What important insights about war and peace do we gain from structural-functional, social-conflict, and symbolic-interaction analysis? Howe can you use these insights to reduce the likelihood and human costs of war?
What is an Ideal response?
• Structural-functional theory suggests that war is a strategy that a society may use to establish its independence, defend its way of life, or reach other objectives. Terrorism is a strategy used by groups or nations to oppose a much stronger enemy. Conflict helps unite a society and strengthen its core values. Militarism helps expand the economy. Many technological advances that improve our lives, including the Internet, were developed through military research.
• Symbolic-interaction theory focuses on the meanings and understandings that people attach to conflict. National leaders use symbols to convince a population that their cause is just. Leaders also use symbols to demonize an enemy.
• Social-conflict theory links war to social inequality. Marx explained militarism as efforts by the capitalist elite to gain ever-increasing profits through colonialism; today, the goal is to defend and expand the capitalist global economy. Strong nations use war to dominate the globe; the powerless use terrorism to fight back.
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a. functionalist theory b. conflict theory c. symbolic interaction theory d. social exchange theory
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a. small-business class b. capitalist class c. working class d. managerial class
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A. causality. B. correlation. C. independent variable. D. law.
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A. the "threshold effect" B. "diminishing returns" C. the "tragedy of the commons" D. the Malthusian dilemma