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HSS UFC Lesson 3

Sociology can be divided into different branches and levels of analysis. At the macro level, macro-sociology examines large-scale social phenomena like institutions and how social groups are organized within society. At the micro level, micro-sociology analyzes interpersonal relationships and social interaction. Some also include a meso level that looks at social phenomena between the micro and macro levels. Sociology can also be divided into fields that focus on areas like social organization, social control, social change, social processes, and social groups. Current subdivisions include criminology, demography, family sociology, and the sociology of religion.

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63 views

HSS UFC Lesson 3

Sociology can be divided into different branches and levels of analysis. At the macro level, macro-sociology examines large-scale social phenomena like institutions and how social groups are organized within society. At the micro level, micro-sociology analyzes interpersonal relationships and social interaction. Some also include a meso level that looks at social phenomena between the micro and macro levels. Sociology can also be divided into fields that focus on areas like social organization, social control, social change, social processes, and social groups. Current subdivisions include criminology, demography, family sociology, and the sociology of religion.

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latifa hachemi
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UNIVERSITY OF CONTINUOUS TRAINING

DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
HUMAN AND SOCIAL SCIENCE
DR. IRBIR LATIFA

LESSON THREE
Branches of Sociology
Learning Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• Describe the subject-matter, scope and basic concerns of sociology;
• Describe macro-sociology and micro-sociology;
• Describe the relationship of sociology with other fields of study.

INTRODUCTION:
The problem of definition in sciences is one of the most common problems
especially in social sciences as the concepts are not easy for people to grasp. It is
noticed that since the time of August Comte, scholars have been trying to identify the
scope of this field. The French and German scholars made every effort in defining the
scope of sociology compared to their American and English counterparts. What is
noteworthy is that scholars disagree not only on the definition of sociology but also on
its scope and branches.
BRANCHES OF SOCIOLOGY
The first scholars divided the branches of sociology based on the main social
phenomena. Therefore they had family; religion, government system, social
stratification, crime and deviations. Other scholars divide it based on its scope of
interest. Therefore we have theoretical and practical sociology. Another way of
division is the level of analysis. In this, we have wide-scope and narrow-scope levels
of analysis; also labeled: macro and micro sociology
LEVELS OF SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS
There are generally two levels of analysis in sociology, which may also be
regarded as branches of sociology: micro-sociology and macro- sociology (Henslin
and Nelson, 1995). Micro-sociology is interested in small-scale level of the structure
and functioning of human social groups; whereas macro-sociology studies the large-
scale aspects of society.
Macro-sociology focuses on the broad features of society. The goal of macro-
sociology is to examine the large-scale social phenomena that determine how social
groups are organized and positioned within the social structure. Micro-sociological
level of analysis focuses on social interaction. It analyzes interpersonal relationships,
and on what people do and how they behave when they interact. This level of analysis
is usually employed by symbolic interactionist perspective.
Some writers also add a third level of analysis called meso-level analysis, which
analyzes human social phenomena in between the micro- and macro-levels. Reflecting
their particular academic interest sociologists may prefer one form of analysis to the
other; but all levels of analysis are useful and necessary for a fuller understanding of
social life in society.
THE MAN FIELDS OF SOCIOLOGY
Within these general frameworks, sociology may be divided into specific sub-
fields on the basis of certain criteria. The most important fields of sociology can be
grouped into six areas (World Book Encyclopedia, 1994: Vol. 18; Pp. 564-568).
• The Field of Social Organization and Theory of Social Order: focuses on
institutions and groups, their formation and change, manner of functioning, relation to
individuals and to each other.
• Social Control: focuses on the ways in which members of a society influence one
another so as to maintain social order.
• Social Change: focuses on the way society and institutions change over time through
technical inventions, cultural diffusion and cultural conflict, and social movements,
among others.
• Social Processes: focuses on the pattern in which social change takes place, and the
modes of such processes.
• Social Groups: focuses on how social groups are formed, structured, and how they
function and change.
• Social Problems: focuses on the social conditions which cause difficulties for a large
number of persons and which the society is seeking to eliminate. Some of the
problems may include: juvenile delinquency, crime, chronic alcoholism, suicide,
narcotics addiction, racial prejudice, ethnic conflict, war, industrial conflict, slum,
areas, urban poverty, prostitution, child abuse, problem of older persons, marital
conflicts, etc.
Currently, sociology has got quite several specific subdivisions or fields of
specialization in it: some of these include the following: criminology; demography;
human ecology; political sociology; medical sociology; sociology of the family;
sociology of sports; sociology of development; social psychology; socio- linguistics;
sociology of education; sociology of religion; sociology of knowledge; sociology of
art; sociology of science technology; sociology of law; urban sociology; rural
sociology; economic sociology; and industrial sociology.

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