons defined a social system as:
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