Three Major Theoretical Perspectives

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Theory Assignment 1. Sociology utilizes three major theoretical perspectives; symbolic interactionism, functional analysis and conflict theory. Through these perspectives a variety of explanations about social life and human behavior are available (Henslin, 2012, pg 12). Symbolic interactionism is based upon symbols. These symbols allow us to attach meaning to certain things which aids in understanding the world and how to communicate within it. Without symbols, we would have no relationships, music, movies, hospitals, government, highways, bridges; we wouldn’t have normal things that we take for granted in day-to-day life, By studying face-to-face interactions, symbolic interactionists analyze how social life depends on the ways in which…show more content…
The functional analysis might say that war is a way in which to join society together, an act of patriotism. Everyone would feel inclined to work together, harmoniously, to defeat whomever the enemy may be and to win the war itself. However, the conflict theory would see the war as being a money pit. Billions and billions of dollars would be taken away from society and given to war efforts. A symbolic interactionist would see war as a symbol with various meanings. People may have different views on a war based on how the media publicizes it, or maybe even based on what someone in their family thinks of it. 2. The issue I chose to study was domestic violence. I chose this topic because it is a view among many that men only commit domestic violence. However, that is extremely untrue. According to a survey conducted by the CDC in 2010, 28.4% of men reported having experienced physical violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime (Black et al., 2010). Whereas, in that same study, 32.9% of women in the U.S reported experiencing physical violence by an intimate partner in their lives (Black et al., 2010).These numbers are shockingly close for this to be seen as a one-sided gender

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