Throughout history, social phenomena have been explained by various sociologists by the use of theories. The sociologists have ranged from the famous German Karl Marx to W.E.B. Dubois to Emile Durkheim and Robert Merton. Different sociological theories have been put forward to try and explain the relationship between particular facts in the society. These theories help us view, explain and predict different social phenomena in the world we live today and also the various human behaviors.
Theory selection and definition
My sociological theory of choice is the functionalism theory. This theory tries to answer the question of, 'what holds societies together over time'? Functionalism views the society as a conglomeration of different parts that lead to the survival and stability of the whole society at large. The parts or components work hand in hand complimenting each other and if/ when one fails then a state of dysfunction is realized otherwise the status quo remains. The different components include but not limited to: family, government, school, marriage as an institution and so forth. The existence of a single social component is thus tied to its utility and if its usefulness in the society as a system is no longer of value then it ceases to exist.
The functionalist perspective views the different social institutions as ones that contribute to the steadiness of the system. For instance, the school in its capacity builds and imparts knowledge in the minds of the children and all citizenry for the state to prosper economically. Politics services the system with persons to govern the society and religion on its part provides law abiding members and also imparts them with the moral uprightness.
Film selection and introduction
The film I picked was "Zootopia". Zootopia is a 2016 comedy film set in the modern metropolis of zootopia. The city is a habitat for almost all the world's animals that have or are thought to have evolved from their primitive forms and thus live in harmony and no single animal preys on the other for their survival. The movie details the life story and determination of Judy hops, a bunny cop, from her local town of Bunny burrow to the city of zootopia. It also showcases her dream of becoming the first-ever bunny cop and the challenges that accompany the same. While in the city working for the Zootopia Police Department (ZPD), she unprecedentedly partners with the red fox con artist, Nick Wilde. Their unlikely partnership is to unearth a conspiracy that involved the disappearance of predators.
Examples from the movie
Family
Family, as an element of the functionalism theory, is the basic element mandated with the upbringing of the children for the benefit, survival and stability of the society. Family is tasked with the reproduction of new members for the society and also offering the moral and emotional support. This can be deduced from the film, Zootopia, by the fact that the family of Judy stood by her side in her pursuit to become the first bunny cop although at first, they were reluctant. They proved this once again after she resigned from her work at the ZPD and returned to her local area of birth, Bunnyburrow.
Another instance of family emotional support is brought out when Nick the fox takes his child to the ice cream store to buy for him a birthday present despite Nick having no money and goes to the extent of lying that he had forgotten his wallet just to make his son feel the sense of belonging to a family that cares about him. The fact that Judy comes and "bails" him out is a clear depiction of what her family back in Bunnyburrow had instilled in her; the virtue of kindness and helping those in need. This can also be picked from the instance where Judy helps some kids from Gideon the bully going to the extent of her getting injured.
When Nick was still a young fox and had the dream of joining the Junior rangers, it was his family that made the first step of making this dream be achieved, by purchasing for him the required scout uniforms.
The dysfunction of the family is seen from the kid-members of the junior scouts. The idea that foxes are savages had evidently been planted by their parents. This shook the stability of zootopia as a society as it created disharmony and did threaten the survival of the same in the later days.
Education
In the society as a system, schools exist to impart skills and knowledge to a person. They usually prepare that person for the workplace by instilling competence in them and also preparing them for the challenges of the workplace. Education either makes one conform or change in terms of their mentality. From the movie, Zootopia, it was education and training that actualized the dream of Judy the cop. It was through the different trainings in the police academy that made her competent and a better police than even her seniors at the ZPD. A closer look at how Nick and Judy conduct themselves in their quest to uncover the conspiracy of savage predators brings out a clear difference between a person educated and trained in the police service (Judy) and one who is not (Nick). Nick follows his instincts, intuition and experience as a person accustomed to crime in the city, whereas Judy uses her skills and what was taught to her while in the police academy.
The movie script presents Judy as the valedictorian among her peers in the academy and what follows later is her unmatched skills in combating crime. To the viewer thus, a direct comparison is presented to him/her and is left to believe that truly education leads to competence in the work area.
Politics
As a component of functionalism, politics is mandated with supplying the society with the ruling class. It provides the system of governance, rules and laws and also the security needed for the whole society to thrive and survive. Taking examples from the film, zootopia, the animals being ordinary members of the society were not exempted from this component too. Being a metropolis, zootopia derived its leadership from the mayor who ruled the subjects. This chain of leadership also included the assistant mayor. The category of people that were mandated with enforcing the laws and maintaining order were those from the ZPD that included sergeant Bogo and the new recruits, Judy and Nick.
The members of the society usually have total belief in the ruling members of the society and hence, when the conspiracy was created by them, all fell for it. The mayor wanted to play it safe when he unlawfully detained the savage predators. He wanted to protect his political position thus saw the detention as justified. The political class led by Bellweather was the same one that resurfaced the long-forgotten belief that all predators are savages and a threat to the existence and peace of zootopia.
Crime
Crime is a social vice but in the perspective of the functionalism theory, it comes as both a function and a dysfunction. As a dysfunction, it creates disorder and disharmony in the society and this, in turn, threatens the survival and stability of the society as a system. As a function, on the other hand, it leads to an increase in the cohesion of the members of a society. Crime also regulates and shapes human conduct when it occurs in a society as the police usually use this chance to assert their authority and the general code of conduct.
From the film, the obvious dysfunction elements of crime are portrayed by Duke Weaselton who steals bulbs from members of the society for the pharmacist. The fox was previously involved in crime revolving around the city of zootopia thus deemed as a dysfunction to the stability of the society. The biggest dysfunction as a result of crime is evidenced by the aristocracy. The mayor and his replacement, madam Bellweather, are both involved in the conspiracy that had rocked zootopia. Unlike her predecessor, who wanted to help, Bellweather on her part wanted to create an imbalance in the society and condition the other animals to believe that predators are savages as have always been and animals not to be trusted or made friends. To actualize this, she thus resolved to the creation of a crime circle that involved the pharmacist and ordinary members of the society like Duke Weaselton.
In equal measure, were in not for crime then the formidable partnership of Nick the fox and Judy the bunny would most probably not have been realized. During the time of the conspiracy up until when Bellweather was arrested, all the non-predator animals in zootopia had united against their "savage, primitive and dangerous" counterparts.
After the conspiracy scheme was defeated, the animals in zootopia were more united and friendly than ever, all this thanks to the crime.
In conclusion
Based on the functionalism theory, the society should be viewed as the system made up of different components that complement each other. It can be compared to the whole human body and how the different organs work hand in hand to make the person function and live. The hand takes the food to the mouth whereas the mouth chews and the stomach does the digestion. The eyes see and the ears do the hearing. The same applies to the society that is fed by the different components for its survival. A member of the society is thus exposed to these components from the first day they see the light of the world to the day they die. The society thus balances itself in all aspects.
