Final answer:
Structural functionalism, which asserts that societal components work together to maintain stability, was criticized in the 1960s and 1970s for not explaining social change and inequality, making C) 1970s the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Structural functionalism, a dominant sociological theory after World War II, came under substantial scrutiny during the 1960s and 1970s.
This was a period marked by rapid social changes, exemplified by the Civil Rights movement and the women's movement, which functionalism failed to adequately address.
Functionalism emphasized the stability and interdependent parts of society, but struggled to explain the forces driving social change, inequality, and the rising power of the wealthy.
The critiques aimed at functionalism highlighted its inability to account for historical context, such as the effects of colonialism, and its circular reasoning regarding the function of social behaviors.
By the 1970s, many sociologists had begun to argue that structural functionalism was insufficient as a macro-level theory, though it could still be applicable for mid-level analyses. As such, the answer to the question is C) 1970s.