Conflict vs Consensus, and the Classical Sociologists
Meet the two big ways sociologists explain society, consensus and conflict, and the three founding sociologists behind them: Durkheim, Marx and Weber.
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What is sociology?
Sociology is the study of society and how it shapes the way people think and behave. Sociologists disagree about how society works. Some take a consensus view, that society runs on shared agreement, and others a conflict view, that society is shaped by inequality and struggle. These ideas grew from three founding, or classical, sociologists: Durkheim, Marx and Weber.
The language of sociology
Sociologists share a set of key terms:
Consensus or conflict?
Sociologists explain society in two broad ways:
Match the term to its meaning
- Socialisation
- Norms
- Values
- Roles
- Learning the norms and values of a society
- The usual, expected ways of behaving
- Beliefs about what is important
- Behaviour expected of a person in a position
Which view?
Which view sees society as based on shared values and agreement?
- Consensus
- Conflict
- Labelling
- Discrimination
The founding sociologists
Sociology began with three classical thinkers, whose ideas were shaped by the time and place they lived in:
Match the sociologist to the view
- Durkheim
- Marx
- Weber
- Consensus: what holds a society together
- Conflict: society divided by class
- Social action: the meanings behind what people do
Conflict perspectives?
Select the TWO perspectives that take a CONFLICT view of society.
- Marxism
- Feminism
- Functionalism
- Interactionism
Four perspectives
Sociology uses four main perspectives. Functionalism takes a consensus view: society works because its parts share values. Marxism sees conflict between social classes. Feminism sees conflict between men and women in a society that favours men. Interactionism looks closely at small-scale, face-to-face interaction and the labels people give each other.
Growing up in society
Put these agents of socialisation in the order a person usually meets them through life.
- The family, from birth
- School, from early childhood
- Friends and peers, through childhood and the teens
- The workplace, in adulthood
Socialisation, consensus and conflict
Learning the norms and values of a society is called _____. A _____ view sees society as based on shared values, while a _____ view sees it as based on inequality. Marx took a conflict view and focused on social _____. The perspective that sees conflict between men and women is _____.
Conflict against consensus
Tap the TWO statements that are TRUE.
- A consensus view sees society as based on shared values.
- Marx took a conflict view and focused on social class.
- Durkheim took a conflict view and focused on class struggle.
- Functionalism is a conflict perspective.
- Socialisation means treating a group unfairly.
Whose view?
Match each claim about society to the perspective it fits best.
- Society works well because nearly everyone shares the same basic values. Which perspective is this?
- Society is unequal because a small class of owners controls most of the wealth. Which perspective is this?
- Society favours men over women, and this needs to change. Which perspective is this?
Compare the two views
In English, compare the consensus and conflict views of society, using Durkheim and Marx as examples. This is written in English and is not auto-marked.
- Explain what a consensus view of society says, and link it to Durkheim
- Explain what a conflict view of society says, and link it to Marx
- Name the four main sociological perspectives
- Give one strength or one criticism of either view