Essay: «Conflict theory» by Jörg Rössel
Published in the new Elgar Encyclopedia of Political Sociology, December 2023.
Essay written by Prof. Dr. Jörg Rössel (UZH) on the subject of Conflict Theory.
The term "conflict theory" emerged in the 1950s as a sociological perspective challenging structural functionalism, aiming to explain domination, social conflict, and change by emphasizing inherent inequalities, power struggles, and the role of class, race, and gender; despite facing challenges as an independent paradigm, its concepts have diffused widely in social sciences, encompassing the study of social movements, protests, war, family conflict, and historical sociology.
Read the full essay here (open access):