Section: Module 3: Lesson 2: Theoretical Perspectives on Society | Intro to Sociology | NextGenU.org
-
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to:- Describe Durkheim’s functionalist view of society.
-
Summarize the conflict theorist's view of society.
- Explain Marx’s concepts of class and alienation.
- Identify how symbolic interactionists understand society.
- Interpret the sociological concept of reality as a social construct.
- Define roles and describe their places in people’s daily interactions.
- Explain how individuals present themselves and perceive themselves in a social context.
-
Students mustMark as done
Required Learning Resources and Activities
-
Students mustView
Read the sections "Émile Durkheim and Functionalism" and "Karl Marx and Conflict Theory." (14 minutes)
2021
-
Students mustView
Read the contents under the headings "Karl Marx and Conflict Theory" and "Max Weber and Symbolic Interactionism". (13 minutes)
2023
-
-
Students mustMark as done
Activities
-
Students mustViewStart discussions: 1
In this activity, you will reflect on theoretical perspectives of society. Discuss how these views and concepts relate to the concept of reality and social construct.
Instructions:
Step 1: Review
Review the required learning materials for this lesson.
Step 2: Respond
Prepare a 250-300 word piece discussing the various theoretical perspectives of society. Your response should address the following points:
- Explain social constructionism and how it shapes our understanding of reality.
- Describe how symbolic interactionist and social constructionist perspectives differ in their understanding of how society is constructed.
- Explain how different cultural, social, or historical contexts shape our perceptions of reality and provide real-world examples that illustrate the ideas presented about reality.
Step 3: Share
To share your work, click the “Add a new discussion topic” button under this post and paste your work in the “Message” box. Make sure to reference others’ intellectual property when necessary. All references should follow 7th Edition APA formatting. For further instructions, see the resource on the Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library: APA citation resource (N.B. references are excluded from word counts).
Step 4: Interact
Evaluate and categorize the work of one of your peers based on items A - E of this rubric. Provide a rationale for the grade you have given and comments or suggestions for improvement. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback, and click “Post to forum.” You can use the list below as an example:Item A is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
Item B is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
Item C is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
Item D is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….
Item E is .…. because…. My suggestions for improvement are….OPTIONAL Step 5: Interact (10 minutes)
If you would like to, you can reply to your peers' posts in a respectful and professional manner. Ensure that your post engages your peers' ideas by including a reflection on their comments, sharing ideas of other potential difficulties and parties involved, or asking thought-provoking questions. If a peer comments on your posting, please reply. To post a reply, click “Reply” on a particular discussion, write your feedback and then click on “Post to forum.”