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