Gender, Power, and Social Theory: Functionalism vs. Conflict Perspectives

Gender, Power, and Cultural Equilibrium

According to Talcott Parsons, all societies strive to maintain a certain equilibrium, with members fulfilling their social expectations—fair or unfairly—serving as the glue that holds a society together. No one can realize all of their desires, and even if women are unfulfilled by the restrictions placed upon them, having them serve as the default caretakers and nurturers of offspring and men creates stability.

However, it could be argued that the equilibrium established between men and women long ago is no longer valid. In agrarian societies, women tended to take care of home-based duties and bore primary responsibility for caring for a family's many children. They had little control over their fertility. In modern society, the public sphere of paid labor is more highly valued and more powerful. The "separate spheres" ideology about the genders continues to be perpetuated, although it does not necessarily serve a functional purpose anymore—if it ever did. The separate spheres of male and female, public and private, rational and emotional, are not equal.

A conflict theorist would argue that these social divisions and inequalities were never rational, but were merely used by the elite—men—to perpetuate their hold upon power. Many women feel frustrated in the pursuit of their goals, given that the circumstances giving rise to the gendered division of labor no longer exist and merely remain as a function of culture, not necessity. Additionally, because society has evolved to further the goals of male self-actualization to a greater degree than female goals, social inequities continue to be perpetuated, and one social class is able to dominate institutions and justify its hold on power, even if its position is not rationally justified or beneficial for all.

Social Strain and the Nobel Peace Prize Controversy

Merton's theory of social strain suggests that antisocial behavior stems from self-fulfilling prophecies: people behave as others expect them to behave. If a child is assumed to be capable of self-regulation and is allowed to take cookies whenever desired, the child will come to appreciate this sense of trust and will not consume the entire jar when the parent's back is turned. Conversely, if a child is assumed to be untrustworthy, they may act accordingly.

Self-fulfilling prophecies can work to encourage either positive or negative behaviors. In the case of President Obama's award of the Nobel Peace Prize relatively early in his first term of office, the Nobel committee appeared to be trying to encourage the new president to restrict America's military presence abroad. President George W. Bush had begun two new wars during his time in office and frequently used hyperbolic military rhetoric in speeches to the world. By awarding America's first African-American president a peace prize, the Nobel committee rewarded America's election of a more diplomatic president rather than rewarding Obama's actual accomplishments.

This stamp of foreign approval of American voting behavior caused considerable anger among Republicans, who viewed the award as premature and as an implicit criticism of American military policy. The self-fulfilling prophecy functioned here on a political level: the Nobel committee's expectation that the new administration would pursue peace created backlash from those who interpreted it as an ideological statement against American power.

Conflict Theory and American Military Intervention

Conflict theory is often associated with Marxism: it views all of human history as a series of conflicts between the haves and have-nots, or different social classes. This dynamic also operates on a global scale, whereby the "haves" of the international community use their power and authority over the have-nots of the world. A conflict theorist would state that America entered Iraq to demonstrate its domination over the developing world and the Arab world, even though Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with the bombing of the World Trade Center.

Additionally, foreign conflicts can be helpful in reducing tensions at home by creating a sense of national unity. America was extremely polarized in terms of its political culture at the time of the war, and military intervention abroad served to unite the nation around a common purpose, redirecting internal class and ideological tensions outward. From a conflict perspective, military intervention functions as a mechanism through which powerful nations assert and maintain their global dominance.

The Family as a Social Institution

Notions of what constitutes a family have changed radically over the years, as the family unit has shifted in its composition from extended family networks to more nuclear support structures. However, the family still remains an important social institution. Raising children, providing emotional stability for family members, and preventing individuals from falling through the cracks of society through isolation and economic hardship are all essential functions of the family. These roles ensure both individual well-being and social cohesion.