Unit 2 Flashcards
Define Functionalist Theory
The Functionalist Theory views society as a system and assumes that society is an organized system of interrelated parts. The assumption is that societies are held together because the people in them share the same basic values and the major parts of society; family, education, the economy, government, religion, leisure and sport all fit together in a mutually supportive way. I like to think of this one as the “Kumbaya theory”,
The idea here is that the social system tries to maintain a sense of balance to operate efficiently. The emphasis is on consensus, common values and coordinated organization. Some behaviours can upset this balance. These behaviours would then be dysfunctional. These are negative effects on the natural order of the system. For example, functionalists believe that sport is a cohesive element in society. But when we begin to take on the “win at all costs” attitude, this of course is dysfunctional. We are functional when we maintain the social order.
Define Conflict Theory
Economics
Conflict theory views society as an ever changing set of relationships and social inequality. The belief is that social order comes from some groups persuading or coercing other groups to accept their view of the world as the right view. This theory is based on the updated views of Karl Marx who was a philosopher, social scientist, historian and revolutionary of the mid to late 19th century. His views on economy and social justice are the hallmarks of communism. Basically, he believed that capitalism was the downfall of society and that workers should band together to create unity and equity. He is known for his belief that “religion is the opiate of the masses”. The conflict theory maintains that sport is the opiate of the masses…
To help you remember the main premise of this theory, I like to think of the conflict theory as the “Anti-Capitalist Pig” Theory. Basically the conflict theory tries to explain events and social life in countries with market economies or capitalist economies. In market economies, actions are governed by materialism…where whatever will help an economy to produce more, to ultimately create more profit, more money…predominates. Conflict theory maintains that sports are determined by the economy. The conflict theory noted that too much attention is paid to “elite” athletes, (Olympic gold medal winners, top professional players) that will bring in the most money… as opposed to the grass roots level…recreational sport, youth leagues, etc.
- market needs are the driving force determining social organization
- conflict theory focuses on the unequal distribution of power
- this theory is useful in calling attention to problems in sport
limitations of functionalist theory
- exaggerations about the positive effects of sports
sports could distort values and norms, create frustrations, disrupt social integration - assumption that sports benefit ALL groups within society…this overlooks the fact that sport may benefit some groups more than others
- functionalism is committed to social order and to maintaining the status quo…so sometimes the less favorable aspects of group functioning like wars, inequities, scarcity…are overlooked.
Advantages of Functionalist Theory
Develop and expand sports programmes that promote traditional values, build the type of character valued in society and contribute to social order and stability
Research Examples of Functionalist Theory
1) Studies looking at the relationship between sport participation and good character.
2) Studies of sport and social integration in groups, communities and societies. Does sport create unity?
3) Studies of sport participation and achievement motivation.
4) Sports participation and development of abilities needed to defend society against external threats…how do we hone our survival skills via sport and exercise participation? Does exercise help us with military preparedness?
5) How sports satisfy the needs of society
6) How sports contribute to personal growth and social order.
7) How does sport improve health and fitness?
Limitations of Conflict Theory
1) this theory focuses on a lot of “class” issues the haves vs. the have nots.
2) conflict theory ignores the benefits of mass participation in sport and exercise at the “grass roots” level.
3) sees people as “passive” objects “duped” by the system and meeting the greedy needs of the power hungry capitalists!
4) it assumes that people who have economic power always shape sports to meet their interests
Advantages of Conflict Theory
1) Eliminate the profit motives in sports and there by allowing them to foster expression, creativity, and physical well-being
2) make people aware of their alienated powerlessness.
3) calls attention to important economic issues in sports and to forms of inequality that create conflict and tensions in society as a whole
Research examples of Conflict theory
1) Studies on how athletes become alienated from their own bodies; how performance enhancing drug use are used to support bodies that have become “entertainment machines”.
2) Sport is used as a tool to coerce and control people so that they won’t question the social order.
3) Observations of sport and commercialism and how sport perpetuates inequality
4) How sports is tied to nationalism and militarism
5) Sports and its connections to racism and sexism- how sport can create racial and gender inequalities
Define Critical Theory
Diversity.
This theory is all about power in social relations (the shifting of power and how power works). It is also about action and political involvement. The principal intent of those who hold to this theory is to make social life more fair. A question a critical theorist might ask would be, “Why do we place so much emphasis on highly specialized activities that have little to do with general health and fitness or life off the playing field”? This theory sees that society is continually changing and that the relationship between sport and society is never set. So we see how sports change as the economy changes or as history plays out. We see how sport changes with changes in government, education, the media, the family. Critical theory also sees how both agreement and conflict can coexist. Critical theory looks at issues that separate us sometimes more than it brings us together…concepts like masculinity, femininity, race, ethnicity, age and sexual orientation.
What are the Advantages of Critical theory
1) Want to change inequalities
2) increase the range and diversity of sport participation opportunities
3) Challenge the voices and perspectives of those with power
4) valuable tool when identifying specific social problesm
What are the disadvantages of critical theory
to much emphasis on class relations
1) Does not provide clear guidelines for determining when sports reproduce culture and social organizations and when they become sites for resisting and transforming them
2) because they emphasis theneed for actions that disrupt current forms of social organization, there is a tendency among those who use it to see value in all actions that violate norms, athough some norms are fine the way they are
3) use vocabularies that can be confusing
Research examples of critical theory
1) Why have certain groups been marginalized? ( this word quite literally means groups that have been left out on the “margins” of society, not really included as a group into the “whole”)
2) Why were women not allowed to participate in certain sports/activities in the past? Why are there still limitations? Why was there no women’s ski jump event in the 2010 winter Olympics?
3) Why were there Negro Baseball Leagues in the United States? Japanese baseball teams in Vancouver and elsewhere? Why do we have Gay Games, Disabled Games, Special Olympics, Paralympics, Deaf Olympics, Senior’s Olympics…???.
Define Feminist Theory
Feminist theory is a branch of Critical Theory and is based on evidence that women have been devalued, exploited and often oppressed in society. This theory upholds a strong commitment to social action. There are two groups of feminists:
1) Liberal Feminists- Their goal is to promote full and equal participation for girls and women.
2) Radical Feminists-Believe the problems go deeper than issues of discrimination and equal opportunity. Radical feminists would question the whole focus of
Lingerie Football League
“male oriented” sport. Why do sports have to be ordered along gender lines? And why indeed do we need a female only “lingerie football league”??
Advantages of Feminist Theory
1) use sports as sites for challenging and transforming oppressive forms of gender relations
2) expose and resist homophibia and misgyny in sports
3) transform sports to emphasize partnership over competition and domination
Disadvantages of Feminist Theory
It does not provide guidelines to assess the effectiveness of particular forms of resistance as strategies for making progressive changes in social worlds… a little to radical for some
- they are slow to theorize connnections
