Order/functionalist vs. conflict theories of ethnic relations - Essay Example

We are living in a world in which the ethnic relations or the relations between the societies are undergoing lot of problems. There are many instances in which different ethnic groups clashing each other at different parts of the world. In India, the majority Hindus and the minority Muslims and Christians have strained relationships whereas in Pakistan, the majority Muslims and the minority Hindus and Christians are clashing each other. In Middle East, Israel and the Arabs are fighting each other for dominance.

The case is not different in African or in Europe. The struggle for dominance is prevailing everywhere which affects the ethnic relations. Social scientists analyses these conflicts or ethnic relations with the help of different social science theories. “The functionalism, society is conceived as a system of interrelated parts in which no part can be understood in isolation with the whole part. Conflict theories do not agree with the unity in society that functionalists believe in (Functionalism vs Conflict Theory).

Functionalism witnesses society as a whole whereas conflict theorists consider a society in parts. For example, functionalists analyses the norms, customs, traditions and institutions of Indian society as a whole even though India consists of extremely diverse population. Functionalists believe that even though, Indian society consists of different beliefs and traditions with respect to religions, there are some common themes which unite the Indian society together. For example, Muslims constitute a major share of Indian population; however they unite under Indian flag in India’s struggle against Pakistan even though Pakistan is a Muslim country.

Indian military consists of lot of Muslims and in the war fronts; they will never segregate the enemies with respect to their religion. On the other hand, conflict theorists consider the society in parts. They believe that it is difficult for a group of people with contrasting ideologies to work together with another group with different ideologies and customs. According to them, the clashes between Muslims and Hindus in Indian societies or in Pakistan societies are happening because of the inability of contrasting ideologies to work or function together.

The constituent elements of a society such as norms, customs, traditions and institutions are considered as a whole by the functionalists whereas these elements are considered differently by the conflict theorists. Biological science is taken as the base to conceptualize and analyze the structure of the society by the functionalists. Functionalists believe that two people born in the same society may have more similarities than differences even though they happen to be in two different religions.

For example, the culture of Egyptian Muslims and that of Saudi Arabian Muslims could be entirely different because of the differences in societies. In other words, culture is more dominant rather than the religion in determining the functioning of a society. On the other hand, conflict theories based in social sciences which emphasize the social, political or material inequality existing in society. It also point towards the power differentials, ideological differences and class struggle existing in the society.

Conflict theories believe that instead of cultural differences, social inequalities or power differentials are the major motives for the clashes between societies. For example, the neighboring Middle Eastern Muslim countries Iran and Iraq, Iran and UAE or Iran and Saudi Arabia have lot of conflicts between them even though, these countries have similar culture. In other words, similar norms or culture need not be a benchmark for keeping good relations. Conflict theory