"Conflict theories are perspectives in political philosophy and sociology which argues that individuals and groups (social classes) within society interact on the basis of conflict rather than agreement."
A theoretical perspective that views society as a system of inequality and conflict between groups, with power and resources unequally distributed among them.
Basic concepts: To learn about Conflict Theory, one should first be familiar with basic concepts such as social conflict, class conflict, power, exploitation, alienation, and inequality.
History of Conflict Theory: It is crucial to be familiar with the roots of the Conflict Theory and how it has evolved over time. One must learn about the historical thinkers who contributed to the development of the theory, such as Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim.
Social Stratification: Conflict Theory examines social stratification as a fundamental cause of social conflict. It tests how social classes came into being, how they operate, and how they can lead to inequality and social stratification.
Social Inequality: Conflict Theory also highlights social inequality as a significant aspect of social conflict. It studies the structural disparities that exist within society, such as incomparability of wealth or education.
Power: The central theme of Conflict Theory is power. It considers the disparity of power between social groups as the primary cause of social conflict.
Exploitation: Conflict Theory studies how those with more power exploit those with less power in a given society. It is primarily focused on economic exploitation and examines those at the top of the hierarchy take advantage of those at the bottom.
Social Change: Conflict Theory emphasizes social change and how it comes about. It acknowledges that social conflicts drive social change and highlights the necessity of social activism to bring about change.
Social Control: Conflict Theory also explores the ways in which those at the top of the hierarchy control those at the bottom by developing laws that create inequalities and perpetuating harmful beliefs that maintain the status quo.
Capitalism: Capitalism is a central focus of Conflict Theory. The theory highlights how capitalism creates economic relationships that result in exploitation and how capitalist economic systems operate to benefit those at the top of the hierarchy.
Social Movements: Conflict Theory recognizes that social activism, in the form of social movements, can be the solution to inequality and social stratification. It explores the various methods used by social movements to create change.
Race and Ethnicity: Conflict Theory examines ethnic and racial disparities as a significant source of social conflict. It considers how race and ethnicity influence social stratification and examines how the wealthy exploit the poor across different racial and ethnic groups.
Gender: Conflict Theory emphasizes gender as a significant factor in social stratification and inequality. It evaluates how gender inequalities exist at a social level and how it impacts the ability of individuals to obtain wealth, power, and status within society.
Social Institutions: Conflict Theory studies various social institutions such as the legal and justice systems, banking and finance, government and politics, and educational institutions. It tests how these social institutions can reinforce inequality and stratification in society.
Cultures and Ideologies: Conflict Theory studies how cultural beliefs and ideologies influence social change and inequality. It explores the relationship between culture and power and how those at the top of the hierarchy use culture to maintain their status and power.
Structural Change: Conflict Theory highlights how structural change can bring about radical shifts in society. It provides a framework for understanding how oppressed groups can change power structures that keep them marginalized.
Critiques of Conflict Theory: It is essential to be familiar with critiques of Conflict Theory. Learning about critiques will help learners understand opposing views and criticisms of the theory itself.
Marxist Conflict Theory: This theory was developed by Karl Marx and argues that society is organized in a way that benefits the ruling class while exploiting the working class. Class struggle and economic inequality are at the heart of this theory, and it suggests that the working class should overthrow the ruling class to establish a more equal society.
Feminist Conflict Theory: This theory focuses on gender inequality and the marginalization of women in society. It suggests that societal norms and traditions have systematically disadvantaged women, and that women's oppression is centered around their roles in the family and in the workplace.
Critical Race Theory: This theory explores the impact of race and racism on society. Critical race theorists argue that racism is not an individual problem, but rather a systemic problem that is ingrained in societal structures and laws.
Postmodern Conflict Theory: This theory suggests that traditional conflict theories (like Marxism) are limited in their ability to explain societal conflict because they rely on universalizing assumptions about human behavior. Postmodern conflict theory challenges the notion of universal truth and instead argues that social phenomena are fragmented and complex.
"While also emphasizing social psychology, historical materialism, power dynamics, and their roles in creating power structures, social movements, and social arrangements within a society."
"Conflict theories often draw attention to power differentials, such as class conflict, and generally contrast historically dominant ideologies."
"Many political philosophers and sociologists have been framed as having conflict theories, dating back as far as Plato's idea of the tripartite soul of The Republic, to Hobbes' ideas in The Leviathan. Other historical political philosophers associated with having 'conflict theories' include Jean Bodin, Adam Smith, John Stuart Mills, Thomas Robert Malthus, Karl Marx, and Georg Simmel."
"Georg Simmel was one of the earliest sociologists to formally use 'conflict' as a framework to understand social change."
"Georg Simmel ... writing about the topic in his 1908 book, 'Conflict and the Web of Group Affiliations'."
"Conflict theory does not refer to a unified school of thought, and should not be confused with, for instance, social conflict theory, or any other specific theory related to social conflict."