Theory and methods – SCLY4 How useful is functionalism? Learning outcome – to have total mastery of functionalism at wizarding level 10+

Useful Uses a straightforward analogy – organic analogy (Parsons) to explain how society is set up The organic analogy is…

Not useful Functionalists are wrong to see society as a separate ‘thing’ over an above individuals with it’s own needs (this comes from an action perspective)

Useful Explains social order well through arguing that this is achieved through the existence of shared culture, norms, values, beliefs… (Parsons – Value Consensus) However not useful because…

Not useful Functionalist assume society is stable and orderly. As such, it can’t account for the diversity and instability in our post modern society.

Useful 3. Explains well how we learn shared norms and values – socialisation and social control. We can clearly see when people haven’t been effectively socialised…

Not useful Denis Wrong (1961) – action perspective Functionalists present an ‘over socialised’ and deterministic view of the individual Functionalists say that we are shaped to meet the systems needs by performing prescribed roles = no free will, we are just puppets whose strings are being pulled by the system

useful Recognises issues to do with rapid social change/how our society has changed Durkheim was concerned with how society had changed from being traditional (based on mechanical solidarity – characterised by little division of labour + strong collective conscience) to modern society which has a division of labour which undermines social solidarity. Rapid social change = anomie

useful Explains how we fit into the system of society and how society works Parson’s AGIL model (adaptation, goal attainment, integration, latency) says society has basic needs for it to run smoothly

Useful – Parsons explains the differences between traditional and modern society

Useful Craib 1992 notes that Parsons’ theory ‘has it’s faults, but at least it is a theory of society as a whole’

Useful Parsons (like Durkheim) was concerned with social change As societies develop the kinship systems lose functions to schools, churches, hospitals etc This is called his ‘loss of functions thesis’ Not a bad thing Family becomes specialised through structural differentiation

Not useful – teleological criticism How can we explain things in terms of there function being the cause E.g. the functionalists claim that the family exists to socialise kids – it explains the family in terms of its effect Logically things need to be explained in terms of the cause and how this relates to effect

Not useful Merton criticises Parsons Parsons assumes that the family, religion etc is functionally indispensable. Merton reckons there are ‘functional alternatives’ i.e. a single parent family could carry out primary socialisation just as effectively as a nuclear family Parsons assumes that all parts of society are tightly linked and that each is functional for the rest – this isn’t true in complex modern society – some parts may only be distantly linked Parsons assumes that everything in society performs a positive function – some things may be functional for some but dysfunctional for others

So basically Parsons makes lots of assumptions…

Useful Merton introduces the notion of manifest and latent functions – this seems to make sense and reveals hidden aspects which we might not be aware of.

useful Durkheim did research on suicide using the scientific method

Not useful Functionalism is criticised for being unscientific – i.e. how can something be functional and dysfunctional at the same time (deviance) – this can’t be disproved and therefore is unscientific

So – how useful do you think functionalism is as a theory of society???