Understanding human society requires critical analysis of cognitive values attached to practices, beliefs, and social dynamics which control and align a society towards astute of simultaneously interacting functions at macro and micro levels. State of anarchy might bring threat to this peaceful coexistence as a result of interference from an external force.
Thus, the key conceptual idea of this reflective treatise is an in-depth and explicit review of the article “Koran Burning in NATO Error Incites Afghans” which was published in the New York Times on 21st February, 2012 by Sangar Rahimi and Alissa Rubin.
Besides, the treatise resonates on sociological imagination in order to understand relationship between behavior and society. In addition, the paper identifies the sociological perspectives of conflict theory, Functionalism, and Interactionism.
The article “Koran Burning in NATO Error Incites Afghans”, discusses the escalating tension in Afghanistan. This is due to accusation circulating in the corners and homes of Afghan Muslims that some American soldiers in the NATO base are burning the holy Koran in what they perceive as malice and religious antagonism.
Despite spirited initiations to restore order, General Allen and other NATO officials’ apology are rejected and tension is escalating characterized by verbal onslaught and bitter utterances. This article appears on page 9 of the news paper.
Sociological Imagination is the intrinsic ability to surpass common view and analyze situation as they occur in the background of informed theoretical conceptualization. This concept views the society as a platform where conflicting and friendly occurrences interact to influence behavioral inclination, norm organization, and conflicts as a result of cut link between order and anarchy.
As a matter of fact, this concept liberates an individual to draw an informed understanding of the past through reflection of current events. Through sociological imagination, it is easy to understand behavior change and identify forces: positive or negative, that facilitate the angle of inclination towards the preset norm and values at individual and societal magnitude.
As a matter of fact, understanding sociological imagination calls for knowledge of present and past events such as war, disaster, social injustices, and religious inclinations that help to change history of a society. In the process, at micro level, perception of an individual is likely to adopt a reactive response exhibited in line of behavior.
In the article, religion and sense of pride towards an affiliation is a serious issue at stake in the views of the Muslims in Afghanistan. Muslims view the attempt to burn Koran books as mastermind move created to undermine the norms and principles holding their society together from western decay. In every society of the world, religion or belief in existence of a super natural power unites followers in common belief.
In particular, the Koran is a strong ideological tool viewed by Muslims as perfect and represents the desires of God in their lives. Interference with the Koran could mean breaking down bonds and affiliations uniting the institution of marriage, family, class, social inclination, and religion at micro and macro level.
In response to a threat on beliefs, they come out in numbers to express dissatisfaction and restore order through protests. Since the issue at hand is sensitive, they are ready to adopt every means possible to assert a shared stand. The article discussed religious intolerance and forces interacting to undermine beliefs between warring societies.
Basically, the concept of functionalism resonates on the facet of describing components of a society as functioning in a nuclear unit called organic analogy. These parts are related to each other as independent but existing in a single unit.
At macro level, these organs include the family unit, religion, economy, and kinship organized as institutions that run on norms and agglutination of principles on the circumference of common belief. On the other hand, conflict theory resonates on the periphery of viewing civilization as contributed by the struggle for authority within groups interacting in the society for scarce opportunities and resources.
Under this school of thought, class relationship plays critical role in the outcome of the struggle. Often, it is the ruling class that carries the day as they form a narrow edge in the hierarchy of needs triangle. Factually, the ruling class are elites who are more influential that the mass and run key aspects of societal institutions from religion, family, and economy.
The main cause of conflict is the need for dominance over an ideology, religious inclination, or behavior. On the other hand, interactionism dwells on interactive issues at individual level or micro level. This concept studies behavior of an individual existing in a larger society and response the individual exhibit towards norms and institutions that monitor order.
Reflectively, this school of thought study detailed individual interaction to one another and level of response to each stimuli. For instance, how would an individual behave when faced with a situation of high magnitude that affects daily life?
In line with the beliefs in functionalism, religion has pivotal influence on the way of life in the Muslim society. As a matter fact, marriage, family, economy, and kinship are controlled by norms and principles entrenched in the Koran.
Therefore, burning the Koran would seriously jeopardize these units and disintegrate them into pieces hanging loosely. Since religion is a unit among other, interference with the same is likely to destabilize the organic analogy.
As an aspect of conflict theory, the need for dominance and control has necessitated the form of response adopted by Muslims. Conflict theory dictates dominance and intrinsic value creation within set guidelines. Therefore, competition for religious dominance and influence over an ideology is the key issue that triggered the violent response in order to restore dominance.
Interactionism determines the form of response an individual may exhibit in an event. In this circumstance, the article identifies the event as religious intolerance fabricated via burning of what an individual perceives at the foundation and principle controlling his behavior and belief.
In an interactive response, at micro level, a Muslim views this onslaught as a move aimed at undermining his survival and comfort. Therefore, the individual unite with others who share same ideology to participate in violent protests aimed at restoring peace and tranquility. As described in the article, the response in characterized by pelting of stones and burning American flag to show dissatisfaction.
Conclusively, functionalism may offer the most convincing reason for response to burning of the holy Koran. In the Islamic society, religion is the foundation to family, kinship, economic, and social units existing within a single unit called the community. Generally, functionalism determines the organization strength of a society and dictates level of response to threat on the same.