Note
General theory of society Parsons is normally classified as belonging to the Functionalist School of Sociology. The idea of different sociological perspectives is developed at a later point in the Pathway, so I don't propose to develop it any further at the moment. However, it is sometimes useful, for organisational purposes at A-level, to group sociologists with similar basic viewpoints (Functionalist, Conflict Theorist, Interactionist and so forth). This practice has its advantages (by understanding the basic principles that sociologists grouped within a particular perspective share it's easier for students to make sense of the different writers they come across during a course of study), but it also has disadvantages. The main disadvantage here is the tendency to assume that different writers are saying "much the same sort of thing" just because we have labelled them as belonging to a distinctive sociological perspective. In addition, in order to "fit" different writers into a "sociological perspective" there is a tendency to over-simplify the basic principles such writers appear to share - along the lines of "All Functionalists believe...". If used sensibly - and with an awareness of similarities and difference - the concept of a sociological perspective is, as I've suggested, a useful organisational tool. It should, however, be used with care. |