Here is a detailed, Notion-compatible comparative table between Functionalist and Conflict perspectives across major sociological areas such as stratification, politics, family, religion, power, work, etc.
| Sociological Area | Functionalist Perspective | Conflict Perspective |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Social Stratification | Stratification is necessary for the smooth functioning of society; it ensures role differentiation and merit-based rewards (Davis & Moore thesis). | Stratification reflects and perpetuates class, caste, gender, and race-based inequality. It benefits the ruling class and legitimizes exploitation (Marx, Bourdieu). |
| 2. Social Mobility | Open mobility is possible through meritocracy; education acts as a sorting mechanism for suitable roles. | Mobility is restricted by structural barriers, capital inheritance, and unequal access to resources. Education often reproduces class inequalities (Bowles & Gintis). |
| 3. Economy & Work | Division of labour increases efficiency; all jobs contribute to social stability. Wage differentials reflect skill levels. | Work reflects alienation, exploitation, and domination of labour by capital (Marx); wage gaps reflect power asymmetries, not merit. |
| 4. Politics | Political institutions are integrative and necessary to maintain order; state is a neutral arbitrator. | State represents the interests of the ruling class (Marxist view); politics is a means to reproduce hegemony (Gramsci). |
| 5. Power | Power is legitimate authority (Weber); needed for order and decision-making. | Power is coercive and unequally distributed; elites monopolize decision-making (C. Wright Mills – Power Elite). |
| 6. Political Parties | Represent pluralism and give voice to diverse interests; help in policy formulation. | Reflect elite control of political process; parties serve bourgeois interests and manufacture consent. |
| 7. Pressure Groups | Ensure balance of interests; act as safety valves in democracy; contribute to stability. | Serve powerful lobbies, co-opt resistance, and channel dissent into non-threatening forms. |
| 8. Social Movements | Seen as temporary disruptions; functional if they restore balance and correct system failure. | Vehicles of mass resistance and change; they challenge systemic oppression and status quo. |
| 9. Religion | Integrates society by creating moral community (Durkheim); provides meaning and controls deviance. | Religion is the opium of the masses (Marx); legitimizes inequality (e.g., casteism, patriarchy) and dulls revolutionary potential. |
| 10. Family | Family is a functional unit that socializes, regulates reproduction, and maintains stability (Murdock, Parsons). | Family reflects patriarchy, property, and control; a site of emotional and economic oppression (Engels, feminist critique). |
| 11. Household | Each member performs roles that contribute to the household’s functioning; role complementarity is emphasized. | Household is structured around gendered labour and control; reflects economic dependence and unpaid care work. |
| 12. Sexual Division of Labour | Natural and efficient differentiation of roles (e.g., expressive vs instrumental roles – Parsons). | Socially constructed and unequal; reinforces patriarchy and limits women’s autonomy (Oakley, Hartmann). |
| 13. Social Change | Gradual, evolutionary change preserves stability; system adjusts via value consensus. | Change is conflict-driven, abrupt, and often revolutionary; driven by contradictions and class struggle. |
| 14. Education (extra) | Key agent of socialization, meritocracy, and integration; transmits societal values. | Tool of cultural reproduction; legitimizes dominant ideology and class/gender hierarchy (Althusser, Bowles & Gintis). |
| 15. Crime & Deviance (extra) | Deviance serves functions: boundary-setting, innovation, and social change (Durkheim, Merton). | Crime reflects inequality, marginalization, and power struggles; law serves elite interests (Chambliss, Quinney). |
| 16. Media (extra) | Media binds society, reinforces shared norms, and educates the masses. | Media is an ideological tool that perpetuates capitalist and state interests; controls thought (Chomsky's "Manufacturing Consent"). |
✅ Key Differences Summarized:
| Theme | Functionalism | Conflict Theory |
|---|---|---|
| Core Assumption | Stability & consensus | Inequality & coercion |
| View of Society | Organic whole with interdependent parts | Arena of competition and struggle |
| Role of Institutions | Maintain social order | Reinforce domination |
| Source of Change | Gradual adjustment | Structural contradiction/conflict |
Would you like the table as a downloadable file (e.g. PDF, DOCX, or Excel) or continue expanding it with Postmodern or Feminist views as well?