Introduction To Sociology

Course Description

Introduce the origins of the disciple of Sociology Study the works of Key Sociological Thinkers Influence of Sociology on

Modernization Economic development Race Class Gender Socialization & Deviance State & Citizenship

Grade Structure

Class Participation:5% Presentation:15% Hourlies: 35% Final Exam: 45%

What is Sociology?

Sociology - systematic study of social behavior and human groups is a recent development-late 18th century It has its roots in significant social change

E.g. Industrial Revolution, Rise of Empires, Age of Enlightenment

Early practitioners developed this disciple in an attempt to understand these social changes with respect to social structure culture and history In order to understand the social behavior , sociologists have to rely on creative thinking. C Wright Mills describes such thinking as sociological imagination

The Development of Sociology

Sociology is a relatively new academic discipline among other social sciences including economics, political science, anthropology, and psychology Sociology as a scientific discipline emerged in the early 19th century as an academic response to the challenge of modernity The term "sociologie" was first used by the French essayist Emmanuel Joseph Sieys The term was independently re-invented, and introduced as a neologism, by the French thinker Auguste Comte in 1838. He believed all human life had passed through the same distinct historical stages and that, if one could grasp this progress, one could prescribe the remedies for social ills

What is sociological Theory?

Why do people commit suicide? Sociologists are more concerned with identifying the social forces that forces people to take their lives mile Durkheim (1858 1917) developed highly original theory about suicide and social factors Sociological theories are complex theoretical frameworks that sociologists use to explain and analyze variously how social action, social processes, and social structures work

Early Thinkers- Auguste Comte

Auguste Comte was considered one of the most influential philosophers of the early 1800s Comte coined the term sociology to apply to the science of human behavior He believed sociology held the potential to improve the society and direct human activity

Harriet Martineau (18021876)

Harriet Martineau was an English writer and philosopher, renowned in her day as a controversial journalist, political economist, abolitionist and life-long feminist Martineau has also been called the first female sociologist and the first female journalist in England Her writings emphasized the impact that the economy, law, trade and population could have on the social problems of the society

mile Durkheim (1858-1917)

mile Durkheim was a French sociologist and pioneer in the development of modern sociology and anthropology Durkheim insisted that behavior must be understood within a larger social context, not just in individualistic terms According to Durkheim the process of change in the modern world is so rapid and intense that it gives rise to major social difficulties which he linked to anomie. During his lifetime, Durkheim gave many lectures, and published numerous sociological studies on subjects such as education, crime, religion, suicide, and many other aspects of society

Max Webber (18641920)

Max Webber was a German lawyer, politician, scholar, political economist and sociologist, who profoundly influenced sociological theory Weber's major works deal with rationalization in sociology of religion, government, organizational theory, and behavior Social behavior can only be analyzed subjectivelyunderstand how people themselves view and explain their behavior- humans are thinking, reasoning beings

Karl Marx (18181883)

Karl Marx was a German philosopher, political economist, historian, political theorist, sociologist, communist and revolutionary, whose ideas are credited as the foundation of modern communism Marx was so critical of existing institutions that most of his life was spent in exile Marx summarized his approach in the first line of the first chapter of The Communist Manifesto, published in 1848: The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles. In Marx analysis society was fundamentally divided between classes that clash in pursuit of their own interest Marx argued that capitalism, like previous socioeconomic systems, will inevitably produce internal tensions which will lead to its destruction Just as capitalism replaced feudalism, he believed socialism will, in its turn, replace capitalism, and lead to a stateless, classless society called pure communism Marx emphasized the importance of an individual in a society- this line of study is the major focus of contemporary sociology

Major Theoretical Perspectives

Sociologists view society in different ways The most commonly used views by sociologists are

Functionalist Perspective Conflict Perspective Interactionist Perspective

A more specialized viewpoint that has be influential in recent years is the Feminist Perspective

Functionalist Perspective

Functionalist perspective views society as a vast network of connected parts , each of which helps maintain the system as a whole Talcott Parsons(1902-1079) was a key figure in developing this theory Parson was greatly influenced by Emile Durkeim Limitations:

does not take into account social change Epistemological argument-Functionalism approach only focuses only on the effects and does not explain the causes of those effects Ontological Argument- society does not have needs as humans do

Manifist and Latent Functions- Robert Merton

Conflict Perspective

In contrast to functionalists emphasis on stability and consensus Conflict sociology see the social world in continual struggle It is best understood in terms of conflict or tension between competing groups The Marxist View- believed that struggle between social classes as inevitable Limitation:

It overlooks the stability of society

Interactionist Perspective

It is a theoretical approach to understanding the relationship between humans and society Interactionist perspective generalizes about everyday forms of social interaction in order to understand society as a whole Limitation:

It overlooks the macro social structures (e.g. norms, culture) as a result on focusing on the micro- level interaction

Feminist Perspective

Feminist perspective views inequality in gender as central to all behavior and organization Drawing on the work of Marx, Feminist theory views womens subordination as inherent in Capitalism Societies Feminist Socialists have not only questioned female stereotypes but they have argued for a gender balanced study of society where a womens experiences and contributions are visible as that of males

What is the Scientific Method?

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

It is a systematic, organized series of steps that ensures maximum objectivity and consistency in researching a problem There are five basic steps in the Scientific Method:
Defining the problem Reviewing the literature Formulating the hypothesis Selecting the research design and collect and analysis data Developing the conclusion

Major Research Designs

It is a detailed plan or method for obtaining data scientifically The choice we make directly influences the cost of the project, the amount of time required to collect the result of the research and also the quality of the results The research designs sociologists regularly use include;

Surveys Field work Observation experiments Existing sources