1. Sociological Approaches

2. “...The systematic study of human society ”
What is Sociology?
“...The systematic study of human society ”
Systematic
Scientific discipline that focuses attention on patterns of behavior
Human society
Group behavior is primary focus; how groups influence individuals and vice versa

3. Structural Functional
System whose parts work together
Consequences serve as function of society
Manifest
Latent
Dysfunctions

4. Manifest Intended consequences
Students learn content as a results of a teacher’s careful lesson planning

5. Latent Unintended consequences
Students learn socialization skills through group work portion of the assignment.

6. Dysfunction Manifest : anticipated negative disruptions
Ex: groups will be off task
Latent: unanticipated negative disruption
Ex: class doesn’t finish assignment in allotted time.

7. Who’s Who in the Structural-Functional Paradigm
Auguste Comte
Importance of social integration during times of rapid change
Emile Durkheim
Helped establish sociology as a discipline
Herbert Spencer
Compared society to the human body
Robert K. Merton
Manifest functions are recognized and intended consequences.
Latent functions are unrecognized and unintended consequences.
Social dysfunctions are undesirable consequences.

8. Social Conflict
Society is structured in ways to benefit a few at the expense of the majority.
Society is structured around inequality. That conflict generates change.
Ex: underperforming students are targeted for special programs.

9. Who’s Who in the Social-Conflict Paradigm
Karl Marx
The importance of social class in inequality and social conflict
W.E.B. Du Bois
Race as the major problem facing the United States in the 20th century

10. Feminism & Gender conflict approach
A point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men
Closely linked to feminism, the advocacy of social equality for women and men
Women important to the development of sociology: Harriet Martineau and Jane Addams

11. Race conflict approach
A point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between people of different racial and ethnic categories
People of color important to the development of sociology: Ida Wells Barnett and W.E.B. Du Bois

12. Symbolic Interaction
Society is the product of interactions. These are subjective, as each person has their own views, experiences, memories, thoughts and expectations.
Ex: school is the interaction of teachers and students and the relationship they build.

13. Who’s Who in the Symbolic-Interaction Paradigm
Max Weber
Understanding a setting from the people in it
George Herbert Mead
How we build personalities from social experience
Erving Goffman
Dramaturgical analysis

14. Critical evaluation of each approach
Structural-Functional
Too broad, ignores inequalities of social class, race & gender, focuses on stability at the expense of conflict
Social-Conflict
Too broad, ignores how shared values and mutual interdependence unify society, pursues political goals
Symbolic-Interaction
Ignores larger social structures, effects of culture, factors such as class, gender & race (too much emphasis on micro-level)