Week3.2--reading blog--LI LINLIN

 (1)Summary:

The article provides insight into how sociological theory can be used to explain the relationships between different social phenomena. First, using the example of Robert Putnam's research, the article shows how he found an inverse relationship between a decline in American civic engagement and an increase in television viewing. In his book Suicide, Emile Durkheim explains how he used theory to analyze the differences in suicide rates among religious believers and introduced the concepts of social connection and social cohesion to explain these differences. These two examples show that sociological theory is a key tool for understanding and delineating complex processes and patterns in social life.

Further, the paper discusses several important theoretical viewpoints in sociology, with special emphasis on structural functionalism. This theory was first proposed by Durkheim to explain how societies maintain stability and internal cohesion through different social institutions. Durkheim likened modern society to an organism, arguing that the interdependence of different parts together maintains the overall stability of society. This theoretical framework, which analyzes how social institutions interact to keep society functioning as a whole, became the dominant sociological view from World War II to the Vietnam War.

However, structural functionalism also faces criticism, especially for its limitations in explaining social change. For example, the transformation of the function of higher education in the 19th century is not fully explained by structural functionalism. In addition, the theory has been criticized as circular, ignoring the dynamic nature and necessity of social change.

Conflict theory provides a contrasting perspective. Conflict theory, founded by Karl Marx, holds that society is best understood as competition between different individuals and groups for limited resources. This theory emphasizes inequality in social structures and organizations, arguing that social change is often driven by conflicts and revolutionary changes triggered by competition for resources. Conflict theory is particularly suitable to explain social change, and makes up for the shortcomings of structural functionalism, which focuses on stability and ignores change.

Finally, while social conflict theory may overlook the stability of society, structural functionalism and social conflict theory complement each other and together provide a more comprehensive and integrated perspective on how society works. By combining these two theories, we can better understand the complexity and dynamics of society. This theoretical complementarity emphasizes the importance of sociology in exploring and explaining social phenomena from multiple dimensions and perspectives.

(2) Interesting points:

A description of conflict theory, particularly how it contrasts with structural functionalism, and emphasizes that social change is often driven by conflict and revolutionary change triggered by competition for resources. This perspective sheds light on the inequalities of power within social structures and how these inequalities affect social change.

(3) Question: In modern society, how does conflict theory help us to understand and respond to social inequality, especially in terms of economic and social class?