 |  Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots: The Basics George Ritzer,
University of Maryland
Modern Theoretical Portraits of the Social World
Chapter ObjectivesAfter reading Chapter 4, students should be able to:
explain the basic tenets of structural functionalism, conflict theory, systems theory and macro-level feminist theory and be able to compare and contrast the similarities and differences among these theories; |
| | | define and analyze the functional imperatives identified by Parsons and the action systems responsible for performing each of these functional imperatives; |
| | | describe how Merton expanded upon Parsons's structural functionalism, including what he meant by dysfunctions, manifest and latent functions, and nonfunctions; |
| | | explain how Dahrendorf defines authority and why he is considered a conflict theorist; |
| | | describe the four defining characteristics of Luhmann's autopoietic system; |
| | | describe the four types of differentiation identified by Luhmann; |
| | | explain the differences between how Parsons and Luhmann each define a system; and |
| | | understand the defining characteristics of macro-level feminist theory. |
|
2003 McGraw-Hill Higher Education