I. Short-Answer Questions (25 points)
1. Sociologist Émile Durkheim studied how societies maintain stability. He focused on the way each segment of society functions together like members of a team. Is this a macro-level or a micro-level approach?
- This is a macro-level approach. Durkheim's focus on how different parts of society work together to maintain stability looks at society as a whole rather than individual interactions or small groups.
Which of the three major theoretical approaches to sociology was Durkheim using?
- Durkheim was using the structural-functional approach. This approach views society as a complex system with interrelated parts that work together to ensure stability and functioning.
Explain your answers.
- Durkheim's macro-level approach looks at how institutions, norms, and values contribute to the overall stability of society. By studying the functions of different parts of society, Durkheim aimed to understand how they contribute to the overall functioning and cohesion of society. This aligns with the structural-functional perspective, which emphasizes the interdependence of various social structures in maintaining social order and stability.
