Sociology 2271A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Talcott Parsons, Auguste Comte, Structural Functionalism
25 May 2013
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Document Summary
In 1950s and 1960s functionalism resigned as the dominant theoretical perspective in sociology, especially in north america: after 2nd world war, beginning of consumerism, nuclear families were dominant. Brady bunch lifestyle: structural functionalism came out of this time. If everyone does their part everything functions well. This is a period of social stability, conformity, and social consensus, where for a least the average nuclear middle-class family, the american dream seemed to have been fulfilled. Functionalist theory seemed the perfect theory to reflect that society. Can you think of why would they argue so: lots of gender inequality during this time. Women were restricted in the public sphere: racial segregation. Restricted from education, work and public places: america became powerful during this period. Lots of money was poured into the military: marxism was seen as a threat to the system (conflict theory communism)
