INTRODUCTION: SOCIOLOGY

• SOCIOLOGY: SCIENCE THAT STUDIES HUMAN SOCIETY AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR – SOCIAL INTERACTION-HOW PEOPLE RELATE TO EACH OTHER AND INFLUENCE EACH OTHER.

• SOCIAL PERSPECTIVE: SOCIAL CONTEXT IN WHICH PEOPLE LIVE AND HOW THAT CONTEXT INFLUENCES A PERSON’S LIFE. UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOR BY PLACING IT WITHIN ITS BROADER SOCIAL CONTEXT.

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

• SOCIAL LOCATION: THE GROUP MEMBERSHIPS THAT PEOPLE HAVE BECAUSE OF THEIR LOCATION IN HISTORY AND SOCIETY.

• 1. INCOME• 2. EDUCATION• 3. GENDER• 4. AGE• 5. RACE AND ETHNICITY

INTRODUCTION CONT.

SOCIAL IMAGINATION: THE ABILITY TO SEE THE LINK BETWEEN SOCIETY AND SELF- C.WRIGHT MILLS

INTRODUCTION CONT.

• SOCIAL FACT: ANY OBSERVABLE FACT OR EVENT IN SOCIETY.

• SOCIALIZATION: PROCESS BY WHICH WE LEARN THE RULES AND MANNERS OF SOCIETY.

ORIGINS OF SOCIOLOGY

• Sociology began in the middle nineteenth century.

• Four Factors lead to the development of Sociology.

• 1. Industrial Revolution: Moving from close- knit agricultural communities to cities traditional norms and values could no longer be counted on.

• 2. American and French revolutions: people began to question social life (the belief that people have inalienable rights)

Origins of Sociology cont.

• 3. Imperialism: exposure to different cultures

• 4. Success of the natural sciences: The use of the scientific method

IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN SOCIOLOGY

• AUGUSTE COMTE: FOUNDER (FATHER) OF SOCIOLOGY1. INTERESTED IN HOW SOCIETY

FUNCTIONS2. SOCIAL STATIC3. SOCIAL DYNAMICSociology could discover social principles and

those principles could be used for social reform.

4. POSITIVISM: Applying the scientific approach (scientific method ) to the social world.

1798-1857

IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN SOCIOLOGY: COMTE CONT.

• Coined the term Sociology• From the Greek – logos “study of” • From the Latin – socius “companion” or

“being with others”

IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN SOCIOLOGY

1. THE FIRST FEMINIST SOCIOLOGIST

2. DREW AN ANALOGY BETWEEN THE PLIGHT OF WOMEN AND SLAVERY – SAID WOMEN WERE OPPRESSED BECAUSE THEY HAD NO ECONOMIC POWER

3. SOCIETY IN AMERICA: family, race, gender, politics and religion

HARRIET MARTINEAU

1802 - 1876

IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN SOCIOLOGY

• HERBERT SPENCER• 1. INFLUENCED BY CHARLES

DARWIN• 2. SOCITIES EVOLVE FROM

LOWER (BARBARIAN) TO HIGHER (CIVILIZED)FORMS. THE MOST CAPABLE AND INTELLIGENT(FITTEST) SURVIVE –IMPROVING SOCIETY

• 2. COINED THE TERM “SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.”

• SAID THE “FITTEST SOCIETY” WAS THE BEST SO ANYONE SICK, DISENFRANCHISED, POOR, SHOULD NOT BE HELPED. THIS WOULD MAKE THE SOCIETY WEAK.

• 1820 - 1903

IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN SOCIOLOGY

• KARL MARX• 1. THERE WILL ALWAYS

BE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE HAVES AND HAVE NOTS –CLASS CONFLICT

• 2. BOURGEOISIE – OWN THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION

• 3. PROLETARIAT – OWN THEIR OWN LABOR

• THIS CONFLICT MUST RESULT IN REVOLUTION BY THE MIDDLE CLASS RESULTING IN A CLASSLESS SOCIETY.

• 1818 - 1883

IMPORTRANT PEOPLE IN SOCIOLOGY

• 1. SOCIETY EXSISTS BECAUSE OF CONSENSUS (AGREEMENT) TO FOLLOW THE RULES TO KEEP SOCIETY STABLE

• 2. MECHANICAL SOLIDARITY

SOCIAL PRESSURE FOR CONFORMITY, TRADITION FAMILY

• EMILE DURKHEIM: 1858 - 1917

EMILE DURKHEIM CONT.

• 3. ORGANIC SOLIDARITY – SOCIAL INTERDEPENDENCY –HIGHLY SPECALIZED ROLES – SOCIETY DEPENDENT ON GOODS AND SERVICES

• 4. HE WANTED TO SHOW HOW SOCIAL FORCES AFFECT PEOPLES BEHAVIOR.

• 5. ANOMIE: THE BREAKING DOWN OF THE COTROLLING INFLUENCES OF SOCIETY.

- PEOPLE BECOME DETACHED AND DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH MORAL GUIDANCE.

• - SOCIOLOGISTS INTERVENE BY CREATING NEW SOCIAL GROUPS TO PROVIDE A SENSE OF BELONGING

• 6. SUICIDE: SOCIAL INTERGRATION (HOW CLOSELY PEOPLE ARE TIED TO THEIR SOCIAL GROUP) – PEOPLE WITH WEAKER TIES ARE MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT SUICIDE-PROTESTANT, MALES, UNMARRIED ARE MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT SUCICIDE.

IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN SOCIOLOGY

• MAX WEBER• 1. INTERESTED IN THE

PERSONAL MEANING PEOPLE ATTACH TO THEIR BEHAVIOR AND THE BEHAVIOR OF OTHERS.

• 2. VERSTEHEN – BEING ABLE TO PUT YOURSELF IN SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES

• 3. RELIGION IS THE CENTRAL FORCE IN SOCIAL CHANGE

• 4. PROTESTANT ETHIC• 5. SOCIOLOGY SHOULD BE

VALUE FREE

• 1864 - 1920

IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN SOCIOLOGY

• JANE ADDAMS• 1. FIRST SOCIAL WORKER• 2. FOUNDED HULL

HOUSE IN CHICAGO (1889)-PROVIDED FOOD, EDUCATION, MEDICAL CARE FOR THE POOR

• 3. FIRST AMERICAN WOMAN AND ONLY SOCIOLOGIST TO RECEIVE A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.

• 1860 - 1935

IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN SOCIOLOGY

• W.E.B. Du BOIS• 1. INTERESTED IN RACE

RELATIONS• 2. HE WANTED TO

ELIMINATE SOCIAL INJUSTICE

• 3. THE PHILADELPHIA NEGRO, THE SOULS OF BLACK FOLK

• 4. FOUNDED THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COLORED PEOPLE (NAACP) WITH JANE ADDAMS AND OTHERS IN 1909.

1868 - 1963

• Du Bois and other members of the NAACP in 1929

IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN SOCIOLOGY

• C. WRIGHT MILLS• 1. 1956 –URGED

SOCIOLOGISTS TO BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN SOCIAL REFORM

• 2. POWER ELITE – TOP LEADERS IN BUSINESS,

POLITICS, AND THE MILITARY ARE A THREAT TO FREEDOM

• 1916 - 1962

Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology

• 1. Symbolic Interactionism• 2. Functionalist ( Functional Analysis)• 3. Conflict

• Society is a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system.

• Society is held together through consensus - people agree to what is best for society and work together to ensure a stable social system.

• Study division of work in family – functions served by education

• Sociologists – Herbert Spencer/Emile Durkheim

Functionalist Perspective

Conflict Perspective

• There are forces in society that promote competition and change.

• Conflict in society arises over competition for scarce resources and social change is an inevitable feature of society.

• Study decision making in the family; relationships of racial groups; labor disputes

• Sociologists – Karl Marx

Symbolic Interactionist Perspective

• Individuals attach meaning to their own actions and to the actions of others; interaction between people takes place through the use of symbols.

• Studies how people interact with one another in society

• Study child development; relationships within groups; mate selection

Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology

• Levels of Analysis• 1. Macro – level analysis: Functionalists and

conflict theorists - examine large-scale patterns in society – Homelessness = changes in society (family structure, outsourcing, failing economy)

2. Micro – level of analysis: symbolic interactionists – examine small scale patterns in society – homeless ( patterns of communication both verbal and nonverbal)