Sociological paradigm (also sociological perespectives or frameworks) are specific 'points of view' used by social scientists in social research. All sociologists follow the general sociological perspective paradigm, but this general paradigm is divided into many smaller, sometimes mutually exclusive paradigms. They include:

• conflict paradigm paradigm focuses on the ability of some groups to dominate others, or resistance to such domination.
• ethnomethodology paradigm examines how people make sense out of social life in the process of living it, as if each was a researcher engaged in enquiry.
• feminist paradigm focuses on how male dominance of society has shaped social life.
• darwinism paradigm sees a progressive evolution in social life.
• positivism paradigm was an early 19th century approach, now considered obsolete in its pure form. Positivists believed we can scientifically discover all the rules governing social life.
• structural functionalism paradigm also known as a social systems paradigm addresses what functions various elements of the social system perform in regard to the entire system.
• symbolic interactionism paradigm examines how shared meanings and social patterns are developed in the course of social interactions.

Out of those three, the conflict paradigm, symbolic interactionism and structural functionalism are the most famous.

References

• Earl Babbie, 'The Practice of Social Research', 10th edition, Wadsworth, Thomson Learning Inc., ISBN 0534620299
• Michael Hughes, Carolyn J. Kroehler, James W. Vander Zanden. 'Sociology: The Core', McGraw-Hill, ISBN 007240535XOnline chapter summary

External links

• Introduction to sociological perspective and paradigms for students by Phil Bartle

Sociology