Sociology of Racial and Cultural Groups Essay -- Sociology and Race

Three sociological perspectives used in the study of minorities are structural functionalism, symbolic interactionalism and conflict theory. These perspectives offer theoretical paradigms for explaining how beau monde square offs people, taking into depict the social factors that impact on human behavior. However, different theories, ideas, and prejudices can influence a sociologists conclusions. Each of these theories has a contribution to make with a clear-cut focus. Functional theory was influenced by Emile Durkheim. Adherents of this theory emphasize, Various parts of society have functions or positive effects that promote solidarity and adjudge the perceptual constancy of the whole. (Parrillo 11) Thus a society is held together by social consensus, or cohesion whereby members of the society agree upon and work together to achieve what is crush for society as a whole. The social structure consists of status positions, roles and institutions (family, upbringing and religion), and members that share common values. It is a system of interrelated and independent parts, and each(prenominal) of these parts plays an important role in fulfilling certain functions for a legato operation of society. Functionalists think that all elements of society should function together to confirm order and stability, and under ideal conditions, a society would be in a state of balance with all parts interacting harmoniously.Problems come around when the social system is no longer functional offsetting societys balance. . The most customary cause for this disorganization is rapid social change, which causes conflicts. Because the focus is on social stability an important issue in this analysis of societal disorganization is whether to restore the ... ...to attain socioeconomic growth, educational and job opportunities, and also maintain ethnic solidarity. Alba and Nee indicate that we will have a emend understanding of ethnic and racial differences if we refine the assimilation theory to speech differences in settlement, language acquisition, and mobility patterns. REFERENCESJanzen, Rod. Melting Pot or Mosaic. Educational lead 799-11Ruane, Janet M. and Karen A. Cerulo. 1997. Education is the Great Equalizer. Pp156-162 in Seeing Conventional recognition through the Sociological Eye. California. Pine Forge Press. Parrillo, Vincent J. 2003. Strangers to These Shores. New York Allyn and Bacon.Dzgourides, George and Christeie S. Zgourides. 2012. Cliffs Quick reexamine Sociology New York. IDG Books Worldwide Inc. Samuelson, Robert J. 2014 Can America Assimilate. Time, April 9, pp42