Structure Social structure, in anthropology and sociology , refers to any arrangement of social phenomena into a definite pattern. To refer to the structure of a society is to refer to those enduring and patterned aspects which provide the context and background against which people live out their daily lives.
Social structure is a concept over which there is much debate in sociology.
The term structure is used in a second sense in structuralism. This use of the term has its origins in linguistics , but has been developed in anthropology and sociology. Supporters of this perspective hold that there exists a set of social structures that are unobservable, but which generate observable social phenomena. A distinction is drawn between surface and deep structures. It is believed that analysis of social phenomena should involve getting beyond surface appearances and discover the deeper structures which are believed to govern social relationships.