What is Sociology?

Sociology

Is the study of human society and social interaction.

Sociologists try to develop theories about the interrelationship between group life and the individual

Is important to study because it shows how individual behavior is shaped by our society and the larger global context in which our society is located.

Used to understand human behavior based on science

What sociologists study

„ Culture

„ Socialization

„ Stratification (social inequality,

income)

„ Race & gender (stereotypes)

„ Deviance & crime

„ Family

„ Religion

The Sociological “Lens”

Example—Death Penalty

A social behavior—How would different social sciences look at it?

Psychology

Political science

Sociology

The Sociological “Lens”

Example- Suicide

Is it an individual or societal issue?

How does it vary geographically?

Teen suicide in the US v Jihadist Suicide

“The Sociological Imagination”

Sociologists often refer to the ability to see the connection between individual behavior and the larger social context as the sociological imagination.

The sociological imagination helps to distinguish between person troubles and public issues.

Personal troubles affect the individual and his/her networks and require that a person create a solution, while public issues affect large numbers of people and may require sociological solutions.

Sociological Imagination

Example: Single mother Rita Harris has been

working as a software engineer in Hartford, CT for 10 years. Her job was outsourced to India. She blames herself for not working hard enough. Is it really her fault?

80% of Americans carry some form of debt- credit card, mortgage, college loan, etc. As a country, we have the propensity to overspend. Is this a personal or public issue?

In the last 10 years, a majority of young Americans wait until their late 20s and early 30s to get married.

The Benefits of Studying Sociology

It is a way to appreciate our own society from the outsider’s perspective

It allows us to understand problems from a wider perspective

MACRO (big) level MICRO (small) level

“top down” approach “bottom up” approach

Sociological Questions: How do people differ?

By race, or the way people are distinguished by physical characteristics such as skin color

By ethnicity, or their cultural heritage or identity based on factors such as language or country of origin

By class, or their relative location within the larger society based on wealth, power, prestige, or other values resources

By gender, or the meanings, beliefs, and practices associated with sex differences

Modern Sociological Perspectives

1. Structural-Functional

2. Social Conflict

3. Symbolic Interactionism

Functionalism

Society is like a living organism

Living organism has parts

All parts together make a living organism

All parts are important in maintaining a balance (nothing is trivial)

Functionalism

Parts of living organism such as human body

Hands, feet, legs, arms, eyes, kidney, digestive system, etc. playing important role in making life possible (they all have a specific FUNCTION)

Society develops social structures or institutions that keep society surviving

Education, religion, government, economy, and family structures

When adverse conditions affect one institution, they affect all institutions (for example- terrible family life will impact the school performance of kids)

Functionalism

Examples… Poverty

Crime/delinquency

Prostitution

How are they functional? (adding to the stability)

Functionalism

When a part of society undermine the stability it is no longer functional

It is “dysfunctional”—adding to the instability of the society

When crime, prostitution, poverty are out of control they are dysfunctional

Equilibrium

Equilibrium is the state of balance maintained by social processes that help society adjust and compensate for forces that might tilt it onto a path of destruction

Conflict

Social behavior best understood in terms of conflict or tension

Groups compete for control of scarce resources in society

Inspired by Karl Marx

Functionalism looks for “stability” whereas conflict sociology looks tension in society

Conflict

Everyone is society is competing for power and resources

Apply it to

Shopping

Development of Conflict Sociological Lens

Marx—division of society into “owners” and “workers”

Continuous conflict between the two classes ending in revolution

Group membership determine behavior & attitude

Interaction Perspective

Social behavior is better understood in terms of interaction among people

Interactions take place through symbols—verbal & non-verbal communication

“Walk the world in someone else’s shoes”

Interaction

Dramaturgical approach (Goffman)—everyday life is like a theater and stage

We wear a series of masks and act different ways in different situations- its our interaction with the environment and each other

Interactionists focus on people’s face to face interactions and the roles people play

Customers who interact with cashiers rely on previous experiences to guide the interaction

Why do we spend money to impress others? What symbols do we use to improve our interactions with others?

Goffman’s Dramaturgical Analysis

Methods used to market status, sex, and success?

Social Disintegration

Social Integration is the degree to which people are connected to their social groups. 

Anomie is a state of relative normlessness that comes from the disintegration of our routines and regulations.

-Anomie is common when we go through sudden changes in our lives or when we live in larger cities. -Sudden changes bring stress and frustration. 

Anomie at Graduation

To illustrate this, I often tell my students to remember how they felt the day after high school graduation.

They walk for graduation then wake up the next morning with very few demands on their time and energies.

This sudden shift in demands from very intense to almost absent, leads many to feel extremely frustrated and lost. Add to that they are now adults and no longer students (children) and you get a prime formula for anomie (role shift + vague expectations about what is expected + sudden change=anomie).

Irish Anomie- “feeling like they don’t belong”

Theory Puzzles

You will paired up with a classmate.

You will be given an envelope containing little puzzle pieces. Your job is to organize the pieces until you have created six squares. Each square corresponds to a category- sports, health, family, age, environment, and religion.

Once you have finished the puzzles, raise your hand and I will come around and tell you the next step (and give you a handout which I will collect for participation credit)

Theory Puzzles

Structural- Functional

Society is seen as a system whose parts work together in order to promote solidarity and stability. There are stable patterns of social behavior, and all structures have consequences which serve as a function for society.

Social Conflict

Society is seen as a structure that is full of inequality. This massive inequality generates conflict and is the motivation for change. All social structures benefit the elite (the wealthy) and further deprive the poor.

Symbolic Interaction

Society is the product of everyday interaction of individuals. It is complex, changing, and subject to their own views, experiences, memories, thoughts, and expectations.

Social Issues Skit

Each group will be assigned the task of coming up with a two minute skit about your social issue. You have 15 minutes to come up with a skit.

Marriage

Homelessness

War

Physical abuse

Euthanasia

Drug Abuse

Crime

Social Issues Skit Reflections

The room will be divided up into three theory teams- structural-functional, social conflict, and symbolic interaction.

Each group will present their skit. After viewing each skit, each theory team will have two minutes to develop an explanation of, or opinion on, the issue presented according to your assigned theory.

A representative from your team will then present their theory to the class.