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1. Rabbit

   September 25th, 2009 at 12:35 pm

   Terri

   Functionalism (what we used to call utilitarianism in other circles) is a social practice that continues because of some value to society. Something in the culture supports and encourages continuation because the society finds worth. (See Jules J. Wanderer, Interpretive Origins of Classical Sociology, NY: Edwin Mellon Press, 2005.)

   Setting a leash law or special speed zones for traffic near schools has a functional value. Laws on marriage to control and protect copulating couples was once, and sometimes still is, functional, but there is some conflict about that.

   Conflict theory involves the taking of sides in a dispute. Some value over-arching liberties more highly than restrictive conventions. You and your girl friend are more interested in the pleasure of copulation than legal rights and responsibilities over production of children. You may even decide that marriage is more centered on religious ideals, something you might want to rebel against. Either way, there is a disagreement with others in society and a choosing of sides. (See Gunther Schlee, Taking Sides and Constructing Identities, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, March 1, 2004.)

   Interactionism is related to the concept of pragmatism and contextualizes the network of value-making links and decisions for the things people do. (See Livy Visano, Generic and Generative Dimensions of Interactionism, International Journal of Comparative Sociology, November 1, 2000)

   Most articles on political or social current events will have elements of each. Make sure you first understand the examples of each, then read today’s newspaper. If you understand the concepts well enough, you will see parts of a well-written article’s description of the day’s dramas in light of this theory or that. You simply pick out the article or articles that tend to highlight one of the three the best, sorting them
   according to features here or there that best or better fit.

   Part of the problem, perhaps, is that this gives you permission to read into someone’s writings something that isn’t necessarily overtly there. Journalists don’t write according to sociological theories. What you are looking for is illustrations of sociological theories–how does the news story describe the interaction of people with different values, or the coordination of people who seemingly don’t share common ties, or the efforts to resolve disagreements? So make sure you have the concepts down, then simply read the news. You’ll get it.