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The Five Schools of Thought
Application
Social Issue: Prostitution
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Introduction

You were asked to read the handout on the different
perspectives that sociologists can have about the same issue.

The case study focused upon Prostitution.

Three of the five perspectives we are considering were
covered in the article.

Please keep in mind that the article clearly focuses only on
female prostitution.

Please contribute to the class discussion- don’t worry about
being right or wrong…this is new to everyone!
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Functionalist
(Reminder… society is like the human body)

Focus on stability, consensus and shared values in society.

Change is disruptive when it is rapid.

If one system in society does not function the rest of society is
impacted.

Balance in society is ideal (equilibrium and harmony).

Function vs dysfunction.
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What were your ideas? Discuss as
a class!
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A Functionalist View of Prostitution

Institutions exist to benefit their participants.

Harmony is the natural state for society and therefore
prostitution will exist so long as it contributes to this
state.

People may become prostitutes because they are
unskilled and it allows them to earn money, meet daily
needs.

Also serves a purpose for the client.

A functionalist would argue that as long as the
participants practice safe sex, society should seek to
regulate it as it has a function.
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Conflict Theory
(Prompt…society is like a tug of war)

Groups in society are engaged in a continuous power struggle for
scarce resources.

Focuses on opposed interest groups/social groups and their attempts to
gain power and use it to their advantage at the expense of others.

Dominant groups impose their views through force.

Conflict between classes leads to social change.

Social consensus is limited and inequality is widespread.

Conflict is seen as universal, inevitable.

Change is viewed as inevitable and positive although it can be violent.
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What were your ideas? Discuss as
a class!
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A Conflict Theorist View of
Prostitution

Society is not harmonious…always in conflict, people are always
struggling for power.

Prostitutes who have no power are being exploited by those
who do have power.

In general women in Canada have less power and money than
men and are therefore more women than men are prostitutes.

The law has historically punished prostitutes by fining and
jailing them whereas the clients get little or no punishment.

Reforms must take place to provide more social and economic
power to those with little.

Legal reform is needed so that not only the prostitutes are
punished.
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Symbolic Interactionism
(Prompt…society is like a play)

Focuses on how individuals in society interpret and react to
situations.

Is the one theory that focuses on microlevel analysis (the
individual or small groups).

Humans are social animals who require interaction .

People can only be understood as individuals and the symbolic
importance that they attach to interaction with others- group life
takes shape through this interaction.

People’s actions and identities are products of past experiences
and therefore the same situation does not necessarily evoke the
same response in two people.

How and why do people act in socially prescribed ways?
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What were your ideas? Discuss as
a class!
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A Symbolic Interactionist View of
Prostitution

Can only understand a person by looking at them as an
individual.

Cannot make generalizations and explaining prostitution in
relation to society.

You need to understand the importance people attach to their
individual social interaction.

A prostitute might see her life as exiting, enjoy risk-taking and
violating rules, or prostitution might simply be a means for
earning money.

Only the individual can explain the significance of the
relationship, a social scientist should not decide this.
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Laws will likely fail to bring about desired results.
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Now onto the last two… please
feel free to work with a partner!

There is no description of a Feminist perspective on
prostitution in the article so it is time to extend your thinking.

The following slide is on a handout that you received last
week. Use the key ideas about each perspective to guide
you.

Spend 5 -10 minutes on Feminism and then regroup to
discuss as a class.

My notes will follow!
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Feminism
(Prompt…society is like an unfinished painting)
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For many years the study of Sociology focused on men and their
experience not the whole population therefore not true social
reality.

Historically when women were considered, it was from a male
perspective. This led to/ perpetuated inequality of women.

Focuses on the significance of gender in understanding and
explaining inequalities that exist between men and women
(culture, law, labor, politics, household).
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Asserts the belief that women and men are equal, should be
equally valued and should have equal rights.

This perspective brings the experiences of women to the forefront
(violence against women, poverty, reproductive labor.
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What were your ideas? Discuss as
a class!
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A Feminist View of Prostitution
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A feminist would look at the issue from a female perspective and
consider it a gendered issue.
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In general women in Canada have less power and money than men.
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Some feminists see prostitution as a means of empowerment for womenindependence in the money she earns.
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Others see it is a form of male domination over women- degradation
exploitation and abuse.
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In some places, female prostitutes like other workers have united to get
better working conditions, reduce violence directed at them and
decriminalize their work.
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Society teaches males to dominate females and teaches females to be
submissive to males- expectations that carry over into adulthood.
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Prostitution supports the idea that women can be bought or are less
valuable then men.
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Postmodernism

There is no description of a Postmodern perspective on
prostitution in the article so it is time to extend your
thinking.

The following slide is on a handout that you received last
week. Use the key ideas about each perspective to guide
you.

Spend 5 -10 minutes on Postmodernism and then regroup
as a class. Please keep in mind that the article clearly
focuses on female prostitution.

My notes will follow!
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Postmodern
(Prompt…society is like a box of mismatched puzzle pieces)
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Assumes that the existing theories have not been successful in
explaining social life in societies that are dealing with postindustrialization, consumerism, global communications.
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Emerged after WWII (Postmodern = post-industrial).
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Sharing ideas from different academic disciplines (social science, art,
philosophy, literature) will enhance our understanding of society.
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Asserts that an information explosion characterizes contemporary
societies and that economies are based on jobs where people apply
information or provide services.
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Consumer societies and global village are key ideas.
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Groups cannot be clearly defined and society is not stable.
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Critics argue that it ignores some social problems like inequality (based
on race class and gender and in global political and economic issues).
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What were your ideas? Discuss as
a class!
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A Postmodern View of Prostitution
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A postmodernist would argue that none of the above theories
could explain prostitution fully.
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A prostitute is objectified and viewed as a commodity to be
bought.
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Focus upon the struggle between the individual and the state.
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The state (government) wants to impose discipline(rules) that
keep it in control vs. individual freedom.
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Prostitutes are being controlled when their activities are
deemed illegal.
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Critics would say that postmodernists ignore issues of gender,
class and economic oppression linked to prostitution- too
superficial.
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On your own…
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Please try the assignment page (will be passed out) on your
own.

Be sure to fill in the chart at the top with key words.
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Use these words as you form your ideas/arguments about
each perspective.
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This is a formative assessment.