The Sociological Perspective

Applying a Functional Perspective to Shopping  and Consumption low might functionalists analyze shopping and consumption? Whcn we examine the part to whole relationships of contemporary society in high-income nations. it inuu,: diately becomes apparent that each social institution depends on the others fill’ its wcll-hcing, For example. a booming cconomy benefits other soci.il in stitutions. including thc family (members arc gainfully employed), religion (churches. …

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Conflict Perspectives According to conflict perspectives, groups ill society are engaged in a continuous power struggle for control of scarce resources. Conflict may take the form of politics. litigation. negotiations. or family discussions about financial matters. Simmel, Marx. and Weber contributed Significantly to this perspective by focusing on the inevitability of clashes between social groups. Today. advocates of the conflict perspective view social …

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Max Weber and C. Wright Mills As previously discussed. Karl Marx focused on the exploitation and oppression of the proletariat (the workers) by the bourgeoisie (the owners or capitalist class). 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. Weber (1968/1922) defined power as the ability …

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The Feminist Approach A feminist approach (or  “feminism”) directs attention to women’s experiences and the importance of gender as an element of social structure. Th is approach is based on the belief that “women and men are equal and should be equally valued as well as have equal rights” (Basow, 1992). According to feminists (including many men as well as women), …

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Applying Conflict Perspectives to Shopping and Consumption How might advocates of a conflict approach analyze the process of shopping nnd consumption? A contemporary conflict analysis of consumption might look at how inequalities based on racism, sexism, and income differentials affect people’s ability to acquire the things they need and want. It might also look at inequalities regarding the issuance of credit cards and …

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Symbolic Interactionist Perspectives The conflict and functionalist perspectives have been criticized for focusing primarily on macrolevel analysis. A macrolevel analysis examines whole societies, large-scale social structures, and social systems instead of looking at important social dynamics in individuals’ lives. Our third perspective. symbolic interaction ism. fills this void by examining people’s day-to-day interactions and their behavior in groups us symbolic interactionist approaches are based …

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Applying Symbolic interactionist Perspectives to Shopping and Consumption Sociologists applying a symbolic interactionist framework to the study of shopping and consumption would primarily focus on a microlevel analysis of people’s face-to-face interactions and the roles that people play in society. In our  efforts to interact with others, we def ne any situation according to our own subjective reality. This theoretical viewpoint applies …

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Postmodern. Perspectives According to postmodern perspectives, existing theories have been unsuccessful in explaining social hfe  in contemporary societies that are characterized by postfndustrhtlizutlou, consumerism, and global comruuulcutious, Postmodern social theorists reject the theoretical perspectives we have previously discussed, as well as how those thinkers created the theories (Ritzer, 1996). These theorists oppose the grand narratives that characterize modern thinking and believe that boundaries …

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Applying Postmodern Perspectives to Shopping and Consumption According to some social theorists, the postmodern society is a consumer society. The focus of the capitalist economy has shifted from production to consumption. Today,the emphasis is on getting people to consume more and to own a greater variety of things. As previously discussed, credit cards may encourage people to spend more money than …

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Political Science Political science is the academic discipline that studies political institutions such as the state. government. and political parties (see Chapter 14.”Politics and Government in Global Perspective”). Political scientists study power relations and seek to determine how power is distributed in various types of political systems. Some political scientists focus primarily on international relations and similarities and differences in the political institutions …

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