THE FUNCTIONALISTS’ APPROACH TO SOCIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION: A CRITIQUE

Abstract

This paper is a critique of the functionalists’ approach to sociological explanation. Functionalism claims to provide hypothesis and explanations about possible connections in society.  Functionalist approach enables us to clarify the simple idea that in every particular society, the different activities are inter-connected. Functionalism therefore, sees society as a system of interconnected parts that work together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium for the whole. But then, in spite of all its talks, functionalism seems to have failed its general theory. Using the critical, analytic and evaluative method, this paper attempts to show that the functionalists’ approach to sociological explanation is not a sufficient method or model of sociological explanation. The paper therefore, concludes that the functionalists’ approach to sociological explanation is not really a special method of explanation in sociology as the functionalists claim.