The History of Sociology

Auguste Comte ( ) Father of Sociology Coined the term Sociology French Believed a theoretical science of society and systematic investigation of behavior were needed to improve society. “To understand a science, it is necessary to know its history.” “ Know yourself to improve yourself”

Karl Marx ( ) Believed the overall structure of society is influenced by competition Society is divided between two groups, the owners and the workers Bourgeoisie (Owners): Those who control resources and use their wealth to control society Proletariat (Workers): Those who work as a resource of the owners and are exploited for their labor and their skills Imbalance of power leads to conflict and/or revolution German “Social Progress can be measured by the social position of the female sex.”

Harriet Martineau ( ) Considered the first female sociologist Wrote the first book on sociological methods Studied social class distinctions, gender, and race Wrote about the link between slavery and the oppression of women English “Readers are plentiful; thinkers are rare.”

Herbert Spencer ( ) Did not use sociology for social change or social reform. He believed society would evolve, adapt, and change towards a more stable structure Created biological model of society patterned after the works of evolutionist Charles Darwin Social Darwinism - the best ideas and groups in society survive and the worst become extinct English “The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.”

Emile Durkheim ( ) The first social scientist to apply methods of science to the study of sociology Believed that behavior must be understood within a larger social context, not just in individualistic terms Studied the consequences of work in modern societies French “It is society which, fashioning us in its image, fills us with religious political, and moral beliefs that control our actions.”

Max Weber ( ) "Either one lives ‘for’ politics or one lives ‘off’ politics.” Studied the behavior of groups within society rather than the social whole of society Sociologists should try to uncover the feelings and thoughts of individuals German

Ida Wells-Barnett (1862 – 1931) Advocate in the women’s rights campaign Analyzed society as a means of resisting oppression Worked as an activist in the campaign for women’s right to vote American “The white man's victory soon became complete by fraud, violence, intimidation and murder.” “The white man's dollar is his god, and to stop this will be to stop outrages in many localities.”

W.E.B. DuBois (1868 – 1963) Conducted research he hoped would assist in the struggle for a racially egalitarian society Lead in-depth studies of urban life in major cities American “A system cannot fail those it was never meant to protect.”