This theory examines and critiques societies and cultures and looks at social issues and structures that lead to inequality. It identifies the people who can suppress this inequality and outlines the steps needed to reach human liberation. 

Critical Theory

- Violence/crime emerges when societies with different values meet one another and  conflict manifests because of the differnce in values
- 2 types of conflict: Primary and Secondary

Culture Conflict Theory

This theory looks at how individuals within a society must compete to fulfill their needs. 

San Jose State University

- Structural Functionalism
- Conflict Theory
- Symbolic Interactionism
- Social Reproduction Theory
- Practice Theory


Sociological Theories

Griffiths, H., Keirns, N., Strayer, E., Sadler, T., Cody-Rydzewski, S., Scaramuzzo, G., Vyain, S., Bry, J., & Jones, F. (2021, April 6). Introduction to Sociology (2nd ed.). 12th Media Services. https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-2e/pages/1-introduction-to-sociology

Introduction to Sociology 

This theory views peoples’ reactions to a stimulus as a response to the meaning they give the stimulus, rather than as a reaction to the stimulus itself. The meaning that is given to a stimulus is not random, but based on previous interactions with the stimulus and other people in society. 

stimulus --> invokes socially derived meaning --> invokes reaction

Symbolic Interactionism

This theory looks at how the institutions in a society cooperate to meet the needs of that society. 

Structural Functionalism 

Conflict Theory

Also called Praxeology and the Theory of Social Practices, this theory looks at repetitive practices in daily life to understand human social systems.

Practice Theory

Social Theory creates predictions about future actions, activities, or situations. This method focuses on society and the social forces that affect our lives. This sociological insight or "sociological imagination" looks beyond the assumption that social structures and patterns are random, and attempts to provide more understanding and meaning to human existence. 

Social Theory

Concept that capitalism is directly ingrained into productions of life. Race and gender oppression are found to be reproduced capitalistically.

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