SOCIOLOGY AND ITS USES IN HUMAN SETTLEMENT STUDIES:-

WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?

Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from
the family to the state, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, and from social stability to radical
change in whole societies. Unifying the study of these diverse subjects of study is sociology’s purpose of understanding how human action and
consciousness both shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures.
The purpose of study sociology is understanding how human action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by surrounding
cultural and social structures.

WHAT IS HUMAN SETTLEMENT?

Human settlement is a place where people live. It refers to the totality of human community with all the social, material, organizational,
spiritual, and cultural elements that sustain it.
We study human settlement in geography because at times, we need to know the density of population of a certain place. We also need to
calculate the density of population via census. It also sometimes indirectly helps to calculate the birth and death rates.

USE OF SOCIOLOGY IN HUMAN SETTLEMENT?

Human settlements consist of the five elements:
These are nature, man, society, shells and networks, which form a system conditioning the type and quality of our life.
Man lives in a society and society is a network of human relationship. Sociologists study group life and the social forces that affect human
behaviour. A central goal is to gain insight into how our lives are influenced by the social relationships around us. Since all human
behaviour is social behaviour, sociology is a very broad field of study.
SOCIAL STRUCTURE, CONCEPT OF CULTURE AND DIFFERENTIATION OF SPACE :-

SOCIAL STRUCTURE
The distinctive, stable arrangement of institutions whereby human beings in a society interact and live together. Social structure
is often treated together with the concept of social change, which deals with the forces that change the social structure and th e
organization of society.

CONCEPT OF CULTURE AND DIFFERENTIATION OF SPACE

Culture consists of the beliefs, behaviors, objects, and other characteristics common to the members of a particular group or
society. Through culture, people and groups define themselves, conform to society's shared values, and contribute to society.

According to House, culture represents what members of a social system collectively believe and social structure represents
what members of a social system collectively do.
SOCIO-CULTURAL PROCESSES: SOCIALIZATION, COMPETITION, ACCOMMODATION, CULTURE
CHANGE, CULTURAL-LAG :-

SOCIALIZATION
Socialization is a process that introduces people to social norms and customs. This process helps individuals function well in society, and, in turn,
helps society run smoothly. Family members, teachers, religious leaders, and peers all play roles in a person's socialization.
Socialization teaches people what is expected of them in a particular group or situation; it is a form of social control.
Socialization is the way through which society transmits its culture from generation to generation and maintains itself. Different societies have
different cultures; however it is important not to confuse the idea of culture with society. A culture represents the beliefs and practices of a group,
while society represents the people who share those beliefs and practices. Neither society nor culture could exist without th e other.

COMPETITION
Competition is an elementary, universal and impersonal form of social interaction.
(1) Competition is a culturally Patterned Process: It is present to some degree in all societies, but it differs greatly from society to society.
Some societies are fiercely competitive whereas some are non-competitive in nature
(2) Competition is Impersonal:Competition may be personal when the competitors know one another but generally its nature is impersonal.
(3) Competition is Unconscious:Competition takes place on the unconscious level. Competitors at many times are not aware about other
competitors
(4) Competition is Universal:Competition, though an important characteristic feature of modern society, is found in all societies—primitive,
traditional, modem or in pre-historic eras and in every age.
(5) Competition is Continuous:It is a never-ending process. It goes on consciously or unconsciously all the time. It is unstable and frequently
yields either to co-operation or to conflict.
(6) Competition is restrained:It implies that there are rules of the game to which all competitors must follow.

ACCOMODATION
Accommodation is a form of social interaction in which ‘we get used’ to the factors that are likely to lead to conflict eithe r by force of habit, or sheer
inertia, or a desire to ‘live and let live’. It simply means adjusting oneself to the new environment. For adjustment (physical or social), one must adopt
new ways of behaving.
The term ‘accommodation’ is derived from experimental psychology, where it denotes how individuals modify their activity to fit the requirements of
external social world. Although accommodation has its origin in conflict situation, still it is radically different type of interaction.
CULTURAL CHANGE

Cultural change is a concept that denotes some internal and external factors leading to change in the cultural pattern of societies. Cultural change may
come from many sources but most of them comes through contact with other culture, inventions and internal adjustment of culture.
Factors of Cultural Change:
There are three main factors of cultural change:
(i) Contact:
The contact between two societies will obviously change the culture of both the societies through the process of “cultural diffusion” and
“acculturation”.
(ii) Technology Evolution:
Any technological evolution in the country will bring a change their culture also. For example, changes in production technology, changes in the
means of communication, changes in the means of transportation, etc.
(iii) The geographical and ecological factor:
The geographical and ecological factor is a natural or a physical factor. The climate or rainfall, attitude of the place, clo seness to the sea decides the
culture and lifestyle of the people. Any change in the physical features will automatically lead to a change in their culture , habits and way of living.

CULTURAL LAG

The term “cultural lag” refers to the fact that culture takes time to catch up with technological innovations, resulting in social problems.
The term cultural lag refers to the notion that culture takes time to catch up with technological innovations, and that social problems and conflicts are
caused by this lag. Cultural lag is not only a concept, as it also relates to a theory and explanation in sociology. Cultural lag helps to identify and
explain social problems and to predict future problems.
Key Points:
• Cultural lag is not only a concept, as it also relates to a theory and explanation in sociology.
• It helps identify and explain social problems and also predict future problems.
• According to Ogburn, cultural lag is a common societal phenomenon due to the tendency of material culture to evolve and change rapidly and
voluminously while non-material culture tends to resist change and remain fixed for a far longer period of time.
• Due to the opposing nature of these two aspects of culture, adaptation of new technology becomes rather difficult.
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION, CLASS STRUCTURE, FAMILY STRUCTURE AND HUMAN
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT :-
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION

Sociologists use the term social stratification to describe the system of social standing. Social stratification refers to a society’s categorization of
its people into rankings of socioeconomic.
Society's categorization of its people into groups based on socioeconomic factors like wealth, income, race, education, ethnicity,
gender, occupation, social status, or derived power (social and political).
As such, stratification is the relative social position of persons within a social group, category, geographic region, or social unit.
tiers based on factors like wealth, income, race, education, and power.

1. Social stratification is a trait of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences.

2. Social stratification persists over generations.
3. Social stratification is universal (it happens everywhere) but variable (it takes different forms across different societies) .
4. Social stratification involves not just inequality but beliefs as well (inequality is rooted in a society's philosophy).

CLASS STRUCTURE

A social class is a set of concepts in the social sciences and political theory centred on models of social stratification which occurs in class
society, in which people are grouped into a set of hierarchical social categories the most common being the upper, middle and lower classes.
In modern Western societies, social stratification is typically defined in terms of three social classes: the upper class, the middle class, and the lower
class; in turn, each class can be subdivided into the upper-stratum, the middle-stratum, and the lower stratum.[4] Moreover, a social stratum can be
formed upon the bases of kinship, clan, tribe, or caste, or all four.
FAMILY STRUCTURE

“Family structure” is a term that describes the members of a household who are linked by marriage or bloodline and is typically used in
reference to at least one child residing in the home under the age of 18.
Types of Family Structure
i. Nuclear Family
ii. Single Parent Family
iii. Extended Family
iv. Childless Family
v. Step Family
vi. Grandparent Family

HUMAN COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPMENT

The United Nations defines community development as "a process where community members come together to take collective action
and generate solutions to common problems.

"It is a broad concept, applied to the practices of civic leaders, activists, involved citizens, and professionals to improve various aspects of
communities, typically aiming to build stronger and more resilient local communities.
Community development is also understood as a professional discipline, and is defined by the International Association for Co mmunity
Development as "a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes participative democracy,

sustainable development, rights, economic opportunity, equality and social justice, through the organisation, education and empowerment of
people within their communities, whether these be of locality, identity or interest, in urban and rural settings".
SOCIO ECONOMIC PARAMETERS OF COMMUNITY PLANNING :-
Community planning involves the formulation of long-range visions, goals, policies and strategies for achieving social, economicand environmental
sustainability within a community in order to guide future community development.
Typically referred to as "long range planning", community planning differs from day to day development planning which typically focuses on the
review of current development proposals to determine how they fit within community plans such as the Official Community Plan, neighbourhood or
sector plans and other plans and strategies.

ATTRIBUTE ECONOMIC SOCIAL

Building: * Increased land and property prices can lead *Restoration of historic sites and buildings encourages
Vision/Character to increased government revenue through taxation. community interaction can help promote local
*Cultural landmark buildings provide a tourist attraction creates jobs community cohesion and revive civic pride; provide
through additional tourism spend and can increase land and facilities for local communities which increases use.
residential property prices in the surrounding area. *Cultural landmark buildings
*Wow factor of buildings significant in Create distinction, which enhances the culture of an
retention and recruitment of staff and students Area.
Building: *Higher quality design increases land and property values. *Transparency from exterior to interior of building can
Appearance *Pleasant working environments can inspire and stimulate employees; reduce perceived barriers to
reduce absenteeism and aid staff retention. Entry.

* Exterior views, natural views and sunlight can improve staff morale
and satisfaction.
Commercial Commercial
*Pleasant architecture (and environment) is key in business location *Inclusion of roof terraces or green spaces provides
decisions. areas for workers in offices to
*Higher quality design can attract greater rents and increases the socialize.
marketability of offices / commercial properties.
 Residential Residential
*The appearance of the neighborhood and safety issues leads to
*Distinctive design qualities in residential properties can have a positive effect on greater satisfaction with homes from their occupants
property prices and improve marketability.

Hospitals Hospitals
*A well-designed hospital can reduce staff turnover including spaciousness. *Capital investment in refurbishing old hospitals or building new
hospitals can reduce patient recovery times by increasing morale
*Display of visual art in hospital and the use of colour can lead to increased levels of
of staff morale and reduce patient recovery times staff and patients.
*Well-designed hospital buildings have therapeutic properties for
patients, helping them recover faster.
*Exterior views from hospital beds can increase patient recovery
rates.

Building: Commercial Commercial

Context *Contiguity to high-quality public space can increase rental value of commercial *New developments can have a positive effect on their
and retail property facing the space. surrounding area by providing cultural facilities for occupants
*Prestige / image of surrounding area and workers to
important factor in choice of office location use.
Residential Residential
*Proximity to water features, green spaces, street trees, parks and playgrounds can *Scenery and views add to residents’ satisfaction with their homes.
increase residential property price. *Homes that overlook each other makes residents feel safer, as
this tended to deter crime.

Socially, architecture and design can help us feel good about who we are and where we live; it can foster or inhibit social interaction and contribute to or mitigate against social
cohesion. The design and fabric of buildings and places can contribute to our cultural identity and pride in our local commun ity.
Economically, well-designed, well-connected buildings and places clearly attract investment and create jobs. Working in buildings and places that offer a variety of spaces, which
provide inspiring, comfortable and controllable environments, enhances the recruitment, retention, satisfaction, motivation, productivity and performance of staff. Key to
creating these environments are external and natural views, fresh air and daylight.
In residential contexts, proximity to green spaces, street trees, parks, playgrounds and water features can increase residential property prices. This too can generate increased
revenue through property taxation but lead to exclusion of local communities.
SOCIOLOGY AND ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH ARCHITECTURE

Vitruvius noted the three key factors related to architecture as firmness, commodity and delight. While firmness relates to the structural/technical
aspects, and delight to the aesthetic considerations, commodity relates to the ability of a facility to respond to the human element. It is this response
to the human element that comprises this section of the curriculum.

A large proportion of our human experience and social interaction occurs in the buildings in which we live and work. Therefore, architectural
sociologists use sociological perspective to enhance building design.
Architecture and Urban Space play an important role among the sociological and Psychological factors that influence human andtheir Wellbeing.
Sociology and Psychology analyze the role of architecture in the conscious shaping of space.
Sociology of settlements, the city, and the housing deals with building (or architecture) activity of man and his perception and needs.
Architectural design must grow as an individual element of the cultural entity of society in order to remain a language of its time.
Architecture is basically constituted of the aesthetic, the engineering and the social aspects. The built environment which is made up of designed
spaces and the activities of people are inter-related and inseparable. It is for us to understand this interrelationship and put it down appropriately on
paper. Social institutions are many and these social institutions sometimes need functional spaces to allow the people using the building to benefit
from all aspects of both, the purpose of what inhabits the building and by the varied structure and organized flow of communication. The way the
buildings are designed to fulfill the needs of these social institutions /social requirements can be said to be the compliance of social aspects in
architecture.
Architecture is a material and symbolic ‘mode’ through which societies and individuals are constituted and transformed. As architecture is a cultural
technique, which is primarily enacted in relation to bodies, perceptions and affects (rather than in a discursive, reflectiveway), the social effects of
architecture can best be understood and analysed through a comparative lens.
.
Architectural design is required to respond to changing social traits, even within constant societies. Examples of these changes include:
(1) Societal roles have changed within our culture, moving from sole earning to dual-earning households. The preference for both adults to hold
jobs remains in fluctuation as there is a minor shift back to stay-at-home parent concepts. The dual-earning scenario changes social requirements
for child care opportunities.
(2) Social norms change with time, resulting in a subsequent change in architectural design. This item may be seen in a simple example of
personal hats. Earlier generations even within the most recent century wore hats as a common article of attire. These hats required a space within
the design of a public institution so as to allow “hanging one’s hat” upon entering a building. It used to be socially unacceptable to wear a hat
indoors, though this behavior is accepted by many persons today.
This change in materials revolutionized architectural design with the new capabilities, thereby changing the nature of our society. High-rise
design and construction is now an everyday fact, seen as an element of societal growth and prosperity.
Our understanding of the environment is brought forth and enhanced by the manner through which architectural design takes the established
elements of a given code, those elements that have long been established as indicative of a building form, and reproduces them in a new manner.
The original form is inherent in the new variation, however it has been modified through design (broken down, reassembled, or re-established) to
provide something new. It is in this way that architectural design is able to continually provide the language of structure for a society of constant
growth.
The difficulty found in this analysis is that no two persons will "see" the same thing, "feel" the same way, or "experience" the same environment.
Architectural design must be capable of expressing that which is common to society (cultural norms and values) while proposing a new median
through which to accept the building typology. The task remains ongoing and will continue.