Analysis of the language techniques and thematic - University of the ...

Although there are several sociologists who subscribe to functionalism, the study will
refer mostly to Parsons’s and Radcliffe-Brown’s views of functionalism. The two
sociologists have been found to be appropriate in that their view of functionalism is
relevant to the study. They consider the three key elements to functionalism as; function,
social system and social structure. The study looks at the Basotho nation which is
perceived as a social system that has a social structure of artists who play Sesotho
accordion music. These artists have a specific function to perform within the Basotho
nation as such; they are connected to the nation through interaction. Furthermore as
indicated earlier the study is guided by the following:
Change of attitude towards Basotho accordion music;
High creative production of accordion music; and
Evolutionary changes of accordion music.
Parsons’s and Radcliffe-Brown’s approaches to functionalism address the above points.
For instance Parsons (1951:408-410) discusses the role and attitudes of the artist. That is,
the artist meets a need in his public, and on the expressive level he receives appreciation
and admiration in return. And he further points out that an qartist is sensitive to the
attitudes of his public. Radcliffe-Brown writes about change and continuity within the
social sytem which are concern of the study. Therefore Parsons’s and Radcliffe-Brown’s
functionalism views are convenient and appropriate to the study for the analysis of
accordion music. Other subscribers have been left out because their perception of
functionalism does not augur well with the intended analysis of accordion music.
2.1 ELEMENTS OF FUNCTIONALISM
2.1.1 FUNCTION
Radcliffe-Brown (1952:178-181), in an attempt to provide a better understanding of
functionalism, defines the word function in the context of sociology. His view is that, the
function of a social institution is the correspondence between it and the needs of the
social organism. His observation is that, the function of any recurrent activity is the part it
plays in the social life as a whole and, therefore, the contribution it makes to the
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