STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY
STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY Chapter outline 1.1 Social anthropological tradition: Malinowski , Radcliffe-Brown 1.2 Empirical functionalism: Robert K. Merton 1.3 Analytical Functionalism: Talcott Parsons 14 Linguistic Tradition: Ferdinande de Saussure, Structuralism of Claude Levi-Strauss Introduction In this paper we will start with the understanding of modern sociological theories. As a theoretical perspective functionalism emphasizes on the positive contributions made by any given social arrangement (e.g., institutions, cultural values, norms, rites, and so forth) to the current operation and continued reproduction of society and its cultural pattern. Its classical root rested heavily on the theory of analogy between societies and biological organisms developed by Spencer. Functionalists also regularly couple the use of analogical reasoning with a claim to the objective analysis of society through the use of scientific methods and have linked their theorizing to one...