![]() ![]() While functionalist theory was the dominant theory used to describe gender roles and gender inequality in the early to mid-1900s, the theory falls short in explaining why or how gender roles and inequality are maintained. Thus gender, like other social institutions, contributes to the stability of society as a whole. ![]() Women reproduce society: by giving birth, socializing kids to accept traditional gender roles, and by providing others with affection and physical sustenance.Ī Structural Functionalist view of gender inequality applies the division of labor to view predefined gender roles as complementary: women take care of the home while men provide for the family. Functionalist also argue women’s work is functional. ![]() Then, if women are already at home taking care of children, they will assume other domestic duties. Given that women bear and nurse children, it makes sense for them to remain at home to rear them. Gans concluded that poverty-even though it is perceived as problematic-remains in tact because it contributes to the stability of the overall system.įunctionalists maintain that for much of human history women’s reproductive role has dictated that their gender role be a domestic one. The poor buy goods others do not want, thereby prolonging their economic usefulness.Affluent people hire poor people for many time-consuming activities such as house cleaning, child care, and yard work and pay them lower wages to give them more time for more “important” things.Occupations (such as social workers or police officers) exist to serve the needs or to monitor the behavior of poor people.He concluded poverty had at least fifteen functions. He asked, “Why does poverty exist?” in other words, he was attempting to explain the functions of poverty. Herbert Gans argued this point in a functionalist analysis of poverty. This is not a comprehensive list, of course, but it should serve as an example of the function crime is serving to create or maintain jobs.Īrguing that all parts (even the undesirable parts) contribute in some way the overall stability of the larger system has become the most controversial part of functionalist theory. Police officers, detectives, social workers, judges, lawyers, insurance companies, self-defense companies, support groups, prison guards and staff, therapists, and burglar alarm manufacturers have jobs because we have crime. To be clear, the functionalist approach does not condone functions or inequalities rather the perspective identifies functions of such? For example, crime is considered to be a social problem, right? What are some functions of crime in contemporary society? Well, crime creates jobs. The economy, religious involvement, friendship, schools, health care, peace, war, justice and injustice, population growth or decline, community, sexuality, marriage, and divorce are just a few of the evidences of functional processes in our society. Society can be studied the same way that the human body can be studied: analyzing what specific systems are working or not working, diagnosing problems, and devising solutions to restore balance. The Functionalist Theory perspective claims that society is in a state of balance and kept that way through the function of society’s component parts. According to functionalists, society is a system of interrelated, interdependent parts. How might Conflict Theory help us describe or explain sex inequality? The traditional gendered division of labor and the social inequality it produces contributes to unnecessary social conflict and can be seen in wage disparity, the metaphorical “glass ceiling,” and the bread-winner still being traditionally thought of as being male.įunctionalists focus on questions related to order and stability in society. In the context of gender, some conflict theorists argue that gender is best understood as men (as a large group) attempting to maintain (masculine) power and privilege to the detriment of women (femininity). Conflict Theory assumes that those who “have”, perpetually try to increase their wealth at the expense and suffering of those who “have-not.” It is a power struggle that is most often won by the wealthy elite. Conflict Theory seeks to explain who might be benefitting and who might be exploited in a given social situation. ![]() According to Conflict Theory, social actors are in a state of perpetual conflict competing for these valuable resources. society include things like jobs, housing, safety, education, and health care. Conflict Theory describes society as being defined by a struggle for dominance among social groups competing for scarce or valuable resources. Marx was a witness to oppression perpetrated by society’s elite members against the masses of poor during the industrial revolution. \)Ĭonflict theory is a macro-level theory founded by Karl Marx. ![]()
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