Sociological theories
INTRO: What is Marxism, theorists what is functionalism, theorists beliefs
INTRO:
Definition of functionalism what do functionalist believe this essay will discuss if functionalism is
appropriate for the analysis of the Caribbean
- The functionalist’s perspective believe in value consensus which is the belief that
members of a society must share the same beliefs and norms in order for a society to
function. This leads to an over-emphasized view within the Caribbean society, and
therefore ignore conflict. There is much evidence that the Caribbean region is shaped out
of conflict through such historical episodes as slavery, colonization and Indentureship,
thus meaning that conflict between races, and classes and so on, would continue to exist.
M.G. Smith, for example, has pointed out the conflicts between the colour-groups in
Caribbean society but it can be applied to an extent since the Caribbean because the
Caribbean region has a linked set of social structures and institutions that are inter-related.
Such institutions are the family, the school, the church, and the government which work
together within Caribbean society.
- Not everyone in Caribbean society would be considered puppet of society. Most groups
transcends from what is considered normal from what society would offer. Most groups
have ignored the cultural values and norms within Caribbean society. For example, the
Ras Tafari faith does not associate themselves with cultural patterns in society. However
In the Caribbean, people are unique because they are the products of the regions African,
Indian and European cultures. Caribbean people are deeply shaped into the cultural values
and norms within society
- There have been much social changes within the Caribbean society that has seen the
breakage of social order. Slave Rebellions, Garveyism, and Social and Political
movements in the 1930s and so on, have proven that real social order is not manifested in
the Caribbean but functionalism can be considered since Caribbean society is highly
shaped by European forces and as such the functionalist’s perspective that was originally
used to study European societies is appropriate. In the Commonwealth Caribbean, the
legal, religious and educational systems are model from our European counterpart, i.e.
Britain
- In conclusion, Functionalism is more appropriate for the study of large homogenous
societies rather than the small diverse societies that we have in the Caribbean.
What is Feminism, types of feminism
Women Ignored.
One general line of criticism of feminists is that women are absent from the social
analyses and social world of classical sociology. The language and analysis of
classical sociologists is that of men, male activities and experiences, and the parts
of society dominated by males. Marx, Weber, and Durkheim were typical of
nineteenth century European writers who assumed that the social world was
primarily that of male activities.
Definitions of Sociology and the Social World.
Each of Marx, Weber, and Durkheim developed a mode of analysis that defined the
social world. For Weber and Durkheim this was an explicit aspect of their analysis.
Marx differed somewhat in that he was primarily concerned with political economy
and political action and did not define sociology as a separate form of analysis.
Each of these writers did develop a definition of the social world, even if only
implicitly, and proceeded to analyze it. For feminists and contemporary
sociologists, a major problem is that the classical definitions of the social world
exclude large parts of human action and interaction. Many of the excluded portions
of the social world are those that were typically occupied by women and children,
with classical writers showing little interest in or analysis of institutions such as
the household, family, and community where women’s experiences have often been
centred
Inequalities.
Classical sociologists generally focussed on differences and inequality. Marx was
most explicit in this, but Durkheim and Weber also developed various ways of
examining difference and inequality. Issues such as the division of labour,
exploitation, and power, domination, and authority emphasize difference and
inequality. Yet male/female inequalities, or racial and ethnic inequalities, form little
part of classical sociology. Feminists have identified patriarchy as a social system of
inequality, but classical sociology had only limited analysis of this. Marx and
Engels did have a model of male/female inequality, but it derives from property and
economic considerations. Weber analyzed patriarchy, but male/female inequalities
were not his primary concern in such analysis.
Family Structures in the Caribbean
- What is the nuclear family?
- Why is it ideal? (Functionalist Perspective- Murdock came to the conclusion that this was the
most universal and ideal, outline the reasons why-
1 the nuclear family performs four essential functions to meet the needs of society and its
members: The stable satisfaction of the sex drive – which prevents the social disruption
caused by a ‘sexual free for all’;
2 the reproduction of the next generation and thus the continuation of society over time;
3 the socialisation of the young into society’s shared norms and values and
finally he argued the family provides for society’s economic needs by providing food and
shelter.
Parson ideal for 2 reasons- Conflict of values-the idea that work values do not disrupt
the family. Conflict is overcome by restricting the economic role to one person.
They encourage occupationally induced geographic mobility. This is assumed to be a
characteristic of industrial society. BUT THIS FALIS TO COSIDER THE VIABILITY FO
OTHER ALTS
- Consider the how the nuclear family has varied or altered in the Caribbean – common law
unions, visiting unions
- Other structures found in the Caribbean due to historical development in the region ie
Extended and Matrifocality
- Problems found in the Nuclear family – Marx perspective – economy infkuenced the
structure of the fam, controls what roles the members have, children are at a disadvantage,
breaks down easier, domestic vio- married women are oppressed and exploited, child abuse
- What is matrifocality
- This is more prevalent in Afro Family
- Factors that lead to matrifocality
Afro Retention- Melvin Herskovits, his study on how the Africans brought their cultures to
the Caribbean but modified some of them due to slavery and retained some on the
plantation ie polygamy where the woman had a closer relationship with kids, men were
marginal and he maintained that this pattern persisted in the Cbbean which is why women
are seen as leaders in the houshold
Changing roles of women- deciding to raise children on their own, wanting economic and
financial independence, educational opportunities
Socioeconomic conditions- poor people tend to crate different versions of the family when
they have no other option with their socioeco problems ie one parent usually the male will
travel to find work and send money to his family while the woman stays with the children
Oscar Lewis
Plantation slavery-
- Conclusion: It is mainly due to the historical experiences of the C’bbean people
Syncretic Religion
INTRO: WHAT IS AN AFRICAN DERIVED RELIGION? Example of derived religion: Rastafari, Shouter
Baptism,
Theory: Conflict Perspective (M. G. SMITH – plural society)
- Religion is the opium of the people, dulls the senses and allows the ruling class to
manipulate the working, creates a false class consciousness
- Derived from the plantation society- White Bias
- White Bias- M.G. Smith
- Slaves were taught Christian principles to keep them passive
- African religions came about because they REALIZED they were being taking advantage of
Functionalist Perspective (Kamau Brathwaite- creolization)
- Religion helps to maintain social order
- People started to merge/accept each other -unite
- All the religion including the African based religions are there to ensure the social order and
solidarity
- Many indigenous religions are accepted in the Caribbean
