Lesson 2.1: The Interpretive Dynamics of Society

Society as a concept

It represents an ideal type, which or more or less depicts the form, process, and dynamics of the social reality it embodies.

Society as a facticity

It is formally defined as constituting a fairly large number of people who are living in the same territory, are relatively independent of people outside their area, and participate in a common culture.

Omniscience (all-knowing), omnipotence (all-powerful), omnipresent (everywhere)

What are the tripartite powers of society?

Omniscience (All-knowing)

Its library creates, collects, stores, retrieves and manipulates human memories.

Omnipotence (All-powerful)

Its agents occupy and control all the influential positions in its domain.

Omnipresent (everywhere)

Its spies are present in the four corners of its territory.

Structural Functionalism, Conflict Theory, Symbolic Interactionism

What are the three classical theories of the origin of society?

Structural Functionalism

It looks at social “order” and argues that society is made possible by cooperation and interdependence.

Conflict Theory

It sees society as an arena. Social actors are gladiators fighting for their very lives. It sees conflict as something positive and advantageous.

Symbolic Interactionism

It explores the issues of meaning-making and why this is crucial in understanding order or conflict as processes that brought about society.

Rules

These are guides in the performance of roles and in everyday actions and interactions.

Culture

It is the complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society.