Sociological theory creates ways to understand the social world by having different theories to explain the understanding of social life. It helps make sense of this social world. It brings together a wide range of perspectives to help provide the most complete picture. (Macionis & Plummer p.36) Shows that one theory can explain something that another cannot. My goal is to answer this question by referring to both functionalism and conflict theory. This will be done by comparing and contrasting both theories in relation to their perspectives on both suicide and gender discrimination as relevant social issues today. Functionalism and conflict perspectives are both macrotheories. This means they focus on the big picture, such as social structure, social institutions and economic change. Functionalism views society as a complex system whose parts are interconnected. This perspective comes from the works of Emile Durkheim, who was concerned with how society remains relatively stable. Emilie recognized that society exists beyond us: it has a life of its own. (Macionis & Plummer p.124) He recognized that society has the power to shape our thoughts and actions. Functionalism believes that the study of society as a whole can only capture the human experience. Durkheim saw crime as a “vital function of the life of society itself.” (Macionis & Plummer p.125) He believed that crime was completely normal and that society would not exist without it. Functionalism sees society as an integrated whole where the parts work to hold the whole together and sometimes it doesn't work well and falls apart. (Macionis & Plummer p.37) Durkheim did not precisely define the factors and dynamics that determine the unity of society. He concentrated... on the center of the paper... to explain matters that the other could not explain. The interpretation of different social issues varies according to different theories. References: Turner, Bryan S., 2009 Blackwell Companion to Sociology, The New Blackwell Companion to Social Theory, Actions, Actors, and Systems, Chapter 5, p.106-123, Wiley -Blackwell, Oxford, UK.Turner, JH, Beeghley, L., Powers, CH, 2007 The Emergence of Sociological Theory, 6th Edition, Thomson Wadsworth Australia.Macionis, JJ and Plummer, K. 2012 Sociology: A Global Introduction, 5th Edition, Pearson Education Limited EnglandPlummer, K 2010, Sociology: The Basics, Routledge, Oxon.Back, L., Bennett, A., Edles, D, L., Gibson, M., Inglis, D., Jacobs, R. & Woodward I 2012, Cultural Sociology: a introduction, John Wiley & Sons Ltd, West Sussex.Sociology: understanding and changing the social world, Knowledge of the flat world