冲突理论（德语：Konfliktsoziologie, 法语：Théories du conflit, 英语：Conflict theories, 西班牙语：Teorías del conflicto），在社会学中是指：在社会或组织的正常运转过程中，因为不同社会群体在权力、财富与社会上的不平等，造成群体间的冲突，因为这些冲突，带来诸如革命、政治变迁等社会变迁。冲突理论强调，社会群体间的冲突，是造成社会变迁主要动力。卡尔·马克思和弗里德里希·恩格斯被视为是最早提出冲突理论观点的学者。

冲突理论多用于解释各社会阶层在意识形态方面的冲突，如社会主义与资本主义。冲突理论的产生在于反驳功能理论。功能理论将个体与团体视作让社会或组织内的一种「组件」，组件如果合作无间则社会与组织便能正常的运作。但功能理论对组件之间竞争的论述较为薄弱，冲突理论便由此加以论证。

Conflict theories are perspectives in sociology and social psychology that emphasize the social, political, or material inequality of a social group, that critique the broad socio-political system, or that otherwise detract from structural functionalism and ideological conservatism. Conflict theories draw attention to power differentials, such as class conflict, and generally contrast historically dominant ideologies. It is therefore a macro level analysis of society. Karl Marx is the father of the social conflict theory, which is a component of the 4 paradigms of sociology. Certain conflict theories set out to highlight the ideological aspects inherent in traditional thought. Whilst many of these perspectives hold parallels, conflict theory does not refer to a unified school of thought, and should not be confused with, for instance, peace and conflict studies, or any other specific theory of social conflict.