2. What are the differences between manifest and latent functions, and why is this differentiation important in anthropology?

Manifest functions have intended, conscious, deliberate and beneficial, consequences where as latent functions unconscious, unintended yet beneficial for the society. The differentiation is important since it allows anthropologist to determine to what extent a society understands the impacts of its actions.

3. Why do Structural functionalists believe crime and deviance could be good for society?

They believe that crime brings the society together in a unified action to create a consequence deemed worthy/necessary to maintain order and conformity to its norms and practices.

4. Identify three main weaknesses of functionalist theory, justifying each choice?

It assumes idealistically that all societies do have functions for all its actions, its provides a very tidy picture of cooperative social life. This weakness given its ideal and to some extent immature assumption, makes the theory less valid.

Manifest functions have a clear intention to reach a goal while latent functions reaches a goal unintentionally. It is important to anthropologists to be able to distinguish which functions the actors are aware of, and which they aren’t aware of. In anthropology, the latent functions are studied in depth as these are the functions that brings social cohesion to the society. 

Emile Durkheim is an example of a functional anthropologist who studied crime and deviance. According to Durkheim, total social integration can never be enforced, thus crime is inevitable. Deviance from the norms has a positive consequence as it keeps the society flexible and adaptable. Crime questions the ideals, norms and goals of the society which is important in order to keep the culture a subject of change. 

Functionalism explains how society is maintained by individuals
Each society has functional subsystems, or institutions, which supports the interdependency of each and the benefiting of individuals, as long as the group is benefited.
Functionalism is based on Unit Act, meaning actors in a social space work towards an end goal, which will benefit the larger society.
2. As stated by Robert Merton, there are dysfunctions of society. Manifest functions are intended consequences, while latent functions are unintentionally brought upon by social events. The differences of these terms is important because not everything is done with a positive end goal in mind. Not everything is always in control of humans, thus outcomes are not always as they were intended. Social conflict may cause some sort of disadvantage.
3. Durkheim is one anthropologist who suggests that crime and deviance may be good for society. He once stated, “Crime brings together upright consciences and concentrates them." In order for normalization and conformity to occur, outliers must unify to ensure an adaptable community. Parsons also discussed deviance and social injustice as an inevitable part of society.
4. Weaknesses of functionalist theory
Functionalism may be too idealistic because individuals conform to the socially wants and needs of society.
Functionalists are optimistic that leaders will always have the best domestic interests in mind, yet the needs of individuals may not always be met.
The term functionalism is quite broad and easily related to any topic of anthropology, making the definition too easily contorted to different studies, questioning the validity of the theory.

The Social-functionalist theory was a new point on Anthropology and on the study of societies that was made by Bronislaw Malinowski, the difference in this approach is that Malinowski completely lost all love for individuals and he rather build his theory on the structure of a society than agency, or before mentioned individualists. In his book, Argonauts of the Western Pacific (Malinowski, 1922) he explains the contribution, social activity makes to a society and focuses on the concept that as humans, we mostly work in systems of rules. Moreover, he says that institutions, set of rules regulations, norms and expectations, are in fact made to meet certain requirements of a society. Furthermore, in his book he states that individual and group behaviour, in most of the cases, serves a function for larger society and vice versa, institutions are made for individuals to help them in living in coherence with the society and with themselves. 

2. What are the differences between manifest and latent functions, and why is this differentiation important in anthropology?

Manifest functions are conscious, deliberate and beneficial

Latent functions ones the unconscious, unintended and beneficial

3. Why do Structural functionalists believe crime and deviance could be good for society? 

"Crime brings together upright consciences and concentrates them." - Durkheim

4. Identify three main weaknesses of functionalist theory, justifying each choice?