▁struct ural ▁functional ist , ▁towards ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁career , ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁he ▁published ▁an ▁article ▁that ▁stated ▁that ▁" function al " ▁and ▁" struct ural ▁functional ist " ▁were ▁in app ropri ate ▁ways ▁to ▁describe ▁the ▁character ▁of ▁his ▁theory . ▁ ▁From ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁a ▁new ▁generation ▁of ▁soci olog ists ▁critic ized ▁Par s ons ' ▁theories ▁as ▁soci ally ▁conserv ative ▁and ▁his ▁writ ings ▁as ▁unnecess arily ▁complex . ▁Soci ology ▁courses ▁have ▁placed ▁less ▁emphas is ▁on ▁his ▁theories ▁than ▁at ▁the ▁peak ▁of ▁his ▁popular ity ▁( from ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 0 s ▁to ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ). ▁However , ▁there ▁has ▁been ▁a ▁recent ▁res urg ence ▁of ▁interest ▁in ▁his ▁ideas . ▁ ▁Par s ons ▁was ▁a ▁strong ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁the ▁professional ization ▁of ▁soci ology ▁and ▁its ▁expansion ▁in ▁American ▁academ ia . ▁He ▁was ▁elected ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁Soci ological ▁Association ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁and ▁served ▁as ▁its ▁secretary ▁from ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁to ▁ 1 9 6 5 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁December ▁ 1 3 , ▁ 1 9 0 2 , ▁in ▁Colorado ▁Spr ings , ▁Colorado . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Edward ▁Smith ▁Par s ons ▁( 1 8 6 3 – 1 9 4 3 ) ▁and ▁Mary ▁August a ▁In gers