Sociological Perspectives Paper

SOC/100

Sociological Perspectives Paper

Introduction to video and clarification of the applied theoretical perspective.
The video of School girl attacks identifies an attack on school girls in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Zahira, who is a 13-year-old, is interviewed by NBC told her story about the attack. Zahira, who always showed excitement about attending school, lost her joy after the attack on her and five other girls. The attack took place during the girls walk from school.
Men on motorcycles drove by tossed acid in the girls faces. The Taliban’s are known to be the rivals to Afghanistan’s. “The Taliban’s felt girls were unholy if they attend school” (NBC News, 2011). At the time of the attack Zahira thought it was a prank incident. However, it cause the girls to not attend school for five days, left Zahira cousin Chauncy partially blind, mood changes has been altered, still a desire to learn, but fear has been instilled in the girls. Functionalists theoretical clarify the involvement to social stability in Afghanistan (NBC News, 2011).
Specific components of the perspective used in the evaluation.
Manifest functions of institutions are open, stated, and conscious functions. They involve the intended, recognized consequences of an aspect of society. The stated and conscious function is the school existence, which was to educate the girls. The conscious function was the girls going to school along with their desire to improve themselves and get an education and be a part of the future success of their country. Taliban attacks was to discourage girls from going to school in Kandahar, and this was stated openly by their actions, throwing the acid on the girls, latent function unconscious or unintended functions that may reflect hidden purpose of an institution (Merton, 1968). Even though these attacks were to discourage the girls in Kandahar from going to school and getting an education, it does the opposite it creates an atmosphere of defiance and a willingness to defeat the Taliban enemy. The girls desire to be educated has become more important than their safety or wellbeing and gave them a focus for their defiance. Dysfunctions, not part of a society that contributes to its stability all the time. This is an element or process of a society that may disrupt the social system or reduces stability. There have been hundreds of school-related attacks in Afghanistan over the past year alone but nothing like this, (NBC News, 2011). This has caused a disruption in their society. This disruption created the need for the military presence for security. How a person evaluates a dysfunction depends on your point of view. Like the guards in prison have come to view the gangs as part of the functional part of their jobs, (G. Scott 2001). The danger the Taliban possess and the attacks on the girls created the same dysfunctional view as the guards and a need for security from the Military. The military presence is based on the danger that exist, without the attacks from the enemy there would not be a need for the military, no jobs for the soldiers, and the training the soldier provided for Afghan police would not exist.
Specific examples from the video from the viewpoint of the designated theoretical approach. Functionalist’s theoretical approach emphasizes the contribution it makes to social stability in Afghanistan. According to NBC News, “Zahira always looked forward attending school until one morning last month walking to the school in Kandahar with her older cousin, Chauncy. Just outside the school her life changed.” Zahira and five other girls were victims of a cruel acid attack. Kandahar has arrested four suspects, which appeared to be Taliban’s. The Taliban’s are considered to be the enemy to Afghanistan’s. The Taliban’s believe girls were unholy if they attend school. This has caused dysfunction in society for the students. The attack has caused the students to believe they live in an unstable society. After the attack Zahira and the others think their physical well-being is not safe in the society, which they live in. This acid attack was meant to keep the girls from attending the school, but the plan was failed. Being attack has caused students with social, emotional, and physical damage.
In conclusion in the functionalist perspective each portion of society is interdependent and contributes to society’s functioning. The attack was set to discourage the girls from attending school, but did not succeed. Zahria admits to have lost the joy of studying, but not her dreams to become a doctor and to give back to her country and its children one-day (NBC News, 2011).

References
School Girl Attacks”, by NBC News Archives. (2011). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Copyright 2011 by McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Adapted with permission
Sociology a brief introduction 9th edition, by Richard T Schaefer, (2011). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Copyright 2011 by McGraw-Hill.