Sociology: Sociology: An An IntroductionIntroduction
Part 1: Part 1: Basic Basic Sociological Sociological UnderstandingsUnderstandings““Sociology is everywhere & everywhere is Sociology is everywhere & everywhere is sociology…”sociology…”
Sociology
Psychology
Political Science
History
Economics
Anthropology
SOCIAL SCIENCES
What is Sociology?What is Sociology?
• DEFINITIONDEFINITION: the systematic study : the systematic study of human society & social behaviorof human society & social behavior
• TWO PRIMARY QUESTIONSTWO PRIMARY QUESTIONS::• Why do people behave the way Why do people behave the way
they do?they do?• Why are social situations the way Why are social situations the way
they are?they are?
• DEFINITIONDEFINITION: a scientific & : a scientific & systematic method of systematic method of viewing the behavior of viewing the behavior of groupsgroups
• Seeing the general in the Seeing the general in the particular… particular…
• Seeing the strange in the Seeing the strange in the familiar… familiar…
Sociological Sociological PerspectivePerspective
• Peter BergerPeter Berger::• Seeing the general in Seeing the general in
the particular… the particular…• Possible to identify Possible to identify
general social patterns general social patterns in the behavior of particular in the behavior of particular individualsindividuals
Sociological Sociological PerspectivePerspective
• C. Wright MillsC. Wright Mills::• Seeing the strange in the Seeing the strange in the
familiar… familiar…• There are definite There are definite
connections between one’s connections between one’s personal life and society as a whole personal life and society as a whole
• Society shapes our livesSociety shapes our lives
Sociological Sociological PerspectivePerspective
• Sociological Sociological ImaginationImagination::
• The ability to see The ability to see connections between connections between the larger world and the larger world and our personal livesour personal lives
• Connection between Connection between “history” & “biography”“history” & “biography”
Sociological Sociological PerspectivePerspective
• ““The sociological The sociological imagination enables us imagination enables us to grasp history and to grasp history and biography and the biography and the relations between the relations between the two within society”two within society”
• http://http://crookedtimber.org/crookedtimber.org/2011/01/13/a-carpet/2011/01/13/a-carpet/
Sociological Sociological PerspectivePerspective
Sociological Sociological PerspectivePerspective
• Benefits of the Sociological PerspectiveBenefits of the Sociological Perspective::
1.1. Assess the truth of “common sense”Assess the truth of “common sense”
2.2. Assess the opportunities & constraints Assess the opportunities & constraints in our lives (social forces) in our lives (social forces)
3.3. Empowers us to become active social Empowers us to become active social participantsparticipants
4.4. Allows us to live in a diverse worldAllows us to live in a diverse world
Part 2: Part 2: Historical Historical OriginsOrigins
Historical BackgroundHistorical Background• Developed as an academic discipline Developed as an academic discipline
during the mid-19during the mid-19thth century century• Sociology emerged as the intellectual Sociology emerged as the intellectual
atmosphere of Europe shifted atmosphere of Europe shifted • Change in Focus:Change in Focus:• How should an How should an idealideal society operate? society operate?• How does society operate in How does society operate in realityreality? ?
• Enlightenment (late Enlightenment (late 1600s to late 1700s) 1600s to late 1700s)
• Industrial Revolution Industrial Revolution (mid 1700s to mid (mid 1700s to mid 1800s)1800s)
• Urbanization (mid 1800s forward)Urbanization (mid 1800s forward)
Historical Historical TimelineTimeline
Part 3: Who’s Part 3: Who’s Who Who in Sociologyin Sociology
• French philosopher French philosopher • Father of Sociology (1838)Father of Sociology (1838)• Coined “Sociology”Coined “Sociology”• One of the 1One of the 1stst to apply the to apply the
scientific method to study of scientific method to study of social lifesocial life
• Focused on social order and social Focused on social order and social changechange
Auguste Comte (1798–Auguste Comte (1798–1857)1857)
• English philosopherEnglish philosopher• Heavily influenced by DarwinHeavily influenced by Darwin• Believed that social change Believed that social change
and conflict were and conflict were inevitable on the road to a perfect inevitable on the road to a perfect societysociety
• ““Social Darwinism”Social Darwinism”
Herbert Spencer (1820–Herbert Spencer (1820–1903)1903)
• German philosopherGerman philosopher• Believed that society is a Believed that society is a
direct direct reflection of economic reflection of economic organization; driven by organization; driven by economic forces economic forces
• Two Warring ClassesTwo Warring Classes::• Bourgeoisie & ProletariatBourgeoisie & Proletariat
Karl Marx (1818–Karl Marx (1818–1883)1883)
• French sociologistFrench sociologist• Particularly concerned with Particularly concerned with
social order, as well its social order, as well its maintenance maintenance
• Interested in the functions of Interested in the functions of societal institutions societal institutions
• First true sociological study, First true sociological study, Suicide Suicide (1897)(1897)
Emile Durkheim (1858–Emile Durkheim (1858–1917)1917)
• German sociologistGerman sociologist• Interested in society’s Interested in society’s
impact on the individual, impact on the individual, rather than rather than society as a society as a wholewhole
• Vershtehen (fehr-SHTAY-en)Vershtehen (fehr-SHTAY-en)• Social actions/motivationsSocial actions/motivations
Max Weber (1864–Max Weber (1864–1920)1920)
Part 4: Part 4: Sociological Sociological TheoryTheory
Importance of TheoryImportance of Theory
• Attempts to explain social Attempts to explain social behavior in terms of the “real behavior in terms of the “real world”world”
• Three Major Theoretical Three Major Theoretical ApproachesApproaches::
• Structural-FunctionalismStructural-Functionalism• Conflict TheoryConflict Theory• Symbolic Interactionism Symbolic Interactionism
Importance of TheoryImportance of Theory• Each approach provides a set of Each approach provides a set of
fundamental assumptions that help fundamental assumptions that help guide sociological understandingguide sociological understanding
• Macro-Level v. Micro-LevelMacro-Level v. Micro-Level
CAUTION!CAUTION!
Macro-LevelMacro-Level
• Guiding QuestionGuiding Question::• How do social How do social
institutions and institutions and processes create processes create stability & security, and what stability & security, and what happens when they don’t?happens when they don’t?
• Key PlayersKey Players::• Comte, Spencer, DurkheimComte, Spencer, Durkheim
Structural-Structural-FunctionalismFunctionalism
Structural-Structural-FunctionalismFunctionalism• AssumptionsAssumptions::
• Society is an Society is an organismorganism comprised of interrelated comprised of interrelated parts; known parts; known as subsystemsas subsystems
• Subsystems work together to Subsystems work together to promote solidarity & stabilitypromote solidarity & stability
• Each subsystem has a function Each subsystem has a function (manifest v. latent)(manifest v. latent)
• Major EmphasesMajor Emphases::• Stability (function Stability (function
v. dysfunction) v. dysfunction)• Harmony Harmony • EvolutionEvolution
Structural-Structural-FunctionalismFunctionalism
What are the What are the Functions of?Functions of?
• Examples:Examples:• Education?Education?• Marriage?Marriage?• Government?Government?• Religion?Religion?
Structural-Structural-FunctionalismFunctionalism
• Key CriticismsKey Criticisms::• Does not encourage active social Does not encourage active social
change; Waits for system to change; Waits for system to naturally stabilizenaturally stabilize
• Subjective and unclearSubjective and unclear
• Guiding QuestionGuiding Question::• How is society How is society
organized organized (or divided) and (or divided) and who benefits from this? who benefits from this?
• Key PlayersKey Players::• Marx, Weber, MillsMarx, Weber, Mills
Conflict Conflict Theory Theory
Conflict TheoryConflict Theory• AssumptionsAssumptions::• Society consists of basic Society consists of basic
inequalities; contributes inequalities; contributes to to inevitable conflictinevitable conflict
• Social relations are in a constant Social relations are in a constant state of changestate of change
• The “Haves” v. the “Have-Nots”The “Haves” v. the “Have-Nots”
Conflict TheoryConflict Theory• ExampleExample::• Think of the term/phrase most
commonly used in the United States to describe when people from other countries come to the U.S. without the appropriate legal paper work. What do we tend to call that?
• Major Major Emphases Emphases::
• Competition Competition over scarce resources over scarce resources
• Impact of inequalities on power & Impact of inequalities on power & rewards rewards
• Social change as a result of conflictSocial change as a result of conflict
Conflict Conflict TheoryTheory
Conflict TheoryConflict Theory
• Key CriticismsKey Criticisms::• Difficult to explain the more orderly & Difficult to explain the more orderly &
stable elements of societystable elements of society• Too heavily focused on economy & Too heavily focused on economy &
class; neglects the cultural aspects of class; neglects the cultural aspects of societysociety
• Assumes that differences ALWAYS Assumes that differences ALWAYS lead to conflictlead to conflict
Micro-LevelMicro-Level
• Guiding QuestionGuiding Question::• How, and in what way, How, and in what way,
do people do people interpret and interpret and negotiate their negotiate their surroundings? surroundings?
• Key PlayersKey Players::• Weber, Mead, CooleyWeber, Mead, Cooley
Symbolic Symbolic InteractionismInteractionism
Symbolic Symbolic InteractionismInteractionism
• AssumptionsAssumptions::• People attach meaning to things People attach meaning to things
based on their ongoing based on their ongoing interactions with others interactions with others
• Continuously negotiatedContinuously negotiated• Meanings guide action & reactionMeanings guide action & reaction• Fake Celebrity ExampleFake Celebrity Example
Symbolic Symbolic InteractionismInteractionism
• Major EmphasesMajor Emphases::• Language & symbols are the Language & symbols are the
building blocks of societybuilding blocks of society• Importance of interpersonal Importance of interpersonal
relationships & social interactionrelationships & social interaction• SocializationSocialization
Symbolic Symbolic InteractionismInteractionism
• ExamplesExamples::
• What does this What does this picture symbolize picture symbolize to you? Write the to you? Write the first word that first word that comes to mind…comes to mind…
Symbolic Symbolic InteractionismInteractionism
• ExamplesExamples::• What does this What does this
picture symbolize picture symbolize to you? Write the to you? Write the first word that first word that comes to mind…comes to mind…
Symbolic Symbolic InteractionismInteractionism
• ExamplesExamples::• What does this What does this
picture symbolize picture symbolize to you? Write the to you? Write the first word that first word that comes to mind…comes to mind…
Symbolic Symbolic InteractionismInteractionism
• ExamplesExamples::• What does this What does this
picture symbolize picture symbolize to you? Write the to you? Write the first word that first word that comes to mind…comes to mind…
Putin’s Pawn
Symbolic Symbolic InteractionismInteractionism
• Key CriticismsKey Criticisms::• Tends to minimize the impact of Tends to minimize the impact of
larger societal factors in regards larger societal factors in regards to interpersonal relationships & to interpersonal relationships & interactionsinteractions
PracticePractice
• Societies are in relative balanceSocieties are in relative balance• Structural FunctionalismStructural Functionalism
PracticePractice
• Power is one of the most Power is one of the most important elements in social lifeimportant elements in social life
• ConflictConflict
PracticePractice
• Religion helps hold a society Religion helps hold a society together morallytogether morally
• Structural FunctionalismStructural Functionalism
PracticePractice
• Symbols are crucial to social lifeSymbols are crucial to social life• Symbolic InteractionismSymbolic Interactionism
PracticePractice
• Many elements of a society exist Many elements of a society exist to benefit the powerfulto benefit the powerful
• ConflictConflict
PracticePractice
• Segments of society compete to Segments of society compete to achieve their own self-interest achieve their own self-interest rather than cooperate to benefit rather than cooperate to benefit othersothers
• ConflictConflict
PracticePractice
• Social life should be understood Social life should be understood from the viewpoint of the from the viewpoint of the individuals involvedindividuals involved
• Symbolic InteractionismSymbolic Interactionism
PracticePractice
• Education is a necessary aspect Education is a necessary aspect of social harmonyof social harmony
• Structural FunctionalismStructural Functionalism
PracticePractice
• Social change is constantly Social change is constantly occurringoccurring
• ConflictConflict
PracticePractice
• Conflict is harmful and disruptive Conflict is harmful and disruptive to societyto society
• Structural FunctionalismStructural Functionalism