ABSTRACT
Social disorganization is a term used by sociologists to identify circumstances where the parts of a social structure are not operating together in a reasonably balanced and coherent manner for the good of the whole. For example, if a parent is removed from a family there may be a period of social disorganization within that family until it can readjust to the change in its form. Hence, there may be a period of some chaos where members of the family unit are not sure what they are supposed to do since one of the roles of the unit is no longer in operation. Slight shifts in role behavior over time, however, typically allow the family to re-stabilize into a reasonably well organized unit. It is possible that the family could emerge better organized than it was before the loss of the parent. Structural functionalists and conÀict theorists will disagree on the extent to which social disorganization is prevalent within a social entity, and will most likely also disagree on the cause of the disorganization. Both perspectives, however, will agree that social disorganization is a serious problem at all levels of analysis.
