Functionalism

Basic Concepts

Meritocratic, Value Consensus, Social solidarity,

Parsons

Social Class inequality is inevitable and necessary

Social system needs order and ranking:

Kinship(Family)

Achievement

Possessions

Personal Qualities

Authority

Durkheim

Social class inequalities creates social order

Society is characterised by a specialised division of labour which people have different functions, skills and abilities

Davis and Moore

Social class inequalities are functional for society

That the most important positions are filled with the most talented people. The most important jobs need the highest rewards.

Durkheim

Social class inequalities are a eflection of anomic conditions

Healthy society needs inequality

Due to social or economic upheave or change people can get confused, lose aspirations and not contribute to society - Anomie - results in poor living conditions and quality of life

Murdock

Gender inequalities are the result of biological differences

Mens are physically stronger than women which means they do strenuous tasks and are better suited to be breadwinners

Womens roles are located in the home for their biological function of bearing children, they are more emotional and nurturing so care for and look after kids

Parsons

Gender inequalities are the result of socialised roles which are necessary for society

Females are socailised into being expressive and Males are socialised into beinf instrumental roles

Ascribed at birth and contribute to a healthy, smooth running society. Implies that men are more suited to paid employment and women are more suited to domesticity. Women are less motivated and less suited to the labour market than men.

Parsons and Bales

Women’s expressive role is crucial primary socialisation and personality stabilisation

Rastogi

Gender inequalities in work are inevitable

Human capital theory - men and women serve different roles and purposes in society. The pay gap is justified because it reflects the fact that men have more ‘human capital’ than women because of their greater focus on the labour market.Women are less committed to paid work and are more likely to take career breaks or opt for part-time work to continue to care for a family.

Patterson

Ethnic inequalities are temporary and the result of minorities failing to assimilate

Windrush generation, came to UK for a better life

Suggests that culture clashes can occur due to different norms and values of ethnic minority groups They are seen as ‘alien’ to White British people therefore they are feared.

Parsons and Clark

Successful assimilation has resulted in excellent outcomes for minorities

Discrimination is not the reason for inequalities. Ethnic inequalities are temporary and are a result of cultural differences between immigrants and the host nation. They are temporary and will disappear over time as the immigrant groups adapt and adopt the host culture

Assimilation - When a minority group gives up it’s own culture and values and becomes absorbed into the host culture.

Roberts

Ethnic inequalities are the byproduct of cultural factors

The disparities between non-white minorrity groups in terms of outcomes and standards of living

Asians are more likely to be self-employed or small business business owners, due to strong entrepreneurial traditions within asian cultures

Afro-Caribbeans would fall into worse outcomes due to these historical factors - so ethnic inequalities are not due to fundamental issues with th society but rathercertain communities

Modood et al

It is normal for ethnic minorities to be at the bottom of the economic ladder

Vast majority of migrants across the world are attempting to leave a less economically developed country for one which is more, despite not necessarily having a high status job and lifestyle waiting for them

3/5 Bangladeshi women, and half of pakistani women living in Britain do not speak English

Parsons

Age inequality for the elderly has to occur to allow younger generations to take control of the family

Society is an agreement over social roles

Thereduced role attached to old age are necessary for social stability

Old people disengage (stop being parents/employees) from thier central role in the family to allow space for their children to raise their own family

Cumming and Henry

Age inequality for the elderly has occured to allow younger generations to take control of the family

Dependency ratio

Enourages the elderly to leave their jobs and give it to the youth so there can be minimal disruption

Dependency ratio

Number of people seen economically dependent compared to the number of people who are independent

Eisenstadt

Age inequality for the young has to occur to allow young people to cope with the challenges of adult life

Saw adolescence as a stage for developing independence and going from ascribed status and achieved status

Durkheim

Age inequalities are the result of anomie

Anomie - state of normlessness caused rapid societal upheave and change

People not knowing where they fit in within society, when someone lives in a constant state of disappointment as new expectations are placed upon them. Young and old people tend to remove themselves from social life due to them experienceing anomie and not knowing what their role is supposed to be in socety