The Main Ideas and Perspectives on Social Organization (Coursework Sample)

Perspectives on Social Organization
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Perspectives on Social Organization
The consensus approach assumes that members of society agree on what is right or wrong (Schmalleger, 2012). Structural functionalists feature society as made of institutions such as schools, families, churches, government agencies, and businesses. These institutions work together interdependently just like the human organ system. Emile Durkheim coined the term structure to refer to this relationship that binds social institutions together for the common good of the society.The majority of society members agree on shared norms (Schmalleger, 2012). Core values exist in a society. The law reflects and serves peoples’ will. Application of the law is, therefore, justified as it punishes people who represent a peculiar subgroup that violates the core values.
The pluralist approach reflects the notion of a multiplicity of viewpoints and values. It features the modern complexity of society that comprises of people and social groups having varified sets of beliefs, interests, and values (Schmalleger, 2012). However, the pluralist perspective assumes that majority of people agree on the usefulness of the law in society. Dispute resolution requires the application of the law with a view of peacekeeping rather than for depicting shared values. The foundation of this perspective bases on the fact that the society is complex structure with diverse groups. Social demographics including age, gender, sexual preference, race, and ethnicity result in divergent beliefs of what is right or wrong. There is a common belief that the legal system serves the interest of the general society. The pluralist approach is the most applicable in the modern society as it features a broad diversity of viewpoints and values.
The conflict perspective holds that conflict forms the basis of social life, and it cannot be completely eluded. According to Donnermeyer (2015), this approach holds that society comprises of diverse groups with distinct sets of beliefs based on gender, age, level of education, and sexual orientation among others. The fact that social groups hold different definitions of what is right or wrong presents a viable source of unending conflicts. These diverse...