Introduction to Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology

Introduction to Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology Edward Cordero The first theoretical perspective in sociology is called Functional Analysis. Functional Analysis is the theory that society is made up of different parts that collaborate to promote unity and equality. Functional Analysis is sometimes referred to as functionalism and structural functionalism (Henslin, 2012, p. 24). Auguste Comte and Herbert Spencer, both outstanding sociologists, developed this theory because they believed society is similar as living organisms. By comparing society to living organisms and their organs, Comte and Spencer concluded that in order for a humans or animals to function properly, their organs must work together. In this case, in order for society to be prosperous, people must work as a team to make it happen. Emile Durkheim saw nothing different about Comte and Spencers judgement. He also stressed the idea that society is made up of many parts that works together to fulfill their functions (Henslin, 2012, p. 25). What differs Durkheim from Comte and Herber t is that he acknowledged society as being normal (Henslin, 2012, p. 25) if each part of society is working together as a team. If society does not collaborate, then it is deemed an abnormal or pathological state (Henslin, 2012, p. 25). Robert Merton developed a scale to measure the consequences of peoples action in a society. If a person does something that is purposeful to society, it is called a manifest function. If a person does something that is not planned to help society change, it is called a latent function. A negative consequence that causes damage to society is called a dysfunction. When functionalists conduct their research, it is important that they target large groups such as: industries, organizations, or structures because Functional Analysis is a macro analysis. Macro-level analysis is supposedly designed to target large scale patterns in society (Henslin, 2012, p. 28). Situations that attract functionalists attention can include how the parts of society fit togeth er to make the whole and what each part does, and how it contributes to society (Henslin, 2012, p. 25). Functional Analysis is important because this is the area that helps sociologists examine and explain social phenomena that can have a positive or negative impact. The second theoretical perspective of sociology is the Conflict Theory. The Conflict Theory is the idea that society is made of different groups that compete each other for scarce resources. The Industrial Revolution that transformed Europe has prompted sociologist Karl Marx to develop this perspective on social life. Marx believes that in a society, a higher class group exists and controls the lower class. According to sociologist Lewis Coser, he believes conflict is most likely to develop among people who are in close relationships (Henslin, 2012, p. 27). Therefore, if a negative change occurs in the arrangement on how power or privilege is distributed in their society, it could lead to conflicts. Conflict theorists also focuses on large groups when conducting research because Conflict Theory is a macro analysis. They target structures, groups, countries, and even cultures. The strength of the Conflict Theory is that it allows conflict theorists to examine the change of a circumsta nce and understand the conflict that comes along. This allows better understanding on why events, such as protests, occur in society today. When conflict theorists conduct research, they look at how opposing interest run through every layer of society (Henslin, 2012, p. 27) or what causes inequality in a society. What also gains their attention is when they try to understand how the upper class controls their power on the lower class. The third theoretical perspective in sociology is called Symbolic Interactionism. Symbolic Interactionism is the theory that society uses symbols that have meaning to communicate with one another and to understand the world around them. Sociologists, George Herbert Mead and Charles Cooley, teamed up to design this theory to better understand our social life. Symbolic Interactionism is considered to be a micro analysis. Micro analysis involves a small group when examining how an individual uses symbols to communicate and interact in society. The Conflict Theory is important because it helps conflict interactionists analyze how social life depends on the ways we define ourselves and others (Henslin, 2012, p. 23). Since Symbolic Interactionism focuses on an individual and their interaction with others, this could help lead them to understand social order and change in a society. What attracts conflict interactionalists is when they examine how people make sense out of life and their pla ce in it (Henslin, 2012, p. 23). They look at how each society dresses differently or how each social order is different. Most importantly, they might find it interesting on how symbols, despite having different meaning in every society, creates social life. I will be applying the theoretical perspectives of sociology to the Dakota Pipeline Protest, an event that has been affecting a society in the U.S. When applying Functional Analysis to the Dakota Pipeline Protest, researchers would first want to know what the manifest function of the Dakota pipeline is. The manifest function of the Dakota pipeline project is to build a 1,200-mile-long pipeline, from North Dakota to Illinois, that will transport about 470,000 barrels of crude oil each day. This is considered the safest way to transport crude oil in regards to environmental concerns. The Researchers might also be interested in the dysfunctions of the pipeline. The dysfunction of the project is that the pipeline is projected to go under Lake Oahe. Any rupture from the pipeline could cause a huge environmental effect. Researchers would also be curious about the organizers. They might consider questioning their reason for introducing the project, as well as the benefit of the pipeline. Th e organizer of the Dakota pipeline, Energy Transfer Partner LP, is the company that wants to engage in this business of transporting oil. They got the approval to push forward with the project because it is the safest and the most environmental-friendly way to transport oil. Finally, researchers might also want to examine what the possible latent functions of this project will be. A possible latent function of the project is that it can lower fuel prices in the U.S. and cause a boost in the economy. This can also lead to low cost on electricity bills or air fares. When applying Conflict Theory to the Dakota Pipeline Protest, researchers might want to first examine who is the high and low class. The high class in this event would be the Government officials as well as the organizers of the project. The low class would be considered the group that disapproves the construction of the Dakota pipeline. In this case, the low class would be the Native American tribes from all over the United States. Researchers would also examine what is the cause to the inequality that is taking place. According to the Native Americans, they have been living in the area where the pipeline is projected to go across. The Government does not consider the fact that this is a sacred area for them and that Lake Oahe is life for them. Lake Oahe provides them their daily water supply and they strongly believe water is life. Researchers would also be curious about what else the Native Americans are trying to protect and why do they still have the interest to keep protesting, despite the physical abuse from the Government. Besides the water, the Native Americans have ancestors who were buried around the area. It is disturbing for them to witness a construction going on in the area that is valuable since their ancestors. Finally, conflict theorists would want to know exactly if this pipeline is absolutely necessary for society and whether excessive force should be used against the protestors. Excessive force has been used on the Native Americans. Government authorities are authorized to use police dogs, pepper spray, and tear gas. These people are simply protecting their land and they have every rights to voice their concerns. They have the right to protest. Symbolic interactionists would be interested in studying the symbols that are being used by the Native Americans in the Dakota Pipeline Protest. Researchers might probably want to first verify if it is just Native Americans that are involved in the protest. They must interview individuals and question their race. They must try to examine how the project is affecting individuals society and to determine if it is only Native American who are voicing their opinions. Researchers would definitely interview individuals to find out how meaningful the land is to them. It is important for the researcher to understand what the land symbolizes because that is the foundation of the protest. They might also examine if the symbolism of the land differs to each individual involved. Symbolic interactionists might also study the clothing of the Native Americans, as well as the songs they sing traditionally on the construction site. Based on the media, some Native Americans wore traditional clothing t o represent their ancestors and to show that they will continue to fight for them. The traditional songs are sung near the construction site to promote unity. The weapons that the Native Americans use to counter the excessive force from the Government might also attract researchers. Instead of using guns or modern day weapons, the Native Americans are seen using sling shots, horses, or even their flags as weapons. The researchers might want to interview individuals face to face and question them on their choice of weapon. Based on videos from media, it shows that these Native Americans are taking pride into their culture. Work Cited: Henslin, J. M. (2012). Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. NJ: Pearson.

Qualities of my grandfather Essay

Introduction: My grandfather, Osman Dedic, was born on November 26, 1929 in a small village in Bosnia called Gorne Dubrave. During this time, Bonsia was an undeveloped nation affiliated with Yugoslavia. The village my grandfather lived in was an immense distance away from several major cities and airports. The town did not have a sewage system, and the cement streets were unfinished. Most houses in the village did not have electricity and phone lines. The village also lacked streetlights and a water supply system. Moreover, the villagers were forced to obtain water from a nearby river and pump out the water from an aquifer using a well. The town contained few stores, transportation facilities, and educational institutions. Most stores would sell need-based goods such as clothes, food, and labor equipment. In the village, government control and influence affected many town people. The government controls the production of crops and the amount of farmland given to the villagers. Unfortunately, the villagers would sell most of their crops for a low price to the government. Villagers did not even have passports and wouldn’t receive the documents because the government wouldn’t allow people to emigrate. Without a passport, one could not get a visa for another country and without visa; one could not find a job. This governmental system forced many people to settle in the same village their entire life. Nevertheless, my grandfather had different opinions. â€Å"I always had my own thoughts and rules on how life should be. For this reason, I encountered many difficulties in my life.† As a young child, my grandfather loved to pursue law and justice. He did not follow the role of an influential leader, but rather treated everyone with respect and equality. When my grandfather was eight years old, he would play with his friends in the playground. One day, however, a child from the neighboring area decided to come over to the playground and take advantage of the other children. My grandfather immediately seized action and resolved the problem by telling the foreign child to play fair and respect everyone. Several years later, my grandfathers choose to serve and protect. In his eighteenth year, my grandfather decided to join the military army. As a military soldier, he had the duty of war . One day at military camp, he was ordered to dig holes by seniority soldiers. He refused the job and wouldn’t allow his pride fade away his few of the seniority soldiers told him to before him wanted to take over the youngest once, as they called them, by making them obey. They had very high expectations, that where not possible to accomplish. They asked my father to dig out a hole that would be two by two meters and two more meters deep. He had to be done by the end of the night. He started digging till he became very tired and could not even move. They warned him once to start digging again but he refused. One of them came closer and punched him right in face. My father got very angry. He raised the digger and broke it on his shoulder. He kept on hitting him until all the rest of the group gathered up and put my father in circle. They started hitting him all together. My father, full of blood running from almost every part of his body, barely broke the chain of their bodies and run into the forest where they lost his site. In the general of the army, while calling the names of the soldiers, noticed that Ruben Aslanian was missing. At that time my father was at a corner spying on them. The general asked where he is. Someone from the two-year-served group stretched the truth and when explaining what had happened. The general said that everyone of the two-year-served group would go to prison if they will not find Ruben Aslanian by the end of this day. When my father decided to appear they were all in panic. The general asked where he was. My father, realizing that the future of all those soldiers was in his hands, said that he fall through a crag and lost his consciousness. After that situation he never had a problem in the army again, for the rest of his serving period. When my father came out of the army, he went to the military school. He was working as a police man while studying to become an interrogator. He was always very just, no matter what the status of the prisoner was. Once he found the nephew of a Georgian minister, with two Moldavians, guilty about a drug deal. He wrote a conviction for all three of them, while they warned him to leave the nephew of the minister out of the deal. After that they let the nephew leave illegally and were searching for a way to put my father in the prison. My father understood that they had launch a was against him and  it was time for him to resign. One year latter, the real war began. During 1995, after the disintegrate of the Soviet Union, Abkhazians asked for their independence for the Georgians. Georgians did not like agree and they tried conquer Abkhazians. All the prisoners were freed and walking on streets armed. They purpose of that was to have a bigger army but criminals never change. Their goal was to revenge the people that put them in the prison and ruined their lives. Unfortunately, one of those people was my own father. Like a picture in my mind, I still remember the criminal with a mask holding a gun against my father’s head. I remember my father begging them to not do anything in front of his children and my mother trying to pull us away so we would not be witnesses of the murder of out own father. Fortunately, they did not kill my father. I do not now the reason. I still think that it was the God’s will, because otherwise I just can not explain it. The next day, I found myself in a plain flying out of my motherland to be safe. â€Å"I always remember my house, my garden, my neighbors, and every single city of Abkhazia, where I spent a long time of my life. I want to admit that I live much wealthier life now in America, than back in Abkhazia. The point of our life is not about been rich; the point if this life is, in my opinion, is to wake up in the morning and be able to see beloved relatives and friends. This is not only my misfortune; this is the disaster of every human been that, in his or her middle ages, looses his or her surroundings of a life time.†

Nazi Control Over Germany

Identify Nazi opposition: 1.) Communists 2.)Social Democrats 3.)Anti Nazi teachers and University Professors 4.)Roman Catholic Church 5.)Protestant Churches 6.)Jews and other persecuted minorities (once purges started). 7.)Lander (State parliaments) 8.) trade unions How Nazis dealt with opponents? To ensure political dominance, Nazis wanted to make Germany into a one-party state. To wipe out communists, Hitler used Reichstag fire as an excuse of a â€Å"communist uprising† to disable much of the communist activities. It is to be noted that anti-communism was a major part of Hitler's ideals. Social democrats were disabled as well. Lander were allowed to exist but lost all power. Anti Nazi teachers and university professors posed the threat of spreading an anti-Nazi message. The Nazis even wanted subjects to be taught according to their principles. These people were kept in check by fear of Gestapo. Roman Catholic church was a political threat and the church also had influence over people. In 1933, Hitler signed a concordat with Pope and said Nazis will not interfere with church affairs if church stayed out of politics. However Nazis broke concordat when it dissolved catholic youth league as it was a rival to Hitler youth. Catholic schools closed down after protestations. By 1937, church conflicting with Nazis and pope Pius XI issued Encyclical saying that Nazis were â€Å"hostile to Christ and his church†. Hitler angered and 1000's of priests +nuns sent to conc. camps. Protestant churches were attempted to merge into Reich church. Failed and after protests, people sent to conc. Camps. Jews sent to conc. Camps and murdered. Trade unions banned and replaced with German labour front which reduced pay and took away right to strike How did Nazis use culture and mass media to control people? After Nazis gained power, all forms of media were controlled by Joseph Goebbels. This made sure that no anti-Nazi ideas were publicized. Jewish works were banned as part of the anti-Semitism policies. By these methods, the way the German people thought could be adjusted to the Nazis' will. Culture was used in the way of making Aryan people feel that they were a superior race. Cultural Activities of racial minorities were mostly banned so that they would have no effect on Aryan ideals. Why Nazis persecuted many groups? The Nazis had an ideology of â€Å"racial purification†, whereby only the Aryans were to be in Germany. Therefore Jews and other small races were sent to conc. Camps. Jews were also persecuted because they owned many shops and businesses (once they were removed, these jobs given to Aryans). Mentally and physically disabled people were also persecuted because the Aryan race was supposed to be â€Å"perfect†. Homosexuals were persecuted as well. Was Nazi Germany a totalitarian state? A totalitarian state is a system of govt. where there can be only one party and the people are totally devoted to the state. Nazi Germany was definitely one of these because: 1. One party state: only the national socialists allowed existing. Power taken away from Lander. 2. Civil service purged of â€Å"enemies of the state† until it was fully reliable. 3. Trade unions banned 4. Education system controlled and Nazi ideals fed into children by Hitler youth. 5. Communication and media controlled. 6. Economic control by which unemployment was reduced and Germany brought close to self sufficiency. 7. Religious control 8. People monitored by Gestapo so that if a person was anti-Nazi, he would be taken away. 9. Anti Semitism and other forms of unjustified racial discrimination.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Essays - 2681 Words

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen In this coursework I will be writing about the different marriage proposal that Elizabeth is offered by two completely different people. From the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The three main people I will be looking at are Mr Collins, Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth gets a proposal from both Mr Collins and Mr Darcy but the response she will be giving is not quite either men were expecting. I will also have further explanations on how Jane Austen’s use of language is in the proposals. Mr Collins first set eyes on Jane the daughter of Mr and Mrs Bennet to be his lawful wedded wife, but he soon finds out that she is going to be engaged to Mr Bingley. Mr. Collins†¦show more content†¦You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness; but allow me to assure you that I have your respected mothers permission for this address. You can hardly doubt the purport of my discourse, however your natural delicacy may lead you to dissemble; my attentions have been too marked to be mistaken. Almost as soon as I entered the house I singled you out as the companion of my future life. From this quote you can already see that Mr. Collins is a liar because he was initially planning to marry Jane but that didn’t work so well. ``My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish. Secondly, that I am convinced it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly -- which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honors of calling patroness. Lizzy now knows it was her mothers doing which persuaded Mr. Collins in to marrying her. You can also see that Mr. Collins is only thinking about himself and his own happiness. Elizabeth is now very annoyed of his arrogance, she is agitated and wants to escape as she was vexed and embarrassed. Collins opening statement is simply flattery, but the way he just runs it out shows us that heShow MoreRelatedPride And Prejudice By Jane Austen Essay1724 Words   |  7 PagesThe 18th century novel, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a fascinating book about a young woman’s struggle with family and love. Pride and Prejudice was originally published in 1813, but, the most common version of the story, and the one used for this research, is from the version published in 1892, still by only Jane Austen, though many other authors have contributed to this book over time. Austen often references the class system at the time, often noting one of the multiple heroine’s struggleRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1467 Words   |  6 Pages Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a classic novel that has remained relevant even years after its release. 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