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Social conflict theory on individuals
Stereotypes being drawn from society
Social conflict theory on individuals
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Social Conflict Theory focuses on those who make who “makes the rules,” and the groups those rules target. These two groups are also known as the dominant group, whose interest are portrayed in society, and those whose interest interfere with the dominant’s interest. There is constant competition for power between the two groups, and societies laws, rules and norms develop from this struggle. In Omar’s case, from the very beginning he was at a disadvantage. Omar’s delinquency took place during the time when “the crack epidemic was at its peak…[and] in a rebellious era in which Black males….followed along with the rebellion,” (p.146). In society, the groups that are dominated is better known as minorities (blacks, hispanics, LGBTQ, etc.).
Conflict theory starts by emphasizing that conflict within society is the normal way of life and that the changing aspects can be understood by identifying the sources of conflict and power. Conflict theory argues that society is thick with conflict and that society does not work within equality; inequalities are expected to exist such as the haves having more power than have-nots. The unequal scattering of resources creates a social arrangement or class structure, which designates social structure and influences the functioning of society. According to Steven Tepper, an Associate Professor of Sociology at Vanderbilt University, “Cultural conflict and moral regulation can serve to demarcate acceptable and unacceptable behavior, high- and low-status lifestyles, in- and outgroup membership, and reputable and disreputable values and beliefs” (Tepper 278).
He believes that because of what past generations have endured and the lack of freedom that was given to blacks, they were not provided the same rights and were looked at as inferior human beings. Social matters, such as mass incarceration of blacks and the idea that black people are criminals, stem from the disparity between races as explained by Coates who emphasizes, “blacks who could not find work were labeled vagrants and sent to jail, where they were leased as labor to the very people who had once enslaved them” (Coates). The situation did not change even when they were freed from enslavement as blacks were not able to live the same as the white people. This reinforced blacks being inferior as they were not given the same opportunities as white people had. To this day, many black men looking for jobs struggle with the same disadvantages that existed years ago. They are targeted by the criminal justice system, and once they have a criminal history, it is hard for them to find jobs. Unfortunately, even with a clean record it is still difficult for black men to find jobs since, “the job market in America regards black men who have never been criminals as though they were” (Coates). Coates draws parallels between incarceration and slavery, but also provides explanation as to why minorities find themselves with certain unequal and employment
The conflict perspective/theory involves how “the elite class…. use social control mechanisms …. to perpetuate their own advantageous positions in society.” (p.109). Further they can gain an “unequal access to economical goods …. resulting [in gaining capital versus someone poorer who would
a. Conflict Theory / pg. 27: A theoretical framework in which society is viewed as composed of groups that are competing for scarce resources.
By definition, conflict theory basically sees the society as a pitch in which inequality thrives in order to generate conflict and change. For instance, this theory emphasizes on the purpose of coercion in generating a social order that’s often ch...
In the study of theories of criminology that emphasizes the role of social conflict as it underlies criminality and of social change is critical for the understanding of the interplay between social order and law. The conflict perspective, the pluralist perspective, and the consensus perspective are three analytical perspectives that shed light on this subject. Another type of social conflict theory is radical criminology that comes with its own tenants and shortcomings. Peacemaking criminology, left-realist criminology, convict criminology, postmodern criminology, and feminist criminology, are emerging social conflict theories that where associated with the radical ideas of mid-twentieth Marxist criminology.
Pruitt, Dean G, and Sung Hee Kim. Social Conflict: Escalation, Stalemate, and Settlement. 3rd ed. 2004. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2004.
The book displays two social concepts, conflict theory and structural-functionalism. Conflict theory is defined as “a theory propounded by Karl Marx that claims society is in a state of perpetual conflict due to competition
Conflict perspectives are groups in society that are engaged in a continuous power struggle for control of scarce resources. Max Weber recognized the importance of economic conditions in producing inequality and conflict in society but added power and prestige as other sources of inequality. He defined power as to be the ability of a person within a social relation...
Realistic Conflict Theory As one of the oldest social psychology theories, the Realistic Conflict Theory deals with the conflict and hostility that is projected to arise between individuals or groups competing over the same limited resources. Therefore, as a resource, opportunity, or even goal, becomes harder to obtain, the amount of aggression is projected to increase as well. This theory is not only visible in many everyday situations, but it also establishes a basis for which discrimination and prejudice can be partly explained. The initial study of this theory was conducted in a three-step experiment.
In the conflict theory, power is at the center of all social relationships. When a person obtains power in a social area, it is natural for this person to attempt to expand the influence that they have to other social areas. This level of influence and power only falls in the hands of a few people. As a result, society ranks people by status and level of authority. In order for these select few to remain in power, they must legitimize their power and conceal the full extent of their power. They do this by implementing an ideology. The ideology must bring forth a set of values to the people. It must explain the state of the world, and it must justify both the current positioning of power and the few individuals that hold this power. Other approaches, such as functionalism, talk about society in a positive light and support the status quo. However, the conflict theory attempts to focus on the discord that is within society. The focus lies on the unequal distribution of power and resources in society.
The social conflict model has two types of conflict, the social consensus and the social conflict. Dalton took the concept of informal organization from just workers to include managers and is called managerial conflict. This is a power struggle of humans using conflict to control their environment and social activities within the organization in their favor. Dalton believes it is human to use conflict to your advantage. They’re several layers of conflicts that arise between coworkers, between departments, supervisor and worker, between staff members, between different groups within the larger organization and just good old personality conflicts. Rules are made to control conflicts and behavior, but who do they benefit. They are called organizational rules but individuals implement them and either favors the individual or his group within the group. Bendix did a study on 1956 about managerial ideologies. The managers or leaders use influence within the organization to get workers to follow them and work together for the company. They use this conflict of ideas to obtain loyalty, and employees who are loyal to their company. Sometimes conflict comes from outside the organization. An example of this theory outside influence is the National Football league and spousal and child abuse. A rash of abuse cases arising from the actions of the athletes, caused outside influences to take action against the National Football League. Women and other outside groups influenced the league to implement new rules to control or change the behavior of their employees, the
Trying to compare social groups to the three theoretical perspectives is the hardest part of the paper. With the functionalist perspective, groups bind people together. Every member of that group must share a working knowledge of the same aspects of life. With the conflict theory perspective, a societies groups are controlled by an high society that manipulates them in order to maintain its own position of wealth and power. With the symbolic interactionist see how groups perceive different things for example ideas and how it would affect their behavior.
The function of the conflict, according to Lewis Coser, is reinforcing group solidarity, including serving as a safety-valve, channeling tensions in constructive ways rather than letting them build up to such a point that when conflict is unleashed, it is unleashed with destructive force (211). In other words, Coser, argued that the function of conflict serves as a solution to unite a group or help reestablish unity where it has been threatened by an unfriendly feeling among the members of the group. However, this might not always be the case, due to the fact that it depends on the type of social structure that the group consists of. In sum, conflicts serve several functions in which include social change, innovation, and an increase of power
Political conflict is conflict, confrontation of different socio-political forces and political actors in their quest to realize their interests in the struggle for the acquisition or retention of power, caused the opposite of their political interests and values. Compared with all other types of conflicts inherent in public life, political conflict has its own peculiarities: it is dominated by the struggle for power. If power is not transmitted by inheritance, it is a conflict between people for the...