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Development Team Paper No. : 10 Theories and methods in social and cultural Anthropology Module : 10 Structural- functionalism: Radcliffe Brown Development Team Principal Investigator Prof. Anup Kumar Kapoor Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi Paper Coordinator Prof. Anup Kumar Kapoor Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi Minakshi Gogoi Content Writer Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi Prof. Subir Biswas, Department of Anthropology, West Content Reviewer Bengal State University, Barasat, West Bengal 1 Theories and methods in social and cultural Anthropology Anthropology Structural- functionalism: Radcliffe Brown Description of Module Subject Name Anthropology Paper Name 10 Theories and methods in social and cultural Anthropology Module Name/Title Structural- functionalism: Radcliffe Brown Module Id 10 2 Theories and methods in social and cultural Anthropology Anthropology Structural- functionalism: Radcliffe Brown Contents Introduction 1. British School of Structural Functionalism 1.1 Alfred Reginald Radcliffe-Brown’s Concept of Social Structure 1.2 S.F. Nadel 1.3 E.R. Leach 1.4 Raymond Firth’s Views on Structure-function 2. American School of Structural Functionalism 2.1 Talcott Parsons 2.2 Robert K. Merton 2.3 Kluckhohn 3. French School of Structural Functionalism: 3.1 Émile Durkheim 3.2 Levi-Strauss Learning Outcomes To develop an understanding about structural functionalism To know about different schools of thought of structural functionalism To know the contribution of different pioneers to the concept To critically analyze to concept 3 Theories and methods in social and cultural Anthropology Anthropology Structural- functionalism: Radcliffe Brown Introduction Structural Functionalism is a sociological theory that attempts to explain why society functions the way it does by focusing on the relationships between the various social institutions that makes up society (e.g., government, law, education, religion etc.) Structural Functionalism is a theoretical understanding of society that puts social systems as the collective means to fill society’s 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. Thus, one of the key ideas in Structural Functionalism is that society is made-up of groups or institutions, which are cohesive, share common norms, and have a definitive culture. Gender inequality offers a good illustration. According to Structural Functionalist thought, a woman being subordinate to men allows the cogs of society to function smoothly as everyone in the society knows his or her respective positions in the hierarchy. The implication, of course, is that, because society is functioning smoothly with gender stratification, such stratification is acceptable and efforts should not be made to change the arrangement. This example illustrates that Structural Functionalism is generally seen as being supportive of the status quo. Malinowski and Radcliffe Brown developed the concept of synchronic functional analysis of culture which was concerned with present and now. In their view the purpose of comparison was to explore socio-cultural institutions of present day societies in terms of their socio-cultural similarities. Radcliffe-Brown who had used the term function earlier than Malinowski was not ready to accept Malinowski, who claimed himself as the father of functionalism on the basis of theory of need for which culture, either in past or at present was functional instrument. Radcliffe-Brown put great emphasis upon distinguishing on the structural function from the function of Malinowski and others. According to Brown the only acceptable definition of function was, ‘the contribution an institution makes to the maintenance of social structure”. The gap in opinions of Radcliffe-Brown and Malinowski become so wider that Brown and his associates established a separate school of thought known as Structural-Functional School of Anthropological thought. As the concepts of structure become wedded with function, this school is also known as Structural Functional school. The Structural Functional Theory also got acceptance in America by the sociologist and anthropologists, while in French, Emile Durkheim and Levi Strauss developed Structural-Functional theory to a great extent. 4 Theories and methods in social and cultural Anthropology Anthropology Structural- functionalism: Radcliffe Brown Structural Functional School is divided into three main groups, namely, British School of Structural Functionalism, American School of Structural Functionalism and French School of Structuralism. The names of contributors of Structural Functionalism School of Anthropology are given below: STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONAL SCHOOL OF ANTHROPOLOGY British School of Structural American School French School of Functionalism Structuralism Structural Functionalism A.R. Radcliffe Brown, S.F. Talcott Parsons, Merton, Emile- Durkhiem and Levi- Nadel, E.R. Leach, R. Firth, R.H.Lowie, M. Kluckhohn, Strauss Mayer Fortes, E. Evans G.P. Murdock, all Pritchard anthropologists The concept of structure and function was first given by Herbert Spencer in his book, Principles of Sociology (1885, Vol.1), where he talked about fundamental similarities between ‘organism’ and ‘society’. He treated society as integrated order of parts like an organism in which parts are interrelated and integrated in order to provide the structure of that particular society. These different unites of the society contribute valuable functions as a integrated whole for the existence of society and maintenance of social order. This view of Spencer had made him structural functionalist. The concept of structure and function also appeared in the writings of Emile Durkheim, French anthropologists in his book entitled “Division of Labour” (1893) and in the Roles of Sociological Method (1895). Durkheim is of the view that structural unites of society such as family, political, religion, kinship, economic organization contribute valuable functions for maintaining the order of the society. The term social structure is defined by many anthropologists and sociologists. According to the sociologist Talcott Parsons, “Social Structure is a term applied to particular arrangement of interrelated institutions, agencies and social patterns as well as status and roles which each person assumes in the group” (1951:89). Anthropologist Radcliffe-Brown the chief pioneer of British School of Structural Functionalism, opines that “components of social structure are human beings, the structure itself being an arrangement of persons in relationship institutionally defined and regulated” (1950:82). 1. British School of Structural Functionalism 5 Theories and methods in social and cultural Anthropology Anthropology Structural- functionalism: Radcliffe Brown 1.1 Alfred Reginald Radcliffe-Brown’s Concept of Social Structure: The concept of social structure and its functional features has been described by Radcliffe-Brown in his book “Structure and Function in Primitive Society” (1952). According to him the concept of structure refers to an arrangement of parts related to one another in some sort of larger unity. For instance, the structure of a house reveals the arrangement of walls, roofs, rooms, passage, windows, etc. In social structure the ultimate components are the arrangements of persons in relation to each other. For instance, in a village arrangements of persons into families are found, which is again a structural features. For example, in a family, we find mother, brother, sister, uncle, aunt etc. Structural Features of Social Life: According to A.R. Radcliffe-Brown, the structural features of social life as follows: 1. Existence of social group: social structure consists of all kinds of social groups like family, clan, moieties, social sanction, totemic group, social classes, caste group, kinship system etc. The inter relations among these groups constitute the core of the social structural phenomenon. 2. Internal structure of the group: these groups have specific internal structure. For example, a family consists with the relations of father, mother and their children. 3. Arrangement into social classes: these groups are arranged into social classes and categories. For example, the economic classes in the Western societies and the castes in the Indian societies. 4. Social Distinctions: there is social distinction between different classes which is based on sex, economic distinctions, and authority and caste distinctions. For example, in India there is social distinction between the Brahmins and Shudras. 5. Arrangement of persons in dyadic relationship: an example of dyadic relationship is person to person relationship like master and servant. 6. Interaction between groups and persons: interaction between persons can be seen in social processes involving co-operation, conflict, accommodations etc. while the interaction between groups can be seen while nation goes to war with another nation. Types of Social Structure: According to Radcliffe-Brown the importance of social institution is that social structure is the arrangement of persons which is controlled and defined by institutions. There are two types of models of studying social structure i.e. actual social structure and general social structure. ‘Actual
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