Functionalism — 2016 Paper I

Approach

• Demand: Explain formulations of Malinowski and Radcliffe-Brown; evaluate contribution/bias.
• Structure: Define -> Malinowski's needs-functionalism -> Radcliffe-Brown's structural-functionalism -> Critique/Relevance.
• Key points: Synchronic holism; Individual vs. Social structure; Equilibrium bias.

Introduction Functionalism is an anthropological theory that interprets cultural institutions by the specific role they play in maintaining the stability of the social structure or fulfilling individual needs. It marked a definitive shift from speculative historical reconstruction to synchronic, intensive fieldwork.

Body

• Bronislaw Malinowski (Psychological Functionalism): In Argonauts of the Western Pacific (1922), he argued institutions exist to satisfy basic biological and derived cultural needs. Even complex rituals like the Kula served to reinforce individual status and social partnerships.
• A.R. Radcliffe-Brown (Structural-Functionalism): In Structure and Function in Primitive Society (1952), he focused on the social structure rather than the individual. He viewed institutions as mechanisms that maintain the continuity of the society as a whole.
• Critical Evaluation: Functionalism introduced rigorous, holistic field methods. However, it faced criticism for its "equilibrium bias"—it struggled to explain social change, conflict, colonial dynamics, and historical development.

Conclusion While the rigid "needs-based" and "equilibrium" assumptions of early functionalism have been largely discarded, its core insight remains valid: that cultural institutions do not exist in isolation but are deeply interdependent. Modern anthropology has integrated this focus on institutional interdependency with a greater sensitivity toward history and conflict