"The Functions of Social Conflict"

Paper Summary:

This paper reviews the book by Lewis Coser "The Functions of Social Conflict". The paper examines the strong internal cohesion in the American society resulting from the U.S.-Iraq War. The paper contends that that conflict is functional for society as it causes the strengthening of unity and patriotism, traits that illustrate solidarity among Americans as the country fights its war against terrorism.

From the Paper:

"The emergence of conflict between or among groups of people that are characteristically different from each other in terms of beliefs, values, and feelings towards an issue or problem creates unity within each group in the same way that the conflict divides these groups. This is especially true when the consequences of the conflict are too valuable to be ignored and can be detrimental to the functioning of both groups. Lewis Coser, in his book entitled, "The Functions of Social Conflict," discusses both the benefits and detriments of social conflict within society-what makes conflict functional or dysfunctional for the welfare of society or the common good. Analyzing social conflict from a sociological perspective, adopting Georg Simmel's discussion on conflict in particular, Coser puts forth one of the strongest arguments in the book, which posits that social conflict has a function within society, and this is to bring internal cohesion among its members."

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