Functionalism
"Batman is the hero Gotham deserves, but not the one it needs right now. So we'll hunt him, because he can take it. Because he's not a hero. He's a single guardian, a watchful protector. The Dark Knight." The movie, Batman: Dark Knight, produced by Christopher Nolan, was a feature film about a vigilante seen as a villain. Any city other than Gotham would embrace such a courageous, stylish hero, but Gotham needs a hero that saves the day the right way due to endless dirty cops and gang violence. While this quote sums up two and a half hours of action and manipulation, it can be related to society and everyday living. Functionalism has long been considered one of the most dominant theoretical perspectives in social sciences. It focuses on social norms, behaviors, community, and education. This paper discusses the functionalist theory, and then applies its ideas to the films The Blindside, and Batman: The Dark Knight. Emile Durkheim focused the functionalist theory on each part of society in terms of how it contributes to the stability of the whole society. Society is more than the entirety of its parts; each part of society is functional for the solidity of the whole society. Thus, The Dark Knight wouldn’t win any governmental elections, so he shouldn’t be the protector either.
Emile Durkheim started his life attending rabbinical school. Growing up in France, Durkheim’s very first conflicts was with the academic system France was using, saying it lacked social science, and was, in his eyes, the most important. After changing his focus from philosophy, psychology, and ethics, he had found his calling in sociology. While in Germany for two years, he produced many articles on German social science. This caught the eye of the French and Durkheim was offered a position at the University of Bordeaux in 1887. Some of his notable work includes Suicide: A Study in Sociology, this case study focused on the suicide rates between Catholics, and Protestants....