Q1-DISS (GRADE-11)

Disciplines and Ideas in the Social Sciences

Module-5
INTRODUCTION

Previously, we discussed the major phenomenon which led to the emergence of social science as another area of
study. Relative to this, we have also tackled the different disciplines which comprise of the social sciences. Social science
as a discipline gives as an overview of some social, as well as socio-political principles or theories which would help us
understand or decipher and explain some phenomenon which we may be experiencing or with which we can relate with
regards our experiences or our daily endeavors. In this learning material, we shall be dealing with three of the social
science theories- Structuralism, Marxism and Symbolic Interactionism. You will be able to situate your life experiences as
we shall go along with the discussions later on.

TARGET OBJECTIVES

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

1. To define the concepts Structural Functionalism, Marxism and Symbolic Interactionism;
2. To discuss the features peculiar to each of the three concepts;
3. To creatively interpret Structural Functionalism, or Marxism, or Symbolic Interactionism;
4. To conduct a case study about Structural Functionalism of any institution of your choice.

LET’S TRY!

ACTIVITY 1: FACT OR BLUFF

1 .A ring given to another person usually symbolizes commitment.
2. Whenever you see someone wearing a facemask and a face shield, you would never associate it with a certain
phenomenon.
3. Marxism is an economic as well as an social system which talks about the revolution of the elite class.
4. Marxism is associated with communism.
5. Our utterances have meanings which could be interpreted differently by different people.

LET’S DISCOVER

There are several social science theories which we shall be discussing and these would help us understand and
explain some phenomenon which may have or may occur in our midst or which could provide answers to life experiences
which we may consider as extraordinary.

Lesson 1. Structural Functionalism

Nature of Structural Functionalism

First, what is meant by structural functionalism? Taking its etymology, according to Encyclopedia Britannica,
structural functionalism, “is a school of thought according to which each of the institutions, relationships, res, and norms
that together constitute a society serves a purpose, and each is indispensable for the continued existence of the others
and of society as a whole.

1|Page
Principles Peculiar to Structural Functionalism

There are some concepts/principles which underpin Structural Functionalism and they are as follows:

1. Collective Conscience According to this principle of structural functionalism, the members of a given society, or if
seen from a micro perspective, a given institution, must have a shared participation in every endeavor. Everything has to
be done collectively and individualism as an end has to be ruled out. Each may work individually but each would have
collective result as an end. As each toils for the group, he/she must always be guided by shared values like the goals,
norms and roles. This obtains in both macro and micro perspectives.
2. Social Order There has to be established security, in terms of the basic needs, among the people for social order to be
in place. The lack or merely the insufficiency for instance of food would render an institution not functional already.
3. Education Education comes in the form of a well-informed populace. Education does not necessarily presuppose that
everyone must be degree- holders. Having the know-how about the role one has to take or the knowledge about the
functional norms is education sufficient enough already for the structure or the institution to be functional.
4. Deviance and Crime The principle of deviance and crime may sound negative but this is just to show that the society
involved to create a functional structure is also responsible for socially-constructed behavior. The functionality of a
structure or of an institution which may be distracted by deviance and crime would depend on the other three principles as
discussed earlier.
Lesson 2. Marxism Nature of Marxism
Marxism as a socio-economic theory was espoused by Karl Marx (The Communist Manifesto) and Friedrich
Engels during the nineteenth century. Accordingly Marxism talks about the capitalist mode of production which enables
the bourgeoisie to exploit the proletariat and as a result, it leads to the struggle of the proletariat. They strive to obtain
freedom from the end of the proletariat may end up to the overthrow of the bourgeoisie through an armed struggle.

Principles of Marxism
Since Marxism is also a socio-economic system, it would be help in analyzing the economic development of the
different countries in the world. Discussed below are the principles of Marxism which would guide us in such analysis.

1. Exploitation and Alienation This principle refers to the exploitation of the workers by the employers who are the alter
ego of the capitalists. This happens where and when the workers could be made to render hours of work beyond what is
stipulated, or they could be required to work more than or even less than their job description. In the process, the workers
experience alienation because they are deprived of the right to be their own persons as they shall submit to the will of the
bourgeoisie.
2. Class consciousness It is incumbent in the people to take cognizance of the existence of stratification- be it according
to the socio-economic status, or according to gender, or to any indicator of distinction of segments of the population.
Relative to this, the people must be conscious of the probability of inequalities or injustices and must act according to how
they understand their position in the society.
3. Emancipation of the workers This principle presupposes that the members of the proletariat themselves are held
responsible for their liberation. They cannot depend on any other social class because they are basically on their own
from the very beginning.
4. Historical Materialism This principle requires of the members of the proletariat to be in the know of the whereabouts
of class struggle in the history of man to enable them understand their struggle and to capacitate them in the fight as well.

2|Page
 Lesson 3. Symbolic Interactionism

Nature of Symbolic Interactionism

According to Blydenian (http://www.blydenian.net/the-nature-of- symbolic-interactionism/ ) culled as excerpt from

Herbert Blumer, “The Nature of Symbolic Interactionism”, Chapter 1 in Symbolic Interactionism: Perspective and Method
(1969), symbolic interactionism rests in the last analysis on three simple premises. The first premise says that human
beings act according to the meanings that they attach toward anything that they perceive around them. The second
premise refers to the conception that such meanings come as a result of the social interaction between and among men.
And, the third premise says that these meanings are dealt with and modified through an interpretative process by the
person and this serves as a guide to his/her encounters in life. Simply put, symbolic interactionism, by nature, is the sum
total of the meaning of man’s interactions and how such become imperative to anything that he/she encounters in his/her
lifetime.

Core Principles of Symbolic Interactionism

As per the article Symbolic Interactionism Theory in Psychology, Behavioral and Social Science, there are three
core principles involved in symbolic interactionism and they are as follows:

1. Meaning This principle is the core of symbolic interactionism because all of man’s actions are anchored from whatever
meaning is attached to the other person, or to a thing or even to an occurrence.
2. Language The second principle talks about the naming or identification of the thing or things or even the action or
actions. Meanings would not be created if there is no naming that will take place. The naming process is done only with
the use of language.
3. Thought This third principle of symbolic interactionism speaks of how we interpret the symbols and more often than not
it involves imagination

ASSESSMENT

Justify Me

Directions: Below are scenarios about the social science theories of Structural Functionalism, Marxism and Symbolic
Interactionism. Read each carefully and understand the situations before answering. Write a three-liner justification to
support your answer to the questions.

1. At XYZ Corporation, the workers in the production area were required to work even on weekends to cope with the high
demand of their product from local as well as foreign consumers. These workers wanted to do otherwise as they wanted
to have family time on weekends. There is then a big possibility that these workers would in no time find a way to
emancipate themselves. What theory was referred to in the scenario? Would the said workers be able to enjoy their
weekends? Why? Why not?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. Mr. P wrote and sent a love letter, following the traditional practice, to Miss L. For the former, it was his way of
expressing whatever he felt because he was smitten by the beauty and kindness of the lady. However, for the latter the
letter was simply a manifestation of appreciation and care for the opposite sex and not implying romantic love. What social
science theory was presented in this scenario? What core principles were manifested? Why?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________

3|Page
4|Page