INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

The Birth of Sociology• Auguste Comte (1798–1857), widely considered the “father of

sociology,” became interested in studying society because of the changes that took place as a result of the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution. During the French Revolution, which began in 1789, France’s class system changed dramatically. Aristocrats suddenly lost their money and status, while peasants, who had been at the bottom of the social ladder, rose to more powerful and influential positions. The Industrial Revolution followed on the heels of the French Revolution, unfolding in Western Europe throughout the 1800s. During the Industrial Revolution, people abandoned a life of agriculture and moved to cities to find factory jobs. They worked long hours in dangerous conditions for low pay. New social problems emerged and, for many decades, little was done to address the plight of the urban poor.

Types of Sociology• Not all universities approach sociology the same way,

and the new science evolved differently depending on where it was taught and who was teaching it. The two major types of sociology that emerged were qualitative sociology and quantitative sociology. Today, most universities use both qualitative and quantitative methods of inquiry, and one method is not necessarily better than the other.

Qualitative Sociology

• At the University of Chicago, Albion Small (1854–1926) developed qualitative sociology, which is concerned mainly with trying to obtain an accurate picture of a group and how it operates in the world.

Quantitative Sociology

• Sociology at Harvard University developed differently. Like the University of Chicago sociologists, Harvard sociologists wanted to understand the immigrant experience, but they went about their research in a quantitative way.

• Quantitative sociology relies on statistical analysis to understand experiences and trends. While some researchers at Harvard did talk to people and observe them, many preferred to remain within the confines of the university and quantify their data to render it suitable for statistical manipulation.

The Other Social Sciences

• Social sciences concern people’s relationships and interactions with one another. Sociology, with its emphasis on social life, falls into this category. A multidisciplinary field, sociology draws from a variety of other social sciences, including anthropology, political science, psychology, and economics.

Anthropology• Anthropology concerns individual cultures in a society,

rather than the society as a whole. Traditionally, it focuses on what might be termed “primitive” cultures, such as the Yanomamo people of the South American jungle, who live much the same way they did hundreds of years ago. Anthropologists place special emphasis on language, kinship patterns, and cultural artifacts.

Political Science• Political science concerns the governments of various

societies. It considers what kind of government a society has, how it formed, and how individuals attain positions of power within a particular government. Political science also concerns the relation of people in a society to whatever form of government they have.

Psychology• Psychology takes the individual out of his or her social

circumstances and examines the mental processes that occur within that person. Psychologists study the human brain and how it functions, considering issues such as memory, dreams, learning, and perception.

Economics• Economics focuses on the production and distribution of

society’s goods and services. Economists study why a society chooses to produce what it does, how money is exchanged, and how people interact and cooperate to produce goods.

What Sociologist Do

• People with training in sociology pursue a variety of different career and research paths. Because “society” is such a broad field of study, a background in sociology helps support dozens of different career choices. What follows are several broad areas in which sociologists frequently choose to apply their skills and interests.

Social Welfare• Some people pursue degrees in sociology because they

want to change society for the better. They study problems such as poverty, prejudice, and world hunger and attempt to find solutions. Jobs that relate to these kinds of interests include:

• Social worker• Child welfare worker• Adoption agency worker• Foreign aid worker• Peace Corps/VISTA volunteer• Clergy

Crime and Deviance• Many sociologists focus their research on understanding

the roots of criminal and deviant behavior. Sociologists who focus on crime and deviance may conduct studies of juvenile delinquents, female criminals, or other subgroups of offenders. A background in this type of sociology prepares people for careers such as:

• Law enforcement officer• Attorney• Prison administrator

Health Care• An understanding of changing demographics and culture

is essential for keeping members of a society healthy. Some sociologists apply their knowledge to the field of healthcare. They might take the following kinds of jobs:

• Doctor• Psychiatrist• Marriage or family counselor

International Relations and Diplomacy

• Maintaining good relations with other societies is always important. Sociologists who specialize in international relations must understand the intricacies of how their society interacts with others. Interest in international relations might lead to such jobs as:

• Diplomat• Public relations representative• Government communications worker

Education• Many people study sociology because they want to

develop more effective ways to educate a society’s youth or because they want to continue learning and teaching about sociology itself. Such people might hold the following types of jobs:

• K-12 teacher• College professor• Educational policy-maker

• It’s important to note the difference between sociology and social work. Social work is an applied science, since it is designed to solve a specific problem in a particular setting. Social work takes the principles found in sociology and applies them to a particular issue.

• For example, current sociological research indicates that men are more likely than women to commit suicide and that white people are more likely to take their own lives than black people.

• A social worker might take that knowledge and apply it to the real world by tailoring suicide-prevention programs to focus on the needs of white males.

References• SparkNotes Editors. (2006). SparkNote on Introduction

to Sociology. Retrieved May 26, 2016, from http://www.sparknotes.com/sociology/introduction-to-sociology/

• Giddens, A., Duneier, M., & Appelbaum, R. P. (2003). Introduction to sociology. Norton.

• Tobin, J., Wu, D., & Davidson, D. (1965). Introduction to sociology. Human Relations, 57-75.