Introduction
Sociological explanations examine social events and their specialties from contrasting perspectives, analyzing different phenomena at distinct levels and through discrete lenses of understanding social patterns. Thus, the key paradigms, the basis of schools of study in sociology, are: structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism. Each paradigm views particular aspects of society differently, proposing unique approaches to common social constructs.
Structural Functionalism
As a major paradigm of sociology, structural functionalism regards mankind on a greater scale, comparing it to a human body – a group of self-sufficient parts that have to move together to achieve success. Functionalist theory emphasizes the interconnection among individual aspects of civilization and the need for constant cooperation to meet social needs. Theoreticians of this paradigm consider that social institutions are the key to completing specific functions, which are necessary for stability. According to the theory of structural functionalism, institutions, such as education, religion, different parts of government, and family, should function as a cohesive mechanism to regulate phenomena, known as dynamic equilibrium.
Functionalism
The next key paradigm opposes the ideas of functionalist theory. The conflict theory also views society at a macro level, but does not approach it as a whole. Based on Karl Marx’s ideology, the theory of this paradigm assumes that human civilization consists of separate beings who belong to different social classes and must compete for limited resources to survive.
According to conflict theory, social institutions’ function in the community is to create and expand inequity, maintain the power of the privileged, and control subjugated groups. In more recent times, this paradigm has developed due to the theme of gender and racial disparity – it is believed that social institutions further the social gap between groups within humanity. However, according to theoretical beliefs, conflict can help stabilize society by forging bonds between people of different classes who share similar goals.
Symbolic Interactionism
As for the third major paradigm, symbolic interactionism operates at the micro level, exploring relations between individuals. The main focus of this paradigm is personal symbolism, which affects social interactions in public. According to symbolic interactionism, people themselves create their positions in the community through contact and interaction in daily life. Sociologists developed a technique, referred to as dramaturgical analysis, which argues that humans are just actors who may improvise, given different roles or situations. This paradigm is disconnected from previous ones, as it examines civilization through the prism of the individual; it does not have a comparable view of the same phenomena.
The three major paradigms of sociology offer completely different perspectives on the same social construct. Functionalism and conflict theory approach social institutions in opposite ways. While the first assigns institutions the role of connective tissue in society, which allows it to function properly, the second states that social institutions are the root of disparity and inequity in civilization. The third side of this discussion – symbolic interactionism – does not claim that institutions play a higher role in the community. The main perspective of it is that they are created through shared means and interactions, forging the outline for the general way of work for civilization.
Conclusion
To summarize, all of the key sociological paradigms conclude that social institutions are integral parts of humanity, which accelerate the flow of people, regardless of positive or negative impact on mankind. Whether one of the points of view seems right or not, they all contribute to their respective paradigms, consolidating the basic principles of the studies. Those differences are crucial to the further development of sociology, as they create new discussions that fuel revelations.