Social structure and Social change Social structure and Function  The Concept of Social Structure  Approaches to the Study of Social Structure  Functionalism : B. Malinowski, R. Brown and R.K. Merton The Concept of Social Structure  Introduction  Sociological Interpretation of Social Structure  Anthropological Interpretation of Social Structure : Radcliff Brown’s Views  Basis of Social Structure Thursday, June 09, 20161

The Concept of Social Structure Introduction  Social Structure is a basic concept extensively used both in Sociology and social Anthropology.  August Comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim, the Pioneer of Sociology, have extensively used the term in their writings.  Thus the concept has become a synonym for various terms like system, organization, pattern, type and so on. Thursday, June 09, 20162

 Sociological Interpretation of Social Structure  A number of definitions given by sociologist can be cited to show how the term has been loosely used by them.  Karl Mannheim in his book “Ideology & Utopia” has defined Social Structure as “ the web of interacting social forces from which have arisen the various model of “observing and thinking”.  For Manheim Social Structure is nothing but “the web of interacting social forces”, which in other words means society. Thursday, June 09, 20163

 Anthropological Interpretation of Social Structure  Unlike in sociology in Anthropological, the introduction of the term Anthropological went along with the attempt to give a definite and precise meaning of it.  Especially the credit of developing and defining the term should go to Radcliff Brown and his followers. His views are briefly discussed below:  At the very outset of Radcliff Brown observes that the study of structure is the primary task of all natural as well as social sciences. Thursday, June 09, 20164

 Definition Radcliff Brown defines Social Structure as the “continuing arrangement of persons in relationships defined or controlled by institutions i.e. socially established norms or patterns of behaviour ”. The following are the salient features Radcliff Brown’s views of Social Structure: 1.Analogy of Organism –Radcliff Brown’s theory is his famous analogy of society as an organism. He has identified a number of similarities between the two. a.Both are Realities : Society like an Organism is a reality. b.Both are Natural Systems : a society like an organism is a natural system. Thursday, June 09, 20165

c. Components : An organism is composed of a systematic arrangement of cells and interstitial fluids. d. Both are more than just sum total or collections : Though organism is formed of cells and interstitial fluids, it is not just a lamp of cells nor a sum total or collection of them. Thursday, June 09, 20166

Structure and Organization 1.Radcliff Brown also draws our attention to the difference between structure and organization. He writes “ while structure refers to the arrangement of persons, organization refers to arrangement of activities”. 2.Structural Continuity – However Radcliff Brown adds that organized groups cannot be considered as features of the social structure, unless they have some degree of permanence. 3.Dynamic Continuity – Another feature of the continuity of the social structure is that it is dynamic continuity not static continuity. A building has a continuity both in form and matter. But this is not the case in an organism. Thursday, June 09, 20167

Social Structure & Social Institutions  Radcliff Brown regarding institutions must also be noted. “ An institution is an established or socially recognized system of norms or patterns of conduct referring to some aspect of social life”. For Example: family.  Types of Structure Thursday, June 09, 20168

 Types of Structure  The variation in the institutional arrangement of persons in relationships gives rise to two types of social structure namely the actual and the general.  The actual structure is that which is relatively unstable where as the general structure is relatively stable or enduring. Thursday, June 09, 20169

 Even the general structure is not immune to change. It also changes. But the rate of change is so slow that it is almost imperceptible.  The same institution can possess general and actual structure. Take for example the Monogamous family, The general structure of Monogamous family is a unit consisting of a husband and a wife. But the actual structure of Monogamous family may vary from place to place and time to time.  For instance, on the basis of residence of the couple after marriage there can be four types of Monogamous families namely Patrilocal (staying in the house of husband), Matrilocal (staying in the house of wife), Thursday, June 09,

 A vuncolocal (staying in the house of maternal uncles) or neo-local ( staying separately away from the parents and relatives).  Similarly on the basis of power structure in the family we have Patriarchal (where man enjoys power), Matriarchal (where woman enjoys power) and equalitarian (where power is shared) families. Thursday, June 09,

Criticisms  Radcliff Brown’s views on social structure have been subjected to criticism by Evans Pritchard, the author of famous book ‘The Nuers’.  His main criticism is that Radcliff Brown was not justified in stating that all human groups have their own structure.  On the contrary, Evans Pritchard maintained that only enduring and persistent groups like nation, tribes, and clans that retain, in fact their structure despite changes in the component members can have structure.  He also restricted social structure to the inter-relation of groups explicitly excluding inter-personal relations. Thursday, June 09,

 Whereas enduring groups like nation, tribe, clan that continue to exist and retain their characteristics despite the changes in membership can be truly be said to possess structure.  Radcliff Brown has replied to the criticism. He writes that Evans Pritchard has unnecessarily restricted the scope of the concept by stating that only enduring groups like nations, tribes and clans can have structure and not others. Thursday, June 09,

 He maintains that even informal groups can possess their own structure as long as they exist.  In fact recent researchers into group dynamics have proved that informal groups not only possess their own structure but also play a vital role in the lives of nations, tribes, clans etc.  Before, we wind up our discussion of Radcliff Brown’s views, it is persistent to note a general criticism that is leveled against the organismic theory- the theory that compares human society with an organism. Thursday, June 09,