CONFLICT THEORY: LEWIS COSER

 

Lewis Coser (Conflict Theory)

 

German American Sociologist

Born 27th November 1913 in Berlin Germany

Died 8th July 2003

Education : from Columbia University

Book: THE FUNCTION OF SOCIAL CONFLICT  (1956)

 

 Three spheres of conflict                   COERCION

                                                            DOMINANCE

                                                            POWER

 Coser emphasis on the revival of conflict perspective which in a way in 1950s and 60s was not a dominant perspective. It was functionalism which was the most dominant perspective at that time.

Lewis Coser with the help of his book “The Function of Social Conflict” tries to revive the conflict perspective.

Coser emphasized on the function of social conflict as an interactive process and depicts conflict as a form of socialization.

 

LEWIS COSER

ü  Draws the majority of his theoretical ideas from George Simmel rather than Marx and Weber.

ü  He is the first to consider the functional consequences of conflict

ü  Simmel was the first to acknowledge that conflict is a natural and necessary part of society

ü  Coser brought Simmel’s idea to mainstream sociology.

ü  Coser (1956) was motivated to consider the functional consequences of conflict to address a deficiency in Talcott Parsons’s theory : “Parsons considers conflict primarily a disease”.

ü  Coser argues that conflict is instinctual  we find it everywhere in human society.

ü  He sees conflict as a normal and functional part of human life.

ü  People and groups have the emotional and material resources to become involved in conflict and social change.

 

PROPOSITIONS OF CONFLICT PROCESSES

 PROPOSITON ON CAUSE OF CONFLICT

The more subordinate members in a system of inequality questions the legitimacy of the existing distribution of scarce resources, the more likely are they initiate conflict.

The fewer are the channels for readdressing grievances over the distribution of scarce resources by subordinates the more likely are they to question legitimacy.

The more deprivation of subordinates are transformed from absolute to relative, the greater will be their sense of injustice and hence the more likely are they to initiate conflict.

PROPOSITION ON THE VIOLENCE OF CONFLICT

The more groups engage in conflict over realistic issues (obtainable goals) the more likely are they to seek compromises over the means to realize their interests and hence the less violent is the conflict.

The more groups engage in conflict over nonrealistic issues (values, beliefs, ideology etc) the greater is the level of emotional arousal and involvement in the conflict, and hence the more violent is the conflict.

Where there are high degrees of functional interdependence among actors (mutual exchange and cooperation) then the conflict is less likely to be violent.

However if there is great inequality in power among social units or functional interdependence decreases, then conflict occurs and it will tend to be non-realistic and violent.

If people perceive conflict as a means to achieving clearly expressed rational goals, than conflict will tend to be less violent.  For e.g.

PROPOSITION ON DURATION OF CONFLICT                                                  

Where the goals of conflict parties are extensive

where there is dissent over goals

where conflict parties cannot interpret symbolic points of victory and defeat

where leaders cannot assess the cost of victory

where leaders cannot effectively persuade followers :

Then the conflict will be of longer duration

PROPOSITION ON THE FUNCTIONS OF CONFLICT TO THE RESPECTIVE PARTIES

The more intense is the conflict, the more clear cut boundaries of each respective conflict party.

The more violent, intense and internally differentiated are the conflict parties , the more centralize will be the decision making structure of each party

When the conflict is more violent or intense and inclined towards the welfare of all  segments of society, the more it promotes structural and ideological solidarity among the member of each conflict party.

 Groups engage in continual struggle with outside group tend to become intolerant within and are less likely to tolerate even limited dissent

Conflict also leads to the formation of coalition and association between previously unrelated parties

PROPOSITION ON THE FUNCTIONS OF CONFLICT FOR THE SOCIAL WHOLE

Coser suggest that conflict tends to be dysfunctional only for the social structure in which there is insufficient toleration or institutionalization of conflict. (when there is no proper way to tackle the conflict then conflict becomes a problem.

Coser argues that conflict can have integrating as well as disintegrating effects. Conflict functions differently whether it is between unrelated groups (external) or inside a group, between factions (internal).

Under these conditions, internal conflict will produce the following functional consequences:

ü  Conflict will serve to

     Release pent up hostilities (works as safety valve)

     Create norms regulating conflict

     Develop clear lines of authority and jurisdiction (especially around the issues that conflict develops)

External conflict that is more violent will tend to have the following functional consequences:

Stronger group boundaries

Higher social solidarity

More efficient use of power and authority

Lewis Coser talks about social function of conflict and specifically emphasized on the three major functions that conflict plays

1                    contributes to social change

2                    stimulate innovation

3                    increase of central power

 

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