Introduction to Sociology

Student Introductions Your background Motivation Future plans

Triangle of respect

Syllabus Course calendar Student assessment Grading Policies: Withdrawal Failure of course Late work Finals

How to succeed in this class Commitment Motivation Completing work Being engaged in your success Communication

What is Sociology

Studying patterns

History of Sociology

Comte – the father of Sociology How to study Society Natural science as a model to understand how societies change Positivism – scientific method to study society Study of patterns Example - Marriage

Karl Marx How societies change? – struggle between classes How classes are formed - who controls means of production Industrial revolution and growth of capitalism How it affected soceiteis – inequality A solution – communism – no private ownership of property His economic predictions did not come true, but his ideas of social conflict are still one of the major theories in sociology

Emile Durkheim First sociology department Study of social change – how societies transform from primitive to modern He was influenced by the ideas of positivism - study of society based on objective “Social facts” What keeps the societies stable – Social norms How society shapes human behavior – are we puppets of the society Study of suicide

Group Discussion : Suicide Rates What are the patterns. Why Group Discussion : Suicide Rates What are the patterns? Why? What is the explanation?