Functionalism

• Ethnic differences experienced by minorities is a product of their cultural differences (reducing consensus) and their lack of skills (due to meritocracy)
• Patterson (1965) claims that ethnic differences decline as minorities assimilate to the British culture
• Patterson (1965) claims that prior to Windrush Britain was a stable, homogenous, society with consensus of norms and values that was disrupted by the culture clash
• Patterson (1965) found that British people saw west Indians as noisy and disruptive
• Patterson (1965) found hostility from host communities
• Patterson (1965) found 3 reasons for hostility from host communities; fear of cultural change, resentment around competition for resources, failure to assimilate
• Patterson (1965) found ethnic differences declined with subsequent generations as they assimilated
• Talcott Parsons (1951) organic analogy shows ethnic differences as functional as inequality is needed for society to function
• Meritocracy shows inequalities as being based off hard work and skills showing ethnic differences as fair
• Effective Role Allocation (Davis and More 1945) would show that there are ethnic differences in society to ensure that individuals are assigned to the correct roles in society
• Human capital shows there are ethnic differences in society due to skills and experience
• Merton's strain theory (1938) shows that ethnic minorities are likely to experience difficulties in achieving society's socially approved goals causing them to adapt through methods such as rebellion
• Albert Cohen (1955) says ethnic minorities are most likely to experience status frustration as and so must resort to illegitimate means to gain status and income
• cloward and ohlin (1961) show ethnic minorities as most likely to have blocked opportunities causing their life chances to be reduced