Who are they and why are they important? Pioneers of Sociology Who are they and why are they important?

The Origins of Sociology The Industrial Revolution People were forced to leave their farms and small businesses to obtain factory jobs in large cities Brought many social problems (disease, unemployment, crime) Sociology developed as a way to deal with these new problems and make society ‘work’ Political Revolutions Extreme violence and social change Governments and societies turned upside down First sociologists used the tools of the Enlightenment (reason and science) to offer ideas and solutions to a rapidly changing society

Auguste Comte France, 1789-1857 Positivism (positive and orderly solutions can solve social problems) Coined the term ‘sociology’ Sociologists should use scientific tools of observation, experimentation, and comparison to study human societies

Harriet Martineau England, 1802-1876 Raised awareness of social inequality Especially inequality toward women Wrote editorials in the London Daily News

Emile Durkheim France, 1917-1958 Brought sociology to forefront (first journal of sociology) Theory of social facts: things such as customs, institutions, and organizations exert control over people

Karl Marx Germany, 1818-1883 Believed capitalism (class differences) would be replaced with communism (everyone would have equal access to products and benefits) Wrote The Communist Manifesto

Max Weber Germany, 1864-1920 Disagreed with Marx (class structure) Believed human values and beliefs affected how people acted throughout history

Herbert Spencer England, 1820-1903 Theory of Social Darwinism: The most fit people (aka wealthy) would be the most successful in society

George Herbert Mead United States, 1863-1931 Social interactivism: How people ‘define the situation’ in different roles and settings in society

Talcott Parsons United States, 1902-1979 Theory of Structural Functionalism: Social Structures performed positive functions in society Functions ensured the social system would remain stable and orderly and able to absorb change

C. Wright Mills United States, 1916-1962 Interested in positive functions of American life Criticized white-collar middle class and society being governed by elite leaders

Dorothy E. Smith Canada, 1926- Women and powerless have been excluded from sociological research Society must include women and the powerless in how we think, speak, write, and act on a daily basis