Questions to Ask and Answer

Questions to Ask and Answer

– A “Cheat Sheet” for a quick Sociological Paradigm Analysis

Dr. Gianna Durso-Finley

Social Conflict -

This perspective views society as a constant struggle for power and resources

Choose a social situation or social interaction for this analysis: ______

What are the power resources involved in the situation? Try to brainstorm at least 5.

Now, in the table below, choose two of the resources you identified above, and trace them through the analytical questions below. This will sketch out a conflict analysis for those resources in the situation you identified.

Power Resources
Who has them?
Who wants them? (Who is in competition for them?) Why?
How/where/why are they fighting about the power resources? Be specific!!!
Who is winning? – This is the source of social change

Structural Functional -

This perspectiveviews society as a machine whose parts must be working together

Choose a social situation or social interaction for this analysis: ______

What are the structures involved in the situation? Try to brainstorm at least 5.

Now, in the table below, choose two of the structures you identified above, and trace them through the analytical questions below. This will sketch out a functional analysis for those structures in the situation you identified.

Structures
How do they work?
How do the parts work together as a whole?
What is the place of the whole social interaction you chose (above) for society as a whole?
What are the manifest (intended), latent (side-effects), and dysfunctions (problems) of the structure?
How do the structures adapt? – This is the source of social change

Symbolic Interaction -

This perspectiveviews society as the sum of all personal interactions based on the interpretation of meaning

Choose a social situation or social interaction for this analysis: ______

What are the symbols involved in the situation? Try to brainstorm at least 5.

Now, in the table below, choose two of the symbols you identified above, and trace them through the analytical questions below. This will sketch out an interactionist analysis for those symbols in the situation you identified.

Symbols
What do they mean?
Does everyone agree on the meaning? Give examples of how they are the same or different
How does the interpretation of symbols shape the way people interact with each other?
Are interactions changing on this issue? – This is the source of social change

Name:______Date: ______