Lesson 2 - Functionalism

Question 1

What do functionalists say about young people experiencing social integration

Answer 1

• [Argue individuals (in general) must be integrated into society to feel they belong to communities and social groups]
• Comes from family, peers, through school
• Key role of YC is promote social integration

• Via offering transitory phase of life
-differs from childhood & adulthood

• Stress age-related generational explanation of youth culture

Question 2

How is youth culture formed according to Abrams(1959)

Answer 2

• Stated social changes of the time era (1960s) enabled YC creation
• Achieved through increased spending power & consumer economy targeting YC

(• During this time youth became important from economy)

Question 3

What does Parsons(1954) argue about youth culture

Answer 3

• YC provides bridge between childhood & adulthood
• YC becomes a ‘rite of passage’
• enable young people to become more detached from parents
• whilst achieving own independence and status as adults

Question 4

What does Leech(1976) argue about youth culture

Answer 4

• Youth become more affluent, adopting personal dress styles, behaviour, and music
• Coined term ‘Youthquake’
• Warns big culture gap may emerge between youth & parents

• Youth experience world different to parents
-based on fun, leisure, and rebellion

Question 5

What does Eisenstadt(1956) argue about youth culture

Answer 5

• YC effectively enables youth to speak out
-react against what’s unfair

• Youth share N&V w/ other youth of similar social background
- N&V of youth oppose older people

• Youth experience ‘anomie’
-confusion & uncertainty about behaviour expected by society due to being stuck between childhood & adulthood

Question 6

Eisenstadt(1956) Evaluation

Answer 6

• Adulthood homogenous concept critiqued
- Not clear cut saying “adulthood” (we dk what that means)

• Mitterauer(1993) said in past it was easy to identify someone as adult
• left parental home
• found employment
• set up new home
• married

-nowadays 4 criteria don’t necessarily apply

• Moretti(2006) state 50% of men aged 18-30 live with parents
• according to Mitterauer not adults
• Criticise homogeneity of ‘adult’
• should be operationalised

Question 7

Summary of Functionalism

Answer 7

• Young people = homogenous
-DESPITE clear DIFFERENCES

[-personal taste & style between different groups of young people]

• YC TRANSITIONAL STAGE in life

[-due to binding nature of shared N&V]

• YC CREATED by SOCIAL CHANGES of time

[-specifically economic changes bringing consumer culture
-enabling media to target youth as a brand]

• Role of YC based on clear generational gap between youth & adulthood

• Drawing boundaries between youth & adulthood
• Transition, enabling young people to become adults
• Promoting social integration through YC
• Age & generation

Question 8

Functionalism evaluation

Answer 8

• IGNORE clear DIFFERENCES between YsubC
-Eg skinheads diff to hippies

• MARXISTS say diff based on SOCIAL CLASS
• cannot be ignored

• Don’t consider GENDER or ETHNIC-related issues & influence on YC

• Feminists argue gender is important
• Eg teddy boys imply male domination, although ‘teddy girls’ exist

• Based on same social groups writers came from (white, middle-class American males)
-ETHNOCENTRIC & biased

-Which YC were investigated may be biased