A. DEFINITION

1.Theory is a statement of the relationship between concepts to describe, explain and predict behavior. It is values neutral and always testable. It is not proven but accepted because it accounts for the observed human behavior.

B. PERSPECTIVES IN SOCIOLOGY

1. STRUCTURAL/FUNCTIONALIST (POSITIVIST)

Descriptive of groups. Systems approach. Asks How the group functions. Change is viewed as negative unless it helps the group to function better or is in response to an outside challenge. Tends to support the status quo. A functioning group is one that survives. Analogies tend to be biological, see the group as an integral organism.

EVOLUTION (DARWINIAN THEORY)

A theory that accounts for structural change through biological adaption to the environment. posits lineal change over time. The theory was developed to account for diversity.

2. CONFLICT

Focuses on the areas of conflict between groups in society. All societies have structures and patterns that favor one roup over another. Therefore all societies have internal conflict between groups - those who benefit from the system and those who maintain it. Change is seen as positive and something that should be encouraged to change and improve the relationships between groups.

a. MARXIST - ECONOMIC

important groups are owner and workers. Workers create value and therefor are the most important. control and production of goods and services is the most important aspect of society. In many cases ethnic differences determine who are the owners and who are the workers. Asks who benefits from society? Espouses change but see that this change must be revolutionary and violent because those in power will not willing give it up.

b. WEBERIAN - POLITICAL

Focuses on the use of power as authority or physical (military/police) control. Supports change but many ways of change.

3. SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST

A derivation from Weberian approaches to understanding society. Focuses on the creation of meaning and identification of groups particularly looks at the creation and maintance of group symbols, stereotyping and identity.

KITANO'S THEORY

An example of the way in which we use concepts to explain behavior is the way in which Prof. Harry Kitano of UCLA related the following concepts to explain the phenomenon of genocide:

PREJUDICE -- DISCRIMINATION -- SEGREGATION -- GENOCIDE

PRECONDITIONS

GENOCIDE is the phenomenon to be explained (the dependent variable). PREJUDICE, DISCRIMINATION and SEGREGATION are the concepts (independent or intervening variables) that explain the observed behavior of genocide. According to Kitano, the existence of prejudice is a pre-condition which allows for the development of discrimination, which allows for the development of segregation, which allows for the possibility of genocide. He does not say that prejudice causes discrimination or segregation but that their existence is a condition which allows for the development of the following state and that this process of development can lead to genocide. We can add the concept of bigotry (acts of hatred) between prejudice and segregation which might improve the theory's ability to describe, explain and predict genocide.

In this course we are looking at the application of this theory to the Holocaust to see if the theory accurately describes the events that led up to genocide in Germany, Austria, Poland in the period from 1933-1945.

Return to Soc 315 or Soc 315 schedule or Soc 316 or Soc 316 schedule