What is What is “sociology”?“sociology”?

Sociology is the Sociology is the systematic study of systematic study of social behavior and social behavior and

human groups.human groups.

……says our book.says our book.

It goes on to say that sociology:It goes on to say that sociology:

“…“…focuses primarily on the focuses primarily on the influence of social influence of social

relationships on people’srelationships on people’s [=individuals’][=individuals’] attitudes and attitudes and

behaviorbehavior, and on , and on how how societies are established and societies are established and

changechange.”.”

It is also possible, though, to answer the It is also possible, though, to answer the question “What is sociology?” by saying question “What is sociology?” by saying that…that…

“Sociology” is a late-comer among the social sciences;

It is a cluster of heterogeneous research programs and theories that splits into a large number of sub-disciplines, (Anthropology, Economics, Political Sciences, Psychology

But preserves a sense of unity by invoking a shared heritage.

In other words,In other words,

Similar to how people maintain their unity by Similar to how people maintain their unity by telling themselves stories of shared telling themselves stories of shared experiences and genealogies that trace a experiences and genealogies that trace a common origin,common origin,

Sciences also have their narratives of how they Sciences also have their narratives of how they became what they are.became what they are.

And this is the story of sociology in its briefest And this is the story of sociology in its briefest version:version:

Origins of Sociology

Sociology did not emerge as a distinct discipline until the 19th century

The rise of the discipline can be attributed to the following;

1. Imperialism Europeans conquered many parts of the

world. They were exposed to radically different cultures.

Startled by contrasting ways of life, they began to ask why cultures differed.

Origins of Sociology 2. Scientific Revolution/ Enlightenment;

reason and rationality use of scientific tools to inquire into

social facts, began to replace religious, traditional forms of authority

3. Industrial Revolution Industrialization and Capitalism were

changing economic patterns, growth of cities

4. The Political Revolution more democratic values and standards

were being adopted

Sociological Perspective

Seeing the general in the particular

Seeing the strange in the familiar

A collective view beyond the individual view

Peter Berger (1963:23) “the first wisdom of sociology is this—things

are not what they seem…Social reality turns out to have many layers of meaning.”

The Sociological Perspective

OBSERVATIONS ARE CERTAINLY IMPACTED BY THE PERSONAL

PERSPECTIVES THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE COME TO VIEW THE

WORLD

THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE:PETER BERGER

SEE THE GENERAL IN THE PARTICULAR General Social Patterns in the Behavior

of Particular Individuals Individuals are unique…but

Society’s social forces shape us into “KINDS” of people Consider these

People more likely to kill themselvesPeople more likely to go and succeed in

college and enjoy a favorable quality of life

Seeing the General in the Particular

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

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African Americans Whites

10.9

20.2

6.212.4

1.94.9

Males Both Sexes Females

RATE OF DEATH BY SUICIDE

By Race and Sex

U.S. Bureau of the Census

What Social Forces are at work here?

PER 100,000 PERSONS

Durkheim’s Study of Suicide More likely to commit

Male protestants who were wealthy and unmarried had higher suicide rate

Less Likely to commitMale Jews and Catholics who were poor and

married

Being Catholic and Group-Oriented

One of the basic findings: WHY? the differences between these groups had to do with

“social integration”

Those with strong social ties had less of a chance of committing suicide

Individual in Social Context

SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATIONSOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION Need for an approach that united the different Need for an approach that united the different camps or “schools” of sociology,camps or “schools” of sociology,

Took a holistic view of society and social Took a holistic view of society and social issuesissues

The use of what has been termed, The use of what has been termed, by C. Wright Mills, the “by C. Wright Mills, the “sociological sociological imaginationimagination””

——which is a mindset that seeks to understand which is a mindset that seeks to understand the individual as the product of his and her the individual as the product of his and her social worlds, and seeks to understand the social worlds, and seeks to understand the peculiarities and histories of such social peculiarities and histories of such social worlds. worlds.

To apply the To apply the “sociological imagination”“sociological imagination”is to…is to…

……observe people’s behavior, beliefs, observe people’s behavior, beliefs, and attitudes under the aspect of how and attitudes under the aspect of how

they are shaped by their they are shaped by their social contextssocial contexts..

To do this, we need to be able to…To do this, we need to be able to…

— — view our own society view our own society as an outsider as an outsider wouldwould

andand

— — comparecompare various social worlds, and various social worlds, and various sets of behavior, beliefs, and various sets of behavior, beliefs, and

attitudes, attitudes, to one another.to one another.

Sociological Imagination: (Mills 1959 [2000])

Sociological Imagination: “...the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society.”

The sociological imagination helps us to grasp the relationship between history and biography

links between history and biography

links between public issues and personal troubles

French philosopher

Auguste Comte (1798-1857) coins the term “sociology” («sociologie»).

Sociologists

German Philosopher & ActivistKarl Marx (1818-1883)

l Sought to explain changes in society bymaterialist conception of history- social changes being brought about by economicinfluences, not ideas or values

l Conflict between classes (refer video: 5-500)

l Means of production in the hands of elite

l Workers own none- paid low wages and horriblework condition

l Eventual result is class conflict

Communist Manifesto (1848)

With this, the sociological With this, the sociological perspective is bornperspective is born

“Nicht das Sein bestimmt das Bewusstsein, Nicht das Sein bestimmt das Bewusstsein, sondern das Bewusstsein bestimmt das sondern das Bewusstsein bestimmt das Sein.Sein.””

(And now shut up, all you naïve philosophers—and let (And now shut up, all you naïve philosophers—and let ME tell you what the world is really like, and what ME tell you what the world is really like, and what history has been all about. In other words, let MY history has been all about. In other words, let MY ideas define existence…)ideas define existence…)

…back to our little genealogy. So we said that…

1) French philosopher Auguste Comte (1798-1857) introduces the term «sociology».

2) German philosophy-student and rebel-rouser

Karl Marx (1818-1883) decrees that „human existence determines human consciousness˝—so that rather than to understand “The Human Being” as an abstract concept, we should strive to understand how real people are shaped by their place in society.

…and now let’s go on:

French anthropologistÉmile Durkheim (1858-1917)

Established sociology as a science by objectively studying social facts- e.g. suicide

Believed shared values and customs hold societies together

Division of labor replacing religion as primary basis of social cohesion

Discussed Anomie, loss of moral controls, standards and despair

German EconomistMax Weber

(1864-1920)

Influenced by Marx but differed on some points

Rejected

• Materialist Conception of History• Class conflict less significant• Economic factors important, as well as

Ideas and Values ---> social change

Capitalism promoted by Christianity especially,

Protestantism (China, India, Germany)

Rationalization- Science and Bureaucracy;organization of social, economic life accordingto principles of efficiency and technological know-how

US-American sociologist Talcott Parsons (1902-1979)

Interprets society as a system of regular social behavior,

Develops tools to understand each sub-system’s structural function within the larger system—i.e. its role in the maintenance of society as a whole.

SOCIAL PARADIGMSSOCIAL PARADIGMSTHEORY: A statement of how and why

facts are relatedPARADIGM: A set of fundamental

assumptions that guide thinking

PEOPLE HOLD DIFFERING OPINIONS ABOUT THEIR SOCIAL WORLD

WE ALL COME FROM DIFFERENT SOCIALEXPERIENCES AND THEYBIAS OUR ASSUMPTIONS

UP WITH

PEOPLE

DOWN WITHPEOPLE

Major Theoretical Perspectives

Theory View of Society

Functionalism Composed of interrelated parts that work together to maintain stability.

Conflict Society is characterized by social inequality; social life is a struggle for scarce resources.

Symbolic Interactionism Behavior is learned in interaction with other people.

•Which one is best?•Why did SI begin in US?

Major Theoretical Perspectives: Functionalism

How is social order maintained?

Subsystems/institutions have functions; mutually interdependent

Concern for social order, stability, and integration

What function does this play? Manifest and Latent functions

Dysfunctions

Social change occurs through evolution

STRUCTURAL -FUNCTIONALISM THE BASICS

Macro-oriented (large-scale) paradigm

Views society as a complex system with many interdependent parts

The parts work together to promote social stability and order

Major changes to the system’s parts is not required or desired; system seeks to maintain it’s equilibrium

KEY ELEMENTS: SOCIAL STRUCTURE

Refers to relatively stable patterns of social behavior found in social institutions

SOCIAL FUNCTION Refers to the consequences of social patterns for

society

THE BASICS: A macro-oriented paradigm Views society as a structured

system based on inequality Social Conflict between groups

over scarce resources is the norm

KEY ELEMENTS: Society is structured in ways to

benefit a few at the expense of the majority

Actors such as race, sex, class, and age are linked to Social Inequality

Dominant group VS. minority group relationsIncompatible interests and major

differences

THE CONFLICT PARADIGM

BASICS: The view that society is the product of everyday

interactions

How, and in what way, do people interpret and negotiate their surroundings?

PRINCIPLES: Society is a complex mosaic of understanding

that emerges from the very process of interacting

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM

SYMBOLIC INTERACTION IS A MICRO-ORIENTED PARADIGM,WHICH MEANS IT IS EFFECTIVELY USED WHEN ATTEMPTING TO UNDERSTAND SMALLER-SCALE SOCIAL PHENOMENA

THINK IN TERMS OF LAWS,VALUES, NORMS, TRADITIONS,SOCIAL EXPECATIONS, ROLES,STATUSES, AND BELIEFSYSTEMS.

THINK IN TERMS OF FAMILY,THE ECONOMY, RELIGION, THELEGAL SYSTEM, AND SCHOOL

SHOULD BE ABLETO SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN BIOGRAPHY ANDHISTORY!