Sociolgy Week 4 lecture (1)

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Functionalist Perspective on Global Inequality

• Society as a System: Society works like a biological system, with all parts contributing to stability.

• Inequality:

  • Benefits: Motivates hard work, promotes efficiency, drives progress.

  • Harms: Creates division, limits opportunities, weakens social cohesion.

  • Some inequality is necessary but must be balanced to avoid societal disruption.

Modernization Theory

• Core Idea: Societies develop through hierarchical stages toward becoming "modern."

• Focus: Economic growth and technological progress.

• Critiques:

  • Overlooks non-economic factors.

  • Assumes all nations must follow the Western development model.

  • Ignores global exploitation and power imbalances.

Contemporary Solutions to Global Inequality

1. Debt Relief:

   • Poor nations face crippling debt, often repaying $13 for every $1 in aid.

   • Debt cancellation allows funds to be redirected to social programs.

2. Development Assistance:

   • Wealthy nations provide aid to poorer countries.

   • Example: Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) tackle poverty, health, and education issues.

Conflict Perspective on Global Inequality

• Focus: Social processes that maintain hierarchy, domination, and oppression.

• Key Points:

  • Inequalities often reflect systems that empower certain groups over others.

  • Institutions, media, and policies uphold the interests of the ruling group.

  • Inequality is often rationalized to maintain power dynamics.

Feminist Contributions to Development Studies

1. Critique of Neoliberalism:

   • Ignores social equity and well-being.

   • Challenges the assumption that the economy operates independently of society.

2. Reconceptualizing Work:

   • Paid and unpaid work both contribute economic value.

   • Unequal division of labor limits women's opportunities.

3. Family Diversity:

   • Family structures include single-parent, female-headed, and LGBTQ+ households.

   • Economic hardship limits care responsibilities.

4. Care as a Social Right:

   • Advocates for public care responsibilities (state/community).

   • Inequalities in care perpetuate poverty and inequality.

5. Solidarity Economy:

   • Focuses on sustainability, redistribution, and equity.

   • Emphasizes systemic solidarity (state-level) over proximity solidarity (local-level).

6. Challenges to Feminist Alternatives:

   • Tensions between individual and collective rights.

   • Patriarchal structures persist across family, market, and state.

7. Political Participation:

   • Women face patriarchal limits despite representation.

   • Gender-based violence undermines equality.

8. Vision: Feminist approaches aim to transform economic systems for justice, equity, and sustainability.

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