Theories Of Functionalism And Culture, Socialization And...

A few years back when I was still in China, I had a chance to acquire a position in the school’s future communist preparation group. I went to a friend of my father, the principal of the school, and obtained a reference letter. After I handed in the reference letter with my resume, the group leader had personally interviewed me and granted my application of the position immediately after I completed the evaluations. This case could be analyzed through functionalism, â€Å"a sociological school of thought that stresses how human behaviour is governed by social structures that are based mainly on shared values and that contribute to social stability† (Brym and Lie 2015:5). Through sociological imagination, â€Å"the quality of mind that enables one to see the connection between personal troubles and social structures† (Brym and Lie 2015:7). I am able to look at the case in a different perspective, in which I can analyze the case above by using concepts of functionalism including culture, socialization and social stratification. The case above is deeply associated with Chinese culture in which many people believe that gaining social capital and expanding social network are more important than gaining human capital. Many Westerners believe that getting the access to the resources through social capital is often considered unfair to the others who do not possess the equal social capital. A superior social capital gives people the privilege which affects others’ interests at the sameShow MoreRelatedDiscuss the Strengths and Weaknesses of Functionalist Explanations as Applied to the Study of Contemporary Society. 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