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Functionalism is one of the major theoretical frameworks within sociology which posits that social systems are collective means to fulfill social needs. In order for social life to survive and develop in society, there are a number of activities that need to be carried out to ensure that certain needs are fulfilled. In the structural functionalist model, individuals produce necessary goods and services in various institutions and roles that correlate with the norms of the society, these institutions, roles, norms, and values are interdependent in maintaining a functional equilibrium within the entire system. Within this paradigm, the social order is seen to derive from the interdependencies between the social system’s constituent parts within what is called organic solidarity. Organic solidarity is social cohesion based upon the dependence individuals have on each other in advanced societies. Although individuals perform different tasks and often have different values and interests, the order and very solidarity of society depend on their reliance on each other to perform their specific and collective tasks. The term organic here is referring to the interdependence of the component parts.

2016-10-14T09:05:16+00:00