Introduction to Sociology

What is Sociology? The scientific study of people in groups, the relationships between people and the social structures they develop. “is the study of human groups and societies, including their behaviours, relationships and social structures” Look at structure and function of society as system, the fundamentals of human interactions with their environment, and how our social world affects us

What Do Sociologist Study? Sociologists are interested but not limited to the following: Social groups such as family and peers. They focus on how social groups are organized, function and change Social change focuses on the way societies and institutions change over time through technical inventions, conflict or social movements Social Problems which are social conditions that cause difficulty for a large group of people or society such as crime, prejudice, poverty, abuse, addictions etc. Social Organization which focuses on various institutions such as education, government, law an how they form, change & function with relation to the individual & each other. n

What do sociologist study? Social behaviours: how people act Social interactions: the relationships between groups, how they interact with each other, etc Social structures: organization of society/groups including their rules, beliefs, actions, etc

The Sociological Imagination “ability to see connection between personal troubles and social structures” Example: Suicide and social solidarity (amount that groups share beliefs/values and amount that members of those groups interact with each other)

Branches of Sociology There are many areas of specialization. A few are: Criminology Social Psychology Urban Sociology Sociology of Race and Ethnicity Sociology of Education Medical Sociology

Where are Graduates with a Sociology Degree Employed? Independent research consultants who examine trends in human behaviour for a variety of clients Administrative positions in government and public agencies Counselling/Social Work Market Researchers who study consumer trends

Approaches to Sociology 1. Structural Functionalism: Sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to serve a purpose for society as a whole (e.g. Family has the task of raising children) Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) Father of modern Sociology Believed individuals identify with society as a whole and see themselves as part of a large picture

2. Conflict Theory Power not function holds a society together Sees society in a framework of class conflicts and focuses on the struggle for scarce resources by different groups in a given society Karl Marx (1818-1883) Studied class conflict through history

3. Symbolic Interactionism Stresses the analysis of how our behaviours depend on how we define others and ourselves Focuses on the way people give meaning to the world around them through symbols, words, gestures. These evolve from their interactions with people and their environment Max Weber (1864-1920) Believed sociologists must put themselves in the place of the people being studied to understand how they think and why they act the way they do

4. Feminist Sociology Feminist sociology focuses on the particular disadvantages, including oppression and exploitation faced by women in society