Karl Marx is usually associated with conflict perspective and Emile Durkheim is usually identified with a functionalist perspective.
Conflict theories emphasised the importance of interests over norms and values and the ways in which the pursuit of interests generated various types of conflicts as normal aspect of social life, rather than abnormal or dysfunctional (interfering) occurences e.g. class conflicts in industrial society.
According to conflict perspective, societies divided by caste or class or patriarchy, some groups are disadvantaged and discriminated against. The dominant groups sustain the unequal order by a series of cultural norms and often force or even violence.
In functional perspective, society is seen as an organic whole, each of its constituent parts working to maintain the others just as the parts of the body coordinate.
This idea is basic to the conception of organic solidarity which emphasises on people's economic interdependence and recognition of the importance of other's contributions.
Functionalist perspective is mainly concerned with the system requirements of society-certain functional imperatives, functional requisites and prerequisites. These refer to the fulfillment of conditions which are necessary for the existence of a system.