Sociology is defined as the study of how humanity functions and how social problems are handled. The concepts or theories of sociology refer to the models set by the pioneer sociologists and which are used up to today in explaining certain things in society. As a student sociologist, I have learned about sociology and theories of the same. The theories of sociology have impacted significantly in my life both at home and in the workplace. The symbolic perspective of symbolic interaction enables me to use certain symbols in my day to day life to interact with various people, mainly at work and at home. These particular symbols tend to portray specific meanings and events and are better known by the people. Apart from that, the sociology theories help me understand certain life concepts and obligations. The functionalist perspective of sociology offers personal satisfaction on the need for unity and taxes to authorities. Through this particular theory, we get to understand the essence of committing ourselves to certain obligations, the principle of helping each other, and the roles that we can each play in society. It is important to note that the perspectives of sociology help bind us together in solidarity as people belonging to one community. Additionally, the theories of sociology have guided me through problem-solving both at home and my workplace — problems arising from disputes as well as psychological issues in my own life and those of other people.
There are quite several sociological concepts and theories we have learned. One such theory is the conflict perspective. According to Burrell & Morgan (2017), the conflict theory was borrowed on the opinions of Karl Marx on class struggles. This particular sociology perspective emphasizes the negative nature of the society, which is the nature of constant conflicts and the never-ending changes in society. The conflict perspective of sociology is somewhat different from the other theories; this theory tends to encourage a change of social factors. It is important to note that there are critics of the conflict theory of sociology who believe that the theory excessively spews negativity to society.
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Another theory is the functionalist perspective. This is a theory of sociology that encourages unity among people of a society and specifically joining hands to execute tasks. Specifically, the theory of functionalism suggests that society comprises of people and aspects that are dependent on each other (Green 2016). These include the government, the people, the law, and so on. For the effectiveness and success of a society, the people must support the government, and the two must respect each other through being respectful to the law. Subscribers of the theory of functionalism hold the belief that what holds a society together is the existence of cohesion and agreement among the people living in that society. This simply means that the people must all agree to specific ways of doing things such as laws and how to punish claw breakers, how to elect leaders and their specific powers. Once they all agree on these norms and ways of life, society will live in cohesion and unity.
It is important to note that what binds people of society together is a social consensus which can either be in the form of mechanical solidarity or organic solidarity. The former comes about when people belonging to society hold on the same values as well as beliefs. This kind of solidarity is common in the traditional setup. The latter, organic solidarity is the social consensus which occurs when people live interdependently. Such people may hold varied beliefs and values but do their things interdependently; they are deemed to live cohesively.
References
Burrell, G., & Morgan, G. (2017). Sociological paradigms and organizational analysis: Elements of the sociology of corporate life . Routledge.
Green, L. (2016). Understanding the life course: sociological and psychological perspectives . John Wiley & Sons.
