Contemporary Social Theory Essay -- essays research papers

2 major approaches to contemporary social theory are the Marxian materialistapproach and the structural functionalist approach. The materialist approach was create from the work of Karl Marx, who believed that the economic order shapes confederation. The functionalist approach was developed from the work of Comte and Durkheim, stating that is the combination of all of societys institutions that shapes society.An electric organic coincidence is most often used to explain structural functionalism. The analogy represents society with the human system and social structures and institutions are represented by the bodys organs. For a human being to survive, the body must act certain functions to solve problems and meet needs. For example, we must circulate blood, remove waste, and biologically reproduce. Survival depends on the individual organs and how they perform together. Each organ does something to watch over the system going. In order for society to survive and keep order, individual institutions must effectively perform together. The institutions must perform limited functions to meetproblems or satisfy needs. This is achieved by institutions such as the family, economic, educational, and spiritual orders. It is the make up of the interrelated institutions that form society, as the interrelated organs make up the human body.The materialist approach argues that humans are odd because we can produce solutions for material wants and needs that materi...