Component one section A theories

Durkheim

Key ideas

• Functionalism is a Structural theory - This means that it looks at all of society rather than just the individual- this is also referred to as Top-down
• Functionalism is a Consensus theory - everyone is in agreement 
• Social order is essential 
• The roles of socialisation are to teach accepted behaviour  

Talcott Parsons

sees society as needing to function like a body - Organic analogy

Evaluation 

• Functionalists fail to explain conflict within society 
• they tend to think society treats everyone equally which isn't the case
  
• Can be Considered outdated 

Charles Murray (1984) 

coined the term The Underclass

• Lack of commitment
• self-discipline
• Blamed for crime 
• single mother

Evaluation

• Ignores social factors of why people are unemployed

• Marxists see society as based on conflict this conflict is due to the Capitalist society 
• The lower class (Proletariat) is being exploited by the ruling class (Bourgeoisie)
• Marxists predict a revolution to occur- it has yet to happen due to False Class Consciousness 

Evaluation

• Criticised for Economic determinism 
  
• Assumes that capitalism is a bad thing
• Didn't anticipate the emergence of the middle class

Feminists argue that gender is the source of inequalities in society 

• The UK is a Patriarchal society as men have more power than women 

History of feminism 

Wave one - 1800s Suffragettes  - Reformed social and legal inequalities - women vote

Wave two - 60s & 70s  - Social and political change - civil rights, gay rights 

Wave three - Mid 1990s - Individualistic identity and increase in digital information technology 

Wave four - 21st century - Some argue there is now the fourth wave of feminism defined by social media 

Are optimistic that equality will eventually happen

• Campaign for change
• Old fashion attitude breakdown

Oakley (1974)

Looked at gender role socialisation and argues that this is where gender inequality begins

Evaluation

• Mainly white, middle-class proffesional women, and do not understand the inequalities faced by other women in different classes and ethnicities 
• Are referred to as too optimistic and positive 

Argue that the patriarchy benefits both the Capitalist system as well as men 

Benston (1972)

Women are unpaid domestic labourers who service the male labour force making them fit and healthy for work

Feeley (1972)

They produce and rear the future workforce

They believe that true equality between sexes can only happen when the capital system is dismantled 

Evaluation

• They tend to base their views on the nuclear family
  
• Can be argued as placing too much emphasis on social class and not paying attention to other factors such as ethnicity 
  

Patriarchal oppression is built into society

• They use the term malestream to describe male-domination

"women could live in a society without men" (Political Lesbianism) - Atkinson 

Women are socialised to accept female subordination and to see motherhood as their main goal

Evaluation

• Radical feminist do not account for women who want to be housewives
• They base their views on the nuclear family
• Ignore changes
• overly negative view of men

After the modern era

• society is full of choice and diversity (Pick 'n' mix)
• No such thing as the truth (End of meta-narrative) 
• No shared norms and values ( No fixed ideology)
• blurring boundaries between groups
• consumer culture - a supermarket of style 
• Global village
• hyperreality - Jean Baudrillard - An illusion of reality in a fantasy world

evaluation

• social inequalities still exist 
• diversity and choice is limited 
  
• not based on facts