Génesis y tensiones de la comunidad societal de Parsons

Abstract

This article explains the genesis and development of the concept of Societal Community, created by functionalist sociologist Talcott Parsons. Although according to Alexander (1989) for Parsons each change in his scheme of analysis is a logical evolution of its basic structure, the Societal Community involves certain novelty. The tracking of the concept is thus done following the works of Parsons, seeking to explain the theoretical changes through which this concept arose. Finally, the article presents two internal tensions of the concept itself, regarding the inclusion of non-member groups and the use of coercion.