Which of the following intellectuals is associated with functionalism?

• A. Karl Marx.
• B. George Herbert Mead.
• C. Émile Durkheim.
• D. Harriet Martineau.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that functionalism is a sociological perspective that views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability.
2. Recall the key intellectuals associated with major sociological theories: Karl Marx is linked to conflict theory, George Herbert Mead to symbolic interactionism, Harriet Martineau to early feminist sociology and social reform.
3. Identify Émile Durkheim as the intellectual most closely associated with functionalism, as he emphasized the importance of social facts, collective conscience, and the functions of social institutions.
4. Recognize that Durkheim's work laid the foundation for functionalist theory by analyzing how various parts of society contribute to overall social order.
5. Conclude that among the given options, Émile Durkheim is the correct answer linked to functionalism.