Dependence on technology in rich nations versus a lack of technology and education in poor nations. Elsewhere around the world, same-sex marriage is only legal in 31 of the planet’s 195 countries.Īt the core of conflict theory is the effect of economic production and materialism. Same-sex couples were denied the right to marry in the U.S. until 1920, making it hard for them to get laws passed that protected their rights in the home and in the workplace. Women were not allowed to vote in the U.S. A society’s cultural norms benefit some people but hurt others. This inclusion leads to the oppression of the powerless by the powerful. Inequities exist within a culture’s value system and become embedded in laws, policies, and procedures. According to defectors and North Korea experts, while famines and dire economic conditions are obvious, state media and educational agencies work to ensure that North Koreans do not understand how different their country is from others (Jacobs 2019). North Korean students learn of their benevolent leader without information about his mistreatment of large portions of the population. Historical omission is not restricted to the U.S. When an episode of HBO’s Watchmen showcased the event in stunning and horrific detail, many people expressed surprise that it had occurred and it hadn’t been taught or discussed (Ware 2019). A more recent example is the recognition of historical events like race riots and racially based massacres like the Tulsa Massacre, which was widely reported when it occurred in 1921 but was omitted from many national historical accounts of that period of time. History education omitted the assaults on Native American people and society that were part of the colonization of the land that became the United States. The historical experiences of certain groups- those based upon race, sex, or class, for instance, or those that portray a negative narrative about the dominant culture-are excluded from history books. For a conflict theorist, established educational methods are seen as reinforcing the dominant societal culture and issues of privilege. Having membership in a culture, a subculture, or a counterculture brings camaraderie and social cohesion and benefits the larger society by providing places for people who share similar ideas.Ĭonflict theorists, however, view social structure as inherently unequal, based on power differentials related to issues like class, gender, race, and age. His pedestal reads “Truth-Justice-The American Way.” How would a functionalist interpret this statue? What does it reveal about the values of American culture? (Credit: David Wilson/flickr)įunctionalists view the different categories of culture as serving many functions. In contrast, if education consisted of only providing guidelines and some study material without the other elements, that would demonstrate that the culture places a lower value on education.įigure 3.11 This statue of Superman stands in the center of Metropolis, Illinois. The culture of education-including material culture such as classrooms, textbooks, libraries, educational technology, dormitories and non-material culture such as specific teaching approaches-demonstrates how much emphasis is placed on the value of educating a society’s members. For example, education is highly valued in the U.S. Just as members of a society work together to fulfill a society’s needs, culture exists to meet its members’ social and personal needs.įunctionalists also study culture in terms of values. Cultural norms function to support the fluid operation of society, and cultural values guide people in making choices. Looking at life in this way, societies need culture to exist. They often use the human body as an analogy. But what do they mean? How do sociologists perceive and interpret culture based on these material and nonmaterial items? Let’s finish our analysis of culture by reviewing them in the context of three theoretical perspectives: functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.įunctionalists view society as a system in which all parts work-or function-together to create society as a whole. Music, fashion, technology, and values-all are products of culture.
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