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Key Points Slum village near the river in the Mandalay city in Myanmar (Burma) Definition & Example Dependency theory is an explanation of the continued lack of development throughout the third world compared with the developed capitalist societies of the West. Andre Gunder Frank posited that the underdeveloped state of the third world was a consequence of first-world policy. First-world countries had ‘enclaves’ in the third world, usually in capital cities, which they used to exploit resources that would be transferred to the capitalist countries of the West....

Sociologists study how and why certain behaviors are defined and reacted to as deviant, as well as how labeling of deviance impacts individuals and groups. Key Takeaways What is Deviant Behavior? Deviance is a behavior, trait, or belief that departs from a social norm and generates a negative reaction in a particular group. In other words, it is behavior that does not conform to the norms of a particular culture or society....

BourgeoisieProletariatClass positionOwns means of productionWorks for wagesMeans of productionOwns factories, land, infrastructureOperates means of production they don’t ownIncome sourceProfits, investments, rentsWages, salariesWealthAccumulates capitalNo capital, lives paycheck to paycheckPolitical powerDominant class with great influenceMinimal influence as individualsLifestyleComfortable, even extravagant livingBare subsistence level livingTypical jobsFactory owners, bankers, executivesFactory workers, clerks, service workersEducationQuality schools, often highly educatedLower quality public schools, less educationValuesUphold status quo, individual achievementSeek social change, collective interests According to Marx, the workers are those from a low social class, which he termed the proletariat, whereas those few in charge, the wealthy bosses, owners, and managers, are what he termed the bourgeoisie....

On This Page:ToggleTheoriesProsConsExamples On This Page:Toggle On This Page: The division of labor describes the splitting up of a complex productive task into a number of specialized, simpler tasks.For example, an assembly line in a car manufacturing company may have one dedicated area for attaching wheels to cars and another for affixing doors to them, with workers assigned to just one of these tasks.This specialization allows for greater efficiency and productivity (Littek, 2001)....

On This Page:ToggleDefinitionTheoryExamplesOrganic Solidarity vs MechanicalAdvantagesDisadvantages On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Key Takeaways Durkheim believed that as societies become more complex, the division of labor increases and people become more dependent on each other for survival. This interdependence gives rise to organic solidarity.Organic solidarity can be seen in any society where there is a high degree of specialization and people are dependent on each other for essential goods and services....

Not all the institutions of society perform apositive functionfor society; instead, for some people, they are dysfunctional. For example, domestic abuse makes the family dysfunctional for its members. Dysfunction occurs whensocial institutionsdo not positively contribute to the maintenance of society but cause disharmony and conflict rather than coherence and integration. Social dysfunctions are undesirable consequences that result when the structure of a social system is maladapted to the functions it is intended to perform....

On This Page:ToggleAssumptionsGoalsTypesStrengthsCriticisms On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Ecofeminism is a branch of feminist theory that considers the relationship between women and nature. Ecofeminist theorists posit thatsocietal patriarchal dominanceis associated with gender equality, social justice, and environmental issues. Ecofeminism grew from various social movements in the 1970s and early 1980s, including feminist, ecological, and peace movements. The term became popular in the context of numerous protests and activism against environmental destruction (Shiva & Mies, 2014)....

On This Page:ToggleIntroductionFunctionalismDivision of LaborAnomieApplications and Legacy On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Emile Durkheim, often called the “father of sociology” believed that society is composed of structures that function together, and that society has a structure of its own apart from the individuals within it. Introduction Emile Durkheim adopted an evolutionary approach to sociology. This means that he considered society to have developed from a traditional to modern society through the development and expansion of the division of labor....

On This Page:TogglePrinciplesExamplesPros and Cons On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Ethnomethodology theory is a sociological approach that seeks to understand the social order and rules that structure everyday life through analyzing the common sense methods people use to make sense of and function in their daily lives. Rather than studying what “should” happen, it examines how people construct social reality and the tacit procedures they follow to create and interpret meaning in social interactions....

Teaching, as a profession, has long been regarded as ‘female work.’ This is thought to have been the case since the introduction of elementary state education in the 19th century (Skelton, 2002). Elementary and primary schools are considered to be feminized because the teachers are primarily female, so the practice and delivery of the curriculum, teachers’ expectations, and management strategies favor girls. The predominance of female teachers, particularly in elementary schools, is recognized internationally....

On This Page:ToggleGoals of FeminismWavesTypes of FeminismStrengthsCriticismsReferences On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Feminists share a common goal in support of equality for men and women. Although all feminists strive for gender equality, there are various ways to approach this theory. Some of the general features of feminism include: An awareness that there are inequalities between men and women based on power and status. These inequalities can create conflict between men and women....

Folkways in sociology are informal norms or customs that guide everyday behavior within a society. They are socially accepted but don’t carry the strong moral significance ofmores.Folkway is a sociological term that refers to socially approved and traditional norms or standards of everyday behavior.William Graham Sumner coined the term in his 1096 book,Folkways: A Study of the Sociological Importance of Usages, Manners, Customs, Mores, and Morals.Folkways guide people’s behavior in the same way laws do, but they are not codified as laws are....

On This Page:ToggleAssumptionsExamplesEmile DurkheimTalcott ParsonsCriticisms On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Functional theories in sociology see society as a system of interconnected parts that work together to maintain stability and order. Each part (like family, education, or religion) serves a function to benefit society as a whole. Key Takeaways A graduation cap, judges gavel, and a pile of books on a table What is a Functionalist Theory in Sociology? Functionalism examines how thesocial institutionsthat make up society, such as the economy, education, family, religion, and media, all perform a useful purpose, and also influence members of society....

Functionalists view education as a system that fulfills crucial societal needs. It transmits cultural values and knowledge (socialization), prepares individuals for various roles (social integration), promotes order and stability (social control), and equips individuals with workforce skills (economic development). Key TakeawaysFunctionalism contends that all of the roles and institutions in a society are essential to its function. Although functionalist ideas have circulated since antiquity, Durkheim was the first to formalize a functionalist perspective on sociology....

On This Page:ToggleFunctionalist View of SocietyPre-Industrial FamilyNuclear Family (Murdock)Nuclear Family (Parsons)Functional Fit TheoryCriticisms On This Page:Toggle On This Page: Functionalists view the family as a vital institution that performs essential functions for society. These include socializing children, providing emotional support, contributing to economic stability, and offering a sense of belonging for its members. Key Takeaways Illustration of a mother and father leading their children to school The Functionalist View of Society Functionalism is what sociologists call a structural-consensus theory....