Intro to Sociology Sociological Theory (Part 1) OTHS Mr. Albers

Sociological Perspective Last Time… 1. Sociological Imagination 2. Sociological Perspective

Sociological Theory (Part 1) Today… 1. Sociological Theory 2. Auguste Comte 3. Harriet Martineau 4. Herbert Spencer 5. Emile Durkheim

Sociological Theory (Part 1) Sociological Theory: 1. A set of statements that seeks to explain problems, actions, or behavior. 2. An effective theory may have both explanatory and predictive power. 3. Helps us see relationships between seemingly isolated phenomena

Sociological Theory (Part 1) The Early Thinkers: 1. Auguste Comte ( )– 2. Believed that a science of society was needed to improve society 3. Coined the term “sociology” to refer to this science

Sociological Theory (Part 1) The Early Thinkers: 1. Auguste Comte – 2. Hoped that a study of social behavior would lead to more rational human interactions

Sociological Theory (Part 1) The Early Thinkers: 1. Harriet Martineau ( )– 2. Studied and wrote about customs and social practices in her native England as well as the United States 3. Examined religion, politics, child rearing, and immigration

Sociological Theory (Part 1) The Early Thinkers: 1. Harriet Martineau ( )– 2. In Martineau’s view, sociologists should not just observe and write about society, but should act in a manner that would benefit society

Sociological Theory (Part 1) The Early Thinkers: 1. Herbert Spencer ( )– 2. Did not feel compelled to correct or improve society, just to observe and understand it 3. Applied Darwin’s theories to society to show how they change over time

Sociological Theory (Part 1) The Early Thinkers: 1. Herbert Spencer ( )– 2. Coined the term “Survival of the Fittest” 3. Since societies were bound to change, there was no need to be highly critical of present wrongs

Sociological Theory (Part 1) The Early Thinkers: 1. Emile Durkheim ( )– 2. Insisted that behavior must be understood within a larger social context, not just individual terms.

Sociological Theory (Part 1) The Early Thinkers: 1. Emile Durkheim ( )– 2. Coined the term “Anomie”, which refers to the loss of direction that a society feels when social control of individual behavior becomes ineffective.

Sociological Theory (Part 1) The Early Thinkers: 1. Emile Durkheim ( )– 2. Saw danger in isolation, alienation and loneliness- fearing it would lead to increased suicide

Sociological Theory (Part 1) The Early Thinkers: 1. Emile Durkheim ( )– 2. Wanted to create new social groups that were a mixture of the family and the state which would provide meaning and belonging 3. Saw Labor Unions as this type of group.

Sociological Theory (Part 1) "If one class of society is obliged, in order to live, to take any price for its services, while another can abstain from such action thanks to resources at its disposal which, however, are not necessarily due to any social superiority, the second has an unjust advantage over the first at law. In other words, there cannot be rich and poor at birth without there being unjust contracts." (Durkheim- from The Division of Labor in Society)

Sociological Theory (Part 1) Assignment: 1. Text, read p Text assignment due Tuesday