Contemporary Social Theory Essay -- essays research papers

Two major approaches to contemporary social theory ar the Marxian materialistapproach and the structural functionalist approach. The materialist approach was developed from the work of Karl Marx, who believed that the economic line of battle shapes baseball club. The functionalist approach was developed from the work of Comte and Durkheim, stating that is the combination of all of societys institutions that shapes society.An organic analogy is most often used to explain structural functionalism. The analogy represents society with the human clay and social structures and institutions are represent by the bodys organs. For a human being to survive, the body moldiness perform certain functions to solve problems and meet needs. For example, we must administer blood, remove waste, and biologically reproduce. Survival depends on the individual organs and how they perform together. Each organ does something to keep the system going. In order for society to survive and keep order, individual institutions must effectively perform together. The institutions must perform specific functions to meetproblems or satisfy needs. This is achieved by institutions much(prenominal) as the family, economic, educational, and religious orders. It is the make up of the interrelated institutions that form society, as the interrelated organs make up the human body.The materialist approach argues that world are unique because we can produce solutions for material wants and needs that materi...