The Sociological Perspective Sociology Mr. Findley

What is Sociology Formally defined, sociology is the scientific study of human social behavior Sociology seeks to document and explain the basic regularities of social life Sociology assumes these regularities are the product of social forces rather than biological or psychological ones Groups Organizations Societies

The Sociological Imagination C. Wright Mills “The sociological imagination enables its possessor to understand the larger historical scene in terms of its meaning for the inner life and the external career of a variety of individuals” (The Sociological Imagination, 1959:5) It enables its user to grasp the connection between larger social factors and personal lives, to distinguish personal troubles from social issues

An Example: Personal Troubles and Social Issues If 1 person is unemployed in a town of 5,000, how should we seek to understand this? It is a personal matter best understood by examining the life of the individual Social Issue If 900 people are unemployed in a town of 5,000, how should we seek to understand this? It is a social issue whose explanation is best understood by examining the influence of local social factors An Example: Personal Troubles and Social Issues

The Sociological Perspective As a science, sociology carefully and systematically collects and analyzes empirical evidence Data derived directly from observation and experience (pg. 5) The scientific goal of sociology is to uncover the causes of regular behavioral patterns. To develop theory An explanation of the relationship between specific facts The Sociological Perspective

An Example: Research and Theory Emile Durkheim, Suicide (1897) Uses scientific methods to develop a sociological explanation for the variations in suicide rates across groups and regions Collected statistics for many European nations Findings Non-church goers more than church goers Protestants more than Catholics Unemployed more than employed Unmarried more than married Urban residents more the rural residents Concludes Many suicides result from a lack of social integration caused by larger social forces ( Lack of Social Solidarity – social bonds developed by individuals to their society.)

An Example: Research and Theory

Debunking Theme Sociology Looks beyond surface level explanations Questions established truths Assumes official explanations are incomplete Is a somewhat cynical discipline

An Example: The Death Penalty and Deterrence Commonsense leads us to believe that the more severe the punishment the less likely one is to commit the crime Using this logic many propose that use of the death penalty as a criminal sanction should deter the crime of murder What does the empirical evidence suggests? Source: Deterrence: States Without the Death Penalty Fared Better Over Past Decade (n.d.). Retrieved May 25, 2003, from http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/article.php?scid=12&did=168

Major Topics of Sociological Interest Socialization The social processes behind learning Structured Social Inequality The cause and outcome of differential advantage Social Institutions The provision of society’s basic needs Social Change The sources and consequences of social transformation

The development of sociology

The Development of Sociology (or history) Inspired by The ideas produced during the Enlightenment The progress made in the physical and natural sciences The onset of the Industrial Revolution The expansion of colonialism

The European Origins of Sociology Auguste Comte (1798-1857) Believed to have coined the term “Sociology” Aim to create a science of society (positivistic) Society should be studied in the same scientific manner as nature

The European Origins of Sociology Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) Considered the father of sociology Demonstrated the strength and merit of applying empirical research to the study of social life Suicide Studies

The European Origins of Sociology Karl Marx (1818-1883) A major figure in political philosophy Believed the chief problem facing modern society is the struggle of individuals to reproduce themselves materially Emphasized the formative influence of economics on social life

The European Origins of Sociology Max Weber (1864-1920) Concerned with the increasing rationalization of modern Western society Interested in how behavior had come to be increasingly goal-oriented (purposeful) rather than value-oriented (emotional)

The European Origins of Sociology Harriet Martineau (1802-1876) An early Feminist Engaged in some of the earliest recorded sociological research Addressed issues related to sociological methodology

Sociology in the United States The University of Chicago 1st Sociology Department in the United States (Founded in 1892) Early focus on the process of urban development Committed to large scale empirical research Reformist in orientation

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