Conflict Theory

Conflict theory can be divided into two distinct traditions:

Marxism and Neo-Marxism:


Believes social scientists have a moral obligation to critique society

Refusal to separate analysis from judgment or fact – can’t be objective

Belief that society could be constructed in such a manner that conflict could be eliminated – utopian version of society

Karl Marx, Neo-Marxism, Frankfurt School, C.Wright Mills, Pierre Bourdieu

Weberian Conflict Theory:

Considers conflict to be an inevitable and permanent aspect of social life

Rejects the idea that social science can’t be objective

Interest in establishing a scientific social science

Ralf Darendorf, Lewis Coser, Randall Collins