Summary
Highlights
Sociology is the study of society and why it exists. Sociological perspectives offer explanations for society's existence. Four major perspectives in the CAPE sociology syllabus are: functionalism, conflict theory, interactionism, and feminism. The lesson will focus on functionalism.
Key functionalist theorists include Émile Durkheim (considered the father of sociology), Talcott Parsons, and Robert K. Merton. A sociological essay requires knowing the theorists.
Functionalists view society as analogous to the human body, with institutions acting as organs. These institutions (family, education, government, religion, economy) each have a function that contributes to the stability and existence of society.
Key terms in functionalism include social order (stability of society) and functional prerequisites (necessities for society's survival). An example of a functional prerequisite is a value consensus.
Value consensus means agreement on what is right and wrong within a society. Without it, society would collapse. Shared values are essential for social order.
Value consensus is achieved when families function and socialize individuals, teaching them right from wrong. Socialization is the process through which individuals learn the norms and values of society, and the family's major function is socializing its members.
Without a value consensus, there would be anomie, a term introduced by Durkheim that signifies societal chaos or the absence of social order. This is another key term.
Functionalism is criticized for being utopian, assuming all institutions are always functional and contribute to social order. Critics argue this is unrealistic, as institutions often fail to function perfectly. Not all families are functional, nor are all schools or healthcare systems.
Functionalism explains society by comparing it to the human body, where institutions function like organs to maintain stability. Key terms include functional prerequisites, value consensus, socialization, institutions and anomie. A major criticism is its utopian perspective.