Max Planck

Sociologists use theories to understand society and the observations they have made about it. There are three types of sociological theories: symbolic interactionism, functional analysis, and conflict theory. Each theory provides a unique point of view in which to interpret society (15). According to symbolic interactionists, society relies on symbols. Symbols are the things with which we attribute value or significance, and understanding these symbols is important to understanding our…

“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson, discusses a distinct class structure, which dictates the roles of the powerful and the powerless. The society appears to be egalitarian; however, it becomes abundantly clear that it is a capitalist society where oppression of the masses is evident. Those that accumulate the most wealth in the village, are those that become the most powerful; ultimately demonstrating the division of power and labour. The black box is crucial in the process of the lottery and is…

Question 1: In The Culture Industry: Enlightenment as mass deception, Adorno and Horkheimer are observing the culture industry. The culture industry is the entire system of production and circulation that establishes mass, mainstream, and popular culture. In this essay, the authors illustrate more precisely the relationship between culture industry and reality by explaining that “[r]eal life is becoming indistinguishable from the movies. The sound film, […], leaves no room for imagination or…

Short Answer Question #1 How is the conflict perspective used to analyze social issues? Who in society is most likely to adopt the conflict perspective? Provide an example from the course to illustrate your answer. The conflict theory suggests that an individual’s worth in society and within class groupings is determined by the relation that individual has to power. This theory focuses on the conflicts and differences between the classes, and the tension and conflict between the classes can…

Functionalism The functionalism, is one of the major theoretical perspectives in sociology. It has been rooted in the works of Emile Durkheim, and further developed by Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton. Emile Durkheim argued in his work The division of Labor in Society (1893), that the broad structures (values, norms, and belief systems) and institutions (economy, politics, education, religion, and family) of society work together to maintain the stability of society and keep it functioning…

Comparing and Contrasting Giddens and Bourdieu Anthony Giddens and Pierre Bourdieu both focused their social theories on proving the same phenomenon. The central focus of their studies was related to the relationship between structure and agency. Previous classical theorists stated that both structure and agency were two different concepts that existed in opposition to each other. However, Giddens and Bourdieu set out their theories to prove that both structure and agency are separate concepts…

There is prima facie surrounding Marx and Durkheim’s concepts of alienation and anomie regarding their similarities. Marx and Durkheim both look at comparable topics such as the effects of a sense of exclusion and cohesion often both arriving at similar conclusions such as the agreeing that the rise of modernity can have negative effects on society. However, their methods, expertise and interests are completely different as they collective evidence from different areas of society. The two…

The fourth chapter in Howell and Prevenier’s book From Reliable Sources discusses a multitude of different perspectives and approaches that exist in the historical field, regardless of whether or not these approaches contribute something positive to the field. While reading through this chapter, I did find a few of the approaches interesting for one reason or another, but I also realized just how many factors go into how a historian perceives a text or source. I never really understood how many…

) Identify the work. Who is the artist? The title? The date? Do you know the medium that was used? Artist: Nathan Oliveira Title: Stage #2 with Bed Date: 1967 Medium: Oil 2) If the artist is known, are we aware of anything about the artist's life or personality that may have affected his/her creation of the work? Nathan Joseph Mendonca Roderick, born in Oakland in Dec 1928, was the only child of Elvera Furtado and Joseph Roderick, natives of Portugal whose short-lived marriage was shattered…

This essay will explore the work of Max Weber regarding modern capitalism and how it emerged from the protestant ethic and how these ethics affect economic dynamism. “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism”, is a study of the connection between the ethics of ascetic Protestantism and the rise of the spirit of modern capitalism.” Weber was intrigued by how western world bureaucracy and phenomena differed to that of the rest of the world and how the unique ideologies and teachings…