SOC 233 Lecture Notes - Sick Role, Nuclear Family, Social Inequality
Document Summary
Society is a complex system whose parts work together. Asserts that our lives are guided by social structures. Note study social institutions in society; stability and maintenance. Social institutions are the building blocks of society. 3 main arguments: general interdependence of the system"s part, existence of a normal state of affairs, or state of equilibrium, the way that all the parts of the system reorganize to bring itself back together. 2 main concepts: social systems: society is seen as an organized structure or framework of inter-related parts (i. e. , institutions), social structure: the specific framework around which any society is based. Note as we move from different social structures, we change the way the social system works. Society is a complex organism, made up of inter-related and mutually dependent parts (structures) that work (function) together. Like an organism, if society is to function smoothly, its parts must work together in harmony. Dysfunction: when a part is not functional.
