The three main sociological perspectives – functionalism, conflict and interactionism – are explored through a Diego Rivera painting. Then, functionalism is used to examine a circus; conflict perspective is used to examine the Haymarket Massacre; and the interactionist perspective is used to...

In 1999, Elian Gonzales captured hearts and headlines all over the world. The story of this six-year old Cuban boy was charged with drama, including a fatal sea voyage, a rescued child, intense family disputes in Florida and Cuba, political protests and international tensions. The three...

In addition to the three primary sociological perspectives, there are others, including the feminist perspective. It asks the question, “How does gender shape people’s social experience? This perspective focuses on women’s concerns and shows how they have been ignored and neglected.