Social Institutions Functionalist Perspective

Will you please tell me information about the Functionalist Perspective on Social Institutions as soon as possible?

[Arun Vats]

A functionalist perspective on social institutions tells about the functions those institutions serve in society. For example, a functionalist presentation of religion would emphasize the role played by religion in providing social control, societal norms, and other things that are important for a society.

Key Points
According to me in the functionalist perspective, societies are thought to function like organisms, with various social institutions working with each other like organs to maintain and reproduce societies.

According to functionalist theories, institutions come about and stay because they play a function in society, promoting stability and integration.

Functionalism has been criticized for its failure to account for social change and individual agency; some consider it conservatively biased.

Functionalism has been criticized for attributing human-like needs to society.

Emile Durkheim's work is considered the foundation of functionalist theory in sociology.

Merton observed that institutions could have both manifest and latent functions.

Functionalism has been criticized for its failure to account for social change and individual agency; some consider it conservatively biased.

Functionalism has also been criticized for attributing human-like needs to society.