How would you apply stuctural-functionalism to the event of a graduation party?

Question

For sociology how would you apply structural functionism when looking at a graduation party?

Answer 1

Education in modern societies is the business like passage of certain sets of perceived valuable behaviors and knowledge within a particular culture.   The media/society commercializes the perceptions of degrees or certificates often standardizing expectations within a particular field.   For example, we have certain expectations for such degrees as a "Medical Doctor".   Thus, a graduation ceremony is reward for obtaining/demonstrating a pre-approved or accepted knowledge base of some type.   By choosing what sets of know ledges that are recognized by government/social institutions, creates a process of forming a very powerful tool in building the kind of subcultures that is desirable.   You can form the shape of the society that you desire through this process.   This is structural functionalism.