Structural theories see society as a complex system consisting of various institutions. These institutions govern the behaviour of individuals. It looks at society from a macro level.
Structural theories emphasize the power of society over the individual, and believe that the individual is largely controlled by society. The society exists within an individual as a set of norms and values, and this models the individual's thoughts and guides their actions. These norms and values are gained through socialization, which acts as a form of social control.
Consensus theory[]
Consensus theories such as functionalism believe that the cooperation between different social institutions forms the basis of social life. This cooperation is formed due to a general agreement on the norms and values of society shared between individuals. It is believed that without the cooperation between social institutions, society would collapse into chaos where there is a lack of agreement on how individuals should behave themselves.
Conflict theory[]
Conflict theories such as Marxism and Feminism believe that there is conflict between different social institutions in society. In these theories, there is usually a ruling class (E.g. men in feminism) which controls other social institutions through various methods for exploitation. It is believed that this results in a continued struggle that leads to various disadvantages for society.
Related theories[]
Contrasting theories[]
Social Action Theory