Essay - Sidewalk the Functionalist Perspective Focuses on How a Part Contributes...

Sidewalk

The functionalist perspective focuses on how a p*****rt contributes to the survival of ***** whole. In sociology, functionalism rests on the belief that society is based on order and stability that come from the cultural c*****sensus of values and norms. Early functional*****ts in the 1800s, such as Emile Durkheim, Auguste Comte and Herbert Spenser, stressed that extensive social change can be very damag*****g for social systems. They focused on the need to maintain equilibrium through conformity. Throughout history, societies have been quite varied, ***** the mainstream to the alternative. Yet they all have needed this agreement of values ***** remain cohesive and functional. Sidewalk, by Mitchell Duneier *****fers an excellent example of how ***** *****d subcultures develop and regulate themselves. In this Sixth-Avenue society, people of diverse race and class find similarities among their differences and establish a new order and stability.

For five years, sociologist Mitchell ***** observed ***** even worked in the Sixth Avenue area of New York City to understand and convey the world of sidewalk vend*****g. In contrast to what many ***** believe about this subculture, he does not ***** autonomous individuals who go their separate ways. Rather, he discovers a very complex society with its own rules, hierarchies and sense of order. He describes a group of destitute men—homeless, addicts, criminals—who ***** a strong need to conform to societal norms.

Duneier in part relies on t***** informa*****ion of Hakim Hasan, the informal community leader, to learn about the ***** vendors that include: booksellers like Hasan; magazine ***** such as Marvin and Ron, who recycle bins for recent ***** issues; panhandlers, who sell miscellaneous salvaged or stolen merchandise that is spread out on the ground; table watchers, who help when a vendor needs to leave his table; storage providers, who keep goods overnight in basements or subway tunnels; placeholders, who stay up all night to make sure a vendor keeps his spot; and movers, who transport books ***** magazines to and from a vendor's location.

Duneier says about these vendors: "The men working on ***** Avenue may be viewed as broken windows [definition: individuals who ***** escalate in crime], but t***** research shows *****hat most ***** them have actually become public characters who create a set of expectations, ***** one a*****her ***** strangers (including the criminal element--as, indeed, ***** ***** ********** once were), that 'someone cares' and that they should strive to live better **********."

*****se vendors have *****ed a specific set of rules of behavior, as any other functioning society. One ***** the more unique policies concerns sanitation. Many of the men urinate in the street, in building courtyards or ***** in cups, because ***** do not feel welcome ***** ***** restaurants ***** are afraid that their goods may be confiscated ***** the police when having to go the lengthy distance to public bathrooms. However, double standards exist in this ***** in any other *****: If a homeless black man ur*****ates on the *****, it is c*****sidered wrong. If an upper-class drunk white man