CHAPTER 1: THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Objectives:Explain the role of values in social

research as prescribed by Weber, and the ensuing controversies over whether sociological research can be and/or should be value free.

Distinguish between Weber’s “Verstehen”, and Durkheim’s “social facts”; Explain how, despite differences, both can be used together in social research

WARM IT UP…

Using your whiteboard:

Write your definition for the term “values”

VALUES IN SOCIOLOGICAL RESEARCH…THE DEBATE

Values: the standards by which people define what is desirable or undesirable, good or bad, beautiful or ugly.

What are the proper purposes and uses of sociology?

side 1: goal should be simply to advance understanding of social life and present findings to the world

side 2: goal should be to investigate social issues that harm people and try to spearhead reform movements

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WEBER’S VIEWS ON VALUES IN SOCIOLOGY

Max Weber thought Sociology should be value free (personal values or biases should not influence social research)

Wanted Objectivity (total neutrality)Values in research = Bias in findingsMust have replication (repeating a study

in order to test its findings) to “weed out” any bias

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Within your group discuss the following questions:

Should values play a role in Sociological research?

Is there a place for values in research?

VERSTEHEN

Verstehen—German word used by Weber, to understand, to have insight into someone’s situation

must understand subjective meanings (meanings that people give their own behavior)

must understand how people view and explain their own behavior to truly understand why they do what they do

Walk in their shoes

SOCIAL FACTS

Social Facts—Durkheim’s term for a group’s pattern of behavior

External to the individualexamples: June is the most popular

month for weddings, suicide rates are higher among the elderly, more births occur on Tuesdays than on any other day of the week

use social facts to interpret social facts

TAKE A GUESS…

On your white board give your hypothesis:

Why do you think June is the most popular month for weddings in the United States?

Once you have your hypothesis share with your group

VERSTEHEN AND SOCIAL FACTS

Verstehen and Social Facts reinforce one another

Sociologists use Verstehen in order to interpret social facts

take a set of facts, apply Verstehen to them to gain insight that goes beyond statistics

FOR NEXT WEEK…Find 1 Article/Blog Post/Commentary about any social problem/issue

that you want. Email me the link (mlewis@pleasanthillschools.com) and a 1 page summary and reflection of the piece.

--DUE BEFORE CLASS ON TUESDAY (be prepare to share on Tuesday in class)

--Example Google Doc

Group Content Presentations--Sociologists and their Contributions--Possible Choices:--Auguste Comte--Herbert Spencer--Karl Marx--Emile Durkheim--Max Weber

Each group will pick a Sociologist, research them and their major contributions to Sociology, then create a lesson to present to the class.

--Pre-record or Live record?--Class interaction--5-7 minutes in length