Sociology of Development By Irfan Azhar

Social Perspective

Sociology  Sociology is the systematic study of human society.

Social Perspective  Seeing the general in the particular ---- Peter Berger(1963)  Seek general patterns in the behavior of particular people.  Although, every individual is unique, a society shapes the lives of its members.  Any society acts differently on various categories of people --- rich/poor, men/women, children/adults etc.  Example: People from privileged backgrounds tend to be more confident and optimistic  Surprising?  Think sociologically…………………

Thinking Sociologically  How the society we live in – as well as the general categories into which we fall within that society – shapes our particular life experiences  Looking sociologically means challenging the familiar idea that we live our lives in terms of what we decide  Society shapes our experiences  ZZZZZZZZalim SSSSamaaaj…………..  Why you chose to enroll at your particular college? Close to home Got scholarship Degree Friend Dying to attend that college

Example  Ok but not telling the whole story………  Think sociologically --- 5/100 persons go receive a college degree around the world!  A century ago, even in U.S it was rare  Social forces behind college attendace conspiracy theory?  Typically college students are young, between 18 and 24 years ---Why?  In our society, attending college is linked to that age  5/ so???  Cost comes into play  If your family income is more than $ a year, you are 3 times more likely to go to college than someone whose from a family earning < 20000$ a year.  Attending college is a personal choice?

Power of Society  Social forces at work even in the isolated act of taking ones life!!! Suicide…………. (Emile Durkheim)  Men, Protestants, wealthy and unmarried had higher suicide rates  Women, Catholics/ jews, married and poor – fewer chances  Explanation: People with strong social ties had low suicide rates whereas more individualistic categories of people had high suicide rates! Talking about France in not Pakistan  Move to America 2000  11.7 recorded suicides for every white people com pared with almost half the rate for African Americans.  Men were likely to hang themselves! Ahum ahum - 4 times as likely as women  Wealth and freedom actually contributing to suicides

Glabal Village 1000 People live here 610 are Asians, 210 Chinese, 130 Africans, 120 Europeans, 85 from Latin America, 5 from Aus and 50 from North America! Rich place with endless array of goods and services!! Yet most of the inhabitants only dream for those goods!!! 80% income earned by 20% people!!!! For most, getting enough food is the biggest issue!!!!! Every year village workers produce more than enough to feed everyone, yet half the people including children don’t get enough to eat!!!!!! Poorest 200 residents have combined wealth less than the wealth of the richest person in the village!!!!!!! These people don’t have clean water and safe shelter, and are weak and at a risk of life threatening diseases!!!!!!!! Many schools and a fine university are also there with 50 people completing their college education. However, half of the villagers can’t read/ write!!!!!!!!!