conflict theory

Syllable breakdown

Dictionary meaning

a macro-sociological perspective rooted in the work of Karl Marx that views society as characterised by ongoing struggle between groups with competing interests, particularly over access to economic resources and power; conflict theorists argue that social institutions, laws, and cultural norms function primarily to reproduce the dominance of powerful groups and marginalise others; the framework has been extended beyond class to encompass racial, gender, and other forms of social conflict by theorists including Max Weber, C. Wright Mills, and contemporary critical sociologists