Final answer:
The functionalist perspective views prejudice and discrimination as societal functions that maintain the dominance of one group over another, justify inequality, and can paradoxically strengthen in-group solidarity. However, it also recognizes the dysfunctions such as wasted potential and resources, necessitating systemic changes for societal equilibrium.
Step-by-step explanation:
The functionalist perspective in sociology suggests that various social phenomena, including prejudice and discrimination, exist because they serve a function in society. According to functionalists, such as Nash (1964), racism can be seen as functional for the dominant group because it justifies a racially unequal society. Slave owners, for example, used racist ideologies to justify the subjugation of Black people, arguing they were inferior and preferred slavery. This narrative helped maintain a societal structure that benefited the dominant group.
Furthermore, the functionalist viewpoint recognizes that racism can strengthen bonds within in-groups by ostracizing out-group members, which can increase community solidarity. Nonetheless, it also acknowledges the dysfunctions of racism, as noted by Rose (1951), such as the waste of resources and potential talent due to maintaining racial boundaries and unequal systems, like in education prior to the civil rights movement.
To address these dysfunctions, changes within the system are often necessary, as seen in responses to racial injustices like the case of George Floyd. Societal restructuring aims to achieve a new equilibrium, suggesting that social changes, such as adjustments in policing, are compensatory measures. Therefore, while some aspects of racism may initially bind a community together, they ultimately result in inefficiencies and require societal transformation for a more equitable social order.