Sociological Schools of Thought

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISMSTRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISMMARXISM (CONFLICT THEORY)

FEMINISM

PARADIGM

WHAT ARE SOME PARADIGMS THAT ORGANIZE AND DEFINE REALITY FOR THE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY?

Systems of thought

PARADIGM SHIFT

WHEN A NEW SET OF IDEALS, BELIEFS, VALUES BECOME STRONG ENOUGH TO AFFECT AND CHANGE THE WAY INDIVIDUALS SEE AND PERCEIVE REALITY• CONDITIONS OR CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE THE SYSTEM OF

THOUGHT

MOST PROFOUND CHANGE?• WHEN A SOCIAL INSTITUTION CHANGES BECAUSE IT HAS A

CENTRAL ROLE TO PLAY IN SOCIETY – FORCES THE SOCIETY TO ASSESS THE INSTITUTION’S COMMON GOALS, PURPOSES AND CHARACTER

SCHOOLS OF THOUGHTTHREE MAIN PARADIGMS

BEST DEFINITIONS – CONFLICT THEORY

• inequalities that plague societies. Groups that oppose interests. There is command class and obey class. The theorist is Karl Marx.

• argues that individuals and groups (social classes) within society have differing amounts of material and non-material resources (such as the wealthy vs. the poor) and that the more powerful groups use their power in order to exploit groups with less power.

• emphasize the social, political, or material inequality of a social group

“Haves” “Have Nots”CO

NFL

ICT