1. Sociological Perspectives
What are the origins of sociological thinking?
What are the contemporary perspectives in sociology and their interpretation of society?

2. Origins of Sociological Thinking
Comte, Martineau, Spencer & Durkheim focused on social order and stability in society
Marx, Weber, & Simmel focused on conflict and social change
Comte- “Positivism”-scientific study of society
Martineau-impact of large scale social structures on lives of marginalized people (e.g. women)
Spencer-evolutionary process of social order
Durkheim-social facts (patterns) existing outside individual build society by exerting social control(anomie-loss of shared values from social change-strain)
Marx-class conflict produces social change
Weber-religion’s role in social change, rational bureacracies
Simmel-society is a web of patterned interactions, form and content of social interaction varies

3. Contemporary Perspectives
Functionalist
Conflict
Symbolic Interactionist
Postmodernist
Identify basic perspective and characteristics
2-3 points
Identify how they would explain or examine shopping & consumption
1-2 points
Procedure: Groups of 4, work on 1 perspective, share with group (pages 23-32)
If finished early read Box 1.3 on 20-21, Census profiles on 26, Box 1.4 on and can turn in ½ page summary of thoughts on consumerism from a sociological view

4. Summary of Contemporary Perspectives
Functionalist (Macrolevel)
Society is a stable, orderly system
Each component serves a “function” (social consensus)
Conflict (Macrolevel)
Continuous power struggle among groups
Symbolic Interactionist (Mycrolevel)
Society as social interactions in which people rely on shared symbols to make sense of everyday social interactions (“Dramaturgical analysis”)
Postmodernist(Macro/Microlevel)
Society has changed in unique ways due to technology, an information explosion, and an economy in which people either use or provide information