SOC100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Meritocracy, Hidden Curriculum, Transition Year
12 Oct 2016
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Approach used by herbert spencer and emilie durkheim. Examining different aspects (structures) of an organism to see the function they preform. Examining social norms and institutions to see the functions they preform. Functionalism can be a useful perspective but not everything in society functions smoothly. Robert merton: manifest functions, latent functions, and latent dysfunctions -> (prison is one of the best places to learn how to be a better criminal, essentially training people to commit more crimes) A functionalist might argue that some social problems (e. g social inequality) have a function so don"t change them (e. g go back to school and get a degree to earn more) Asks whose interests does conflict serve? and can conflict lead to social change? . Often focusses on economic (material) inequality or social class (in marxists terms) Social problems can (should) be addressed either through reforms or more complete social change. Emphasis on how culture and language reinforce and maintain power differences.
