How would a conflict theorist read a society's cultural norms?
AAs benefiting some at others' cost
BAs holding the whole society together
CAs built fresh in each interaction
DAs meeting every member's needs
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: A. As benefiting some at others' cost
1. Conflict theorists see social structure as unequal by nature.
2. Power differences run along lines of class, gender, race and age.
3. On that reading a society's cultural norms benefit some people but hurt others.
4. Some norms, formal and informal, are practiced at the expense of others.
5. Holding society together is the functionalist reading, which sees norms supporting smooth operation.
6. Culture built fresh in each interaction is the symbolic interactionist reading.
7. Meeting every member's needs is functionalism again, stated the other way round.
_Source: OpenStax Introduction to Sociology 2e (CC BY 4.0), Ch 3 "Culture", Ch 4 "Society and Social Interaction" and Ch 5 "Socialization", section 3.4 Theoretical Perspectives on Culture_
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