Lecture One

Sociological Perspective

The Sociological Perspective

Sociology seeks to understand the relationship between the individual and society.

C Wright Mills: Sociological Imagination A quality of mind that allows us to connect:

“Personal troubles of the milieu”with

“Public issues of social structure”

Examining these relationships gives us the knowledge to understand society, our place in it, and the ability to make changes

HIV/AIDS Globally

Understanding and Explaining HIV/AIDS Cultural Explanations

Social Structure Explanations

Political Explanations

Individual Explanations

Social Consciousness

Another sociologist, Peter Berger, believes that we need a social consciousness or “A form of consciousness that enables us to see the "reality" behind the "facades."

He asks us to critically examine the things that are familiar to us as unfamiliar “It can be said that the first wisdom of sociology is

this – things are not what they seem.”

Practicing Social Consciousness Have you ever asked yourself: Why do

women shave their legs?

Why is it normal in our

culture for women to

shave their legs and

not men?

Asking How & Why (and when) with Social Consciousness When did this ideal emerge?

How did this ideal emerge?

Why did this ideal emerge?

The Origins of Sociology The sociological discipline emerged at the end of

the 19th C at the intersection of 3 major revolutions

Scientific Revolution: idea that we can objectively study society

Democratic Revolution: idea that ‘the people’ are responsible for making decisions that shape and change society (not God)

Industrial Revolution: created significant and lasting changes in society and people’s daily lives

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Association of Marx with Communism obscure his contribution to sociology and his ideas. Communism is a later application of his ideas.

Marx focused on the economic relations of society as the source and solution of social conflict He believed that social scientist’s task is to

analyze and explain conflict, which drives social change

Emile Durkheim (1858-1918)

While Marx was concerned with the source of conflict in society, Durkheim wondered what tied people to each other and society Focused on division of labor in society

Durkheim believed that the social scientist’s task is to analyze and explain solidarity and the mechanisms through which it is achieved

Max Weber (1864-1920)

Weber believed that the structure of society could be explained by observing the behavior of people in society that supports that structure and the ideas/values that motivate those actions. Focused on how society became rationally organized

Weber believed that social scientist’s task is to explain the course and consequences of social action

He was concerned with social actions and the meaning people attach to their behavior.

Why are the DWEM’s still relevant? Early sociologists studied the rapid and far-reaching

changes that brought by Industrialization; these changes are the foundation of the society we live in today Globalization – cultural, social, and economic

interdependence Post-Industrial society – economy based on services and

education Rationalization – dominance of value-rational

thought/action Division of labor and specialization – jobs, education,

geography