Final answer:
Conflict Theory is the area of sociological thought that focuses on how social inequalities and power differences lead to tensions in society. It delves into issues such as systemic inequality and historical struggles between dominant and minority groups, with Karl Marx's work laying its foundational principles.
Step-by-step explanation:
The area of sociological thought that focuses on how inequality produces tensions between people in society is known as Conflict Theory. This theory addresses the various ways in which social inequalities and power differences contribute to conflicts within a social group. The pioneering work of Karl Marx is central to conflict theory, suggesting that social structures are the source of social issues, rather than individual personalities. Marx's view posits that societal conflicts, driven by the struggle for wealth and power, are a constant in a capitalist society, ultimately leading to change and providing a path to equality for underprivileged groups.
In practice, conflict theory examines scenarios such as environmental racism, systemic inequality, and the exploitation of peripheral nations by core nations. This perspective can also highlight historical struggles like the Jim Crow laws, voting rights suppression, and patterns of disenfranchisement towards minority groups. German sociologist Max Weber expanded on Marx's ideas by emphasizing the role of inequalities in political power and social structures in fostering conflict, further noting how these conflicts are moderated by social mobility, class, and perceptions of the legitimacy of those in power.