1. What is “sociology”?

2. Sociology is the systematic study of social behavior and human groups.

3. …says our book.
It goes on to say that sociology:
“…focuses primarily on the influence of social relationships on people’s [=individuals’] attitudes and behavior, and on how societies are established and change.”

4. It is also possible, though, to answer the question “What is sociology
It is also possible, though, to answer the question “What is sociology?” by saying that…
“Sociology” is a late-comer among the social sciences;
It is a cluster of heterogeneous research programs and theories that splits into a large number of sub-disciplines, (Anthropology, Economics, Political Sciences, Psychology
But preserves a sense of unity by invoking a shared heritage.

5. In other words,
Similar to how people maintain their unity by telling themselves stories of shared experiences and genealogies that trace a common origin,
Sciences also have their narratives of how they became what they are.
And this is the story of sociology in its briefest version:

6. Origins of Sociology
Sociology did not emerge as a distinct discipline until the 19th century
The rise of the discipline can be attributed to the following;
Imperialism
Europeans conquered many parts of the world. They were exposed to radically different cultures.
Startled by contrasting ways of life, they began to ask why cultures differed.

7. Origins of Sociology 2. Scientific Revolution/ Enlightenment;
reason and rationality
use of scientific tools to inquire into social facts, began to replace religious, traditional forms of authority
3. Industrial Revolution
Industrialization and Capitalism were changing economic patterns, growth of cities
4. The Political Revolution
more democratic values and standards were being adopted

8. Sociological Perspective
Seeing the general in the particular
Seeing the strange in the familiar
A collective view beyond the individual view
Peter Berger (1963:23)
“the first wisdom of sociology is this—things are not what they seem…Social reality turns out to have many layers of meaning.”

9. The Sociological Perspective
OBSERVATIONS ARE CERTAINLY IMPACTED BY THE PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES THROUGH WHICH PEOPLE COME TO VIEW THE WORLD 2 2 3 3 3 3 3

10. THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE: PETER BERGER
SEE THE GENERAL IN THE PARTICULAR
General Social Patterns in the Behavior of Particular Individuals
Individuals are unique…but
Society’s social forces shape us into “KINDS” of people
Consider these
People more likely to kill themselves
People more likely to go and succeed in college and enjoy a favorable quality of life 7 10

11. Seeing the General in the Particular2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20
African Americans
Whites
10.9
20.2
6.2
12.4
1.9
4.9
Males
Both Sexes
Females
RATE OF DEATH BY SUICIDE
By Race and Sex
U.S. Bureau of the Census
What Social Forces are at work here?
PER 100,000 PERSONS 9 12

12. Individual in Social Context
Durkheim’s Study of Suicide
More likely to commit
Male protestants who were wealthy and unmarried had higher suicide rate
Less Likely to commit
Male Jews and Catholics who were poor and married
Being Catholic and Group-Oriented
One of the basic findings: WHY?
the differences between these groups had to do with “social integration”
Those with strong social ties had less of a chance of committing suicide

13. SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION
Need for an approach that united the different camps or “schools” of sociology,
Took a holistic view of society and social issues
The use of what has been termed, by C. Wright Mills, the “sociological imagination”
—which is a mindset that seeks to understand the individual as the product of his and her social worlds, and seeks to understand the peculiarities and histories of such social worlds.

14. To apply the “sociological imagination”
is to…
…observe people’s behavior, beliefs, and attitudes under the aspect of how they are shaped by their social contexts.
To do this, we need to be able to…
— view our own society as an outsider would
and
— compare various social worlds, and various sets of behavior, beliefs, and attitudes, to one another.

15. Sociological Imagination: (Mills 1959 [2000])
Sociological Imagination: “...the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society.”
The sociological imagination helps us to grasp the relationship between history and biography
links between history and biography
links between public issues and personal troubles 15

16. Sociologists
French philosopher Auguste Comte ( ) coins the term “sociology” («sociologie»).

17. German Philosopher & Activist Karl Marx
( )
Sought to explain changes in society by
materialist conception of history- social
changes being brought about by economic
influences, not ideas or values
Conflict between classes (refer video: 5-500)
Means of production in the hands of elite
Workers own none- paid low wages and horrible
work condition
Eventual result is class conflict
Communist Manifesto (1848)
With this, the sociological
perspective is born

18. “Nicht das Sein bestimmt das Bewusstsein, sondern das Bewusstsein bestimmt das Sein.”
(And now shut up, all you naïve philosophers—and let ME tell you what the world is really like, and what history has been all about. In other words, let MY ideas define existence…)

19. …back to our little genealogy. So we said that…
1) French philosopher Auguste Comte ( ) introduces the term «sociology».
2) German philosophy-student and rebel-rouser Karl Marx ( ) decrees that „human existence determines human consciousness˝—so that rather than to understand “The Human Being” as an abstract concept, we should strive to understand how real people are shaped by their place in society.
…and now let’s go on:

20. French anthropologist Émile Durkheim
( )
Established sociology as a science by objectively studying social facts- e.g. suicide
Believed shared values and customs hold societies together
Division of labor replacing religion as primary basis of social cohesion
Discussed Anomie, loss of moral controls, standards and despair

21. German Economist Max Weber (1864-1920)
Influenced by Marx but differed on some points
Rejected
Materialist Conception of History
Class conflict less significant
Economic factors important, as well as Ideas and Values ---> social change
Capitalism promoted by Christianity especially,
Protestantism (China, India, Germany)
Rationalization- Science and Bureaucracy;
organization of social, economic life according
to principles of efficiency and technological
know-how

22. US-American sociologist Talcott Parsons (1902-1979)
Interprets society as a system of regular social behavior,
Develops tools to understand each sub-system’s structural function within the larger system—i.e. its role in the maintenance of society as a whole.

23. SOCIAL PARADIGMS THEORY: A statement of how and why facts are related
PARADIGM: A set of fundamental assumptions that guide thinking
DOWN
WITH
PEOPLE
PEOPLE HOLD DIFFERING OPINIONS ABOUT THEIR SOCIAL WORLD
WE ALL COME FROM
DIFFERENT SOCIAL
EXPERIENCES AND THEY
BIAS OUR ASSUMPTIONS
UP WITH
PEOPLE 8 9 9 9 9 9 9

24. Major Theoretical Perspectives
Theory
View of Society
Functionalism
Composed of interrelated parts that work together to maintain stability.
Conflict
Society is characterized by social inequality; social life is a struggle for scarce resources.
Symbolic Interactionism
Behavior is learned in interaction with other people.
Which one is best?
Why did SI begin in US? 24

26. Major Theoretical Perspectives: Functionalism
How is social order maintained?
Subsystems/institutions have functions; mutually interdependent
Concern for social order, stability, and integration
What function does this play?
Manifest and Latent functions
Dysfunctions
Social change occurs through evolution 26

27. STRUCTURAL -FUNCTIONALISM
THE BASICS
Macro-oriented (large-scale) paradigm
Views society as a complex system with many interdependent parts
The parts work together to promote social stability and order
Major changes to the system’s parts is not required or desired; system seeks to maintain it’s equilibrium
KEY ELEMENTS:
SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Refers to relatively stable patterns of social behavior found in social institutions
SOCIAL FUNCTION
Refers to the consequences of social patterns for society 9 10 10 10 10 10 10

28. A macro-oriented paradigm
THE BASICS:
A macro-oriented paradigm
Views society as a structured system based on inequality
Social Conflict between groups over scarce resources is the norm
KEY ELEMENTS:
Society is structured in ways to benefit a few at the expense of the majority
Actors such as race, sex, class, and age are linked to Social Inequality
Dominant group VS. minority group relations
Incompatible interests and major differences 10 11 11 11 11 11 11

29. THE CONFLICT
PARADIGM

30. SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM
SYMBOLIC INTERACTION IS A MICRO-ORIENTED PARADIGM,
WHICH MEANS IT IS EFFECTIVELY USED WHEN ATTEMPTING
TO UNDERSTAND SMALLER-SCALE SOCIAL PHENOMENA
BASICS:
The view that society is the product of everyday interactions
How, and in what way, do people interpret and negotiate their surroundings?
PRINCIPLES:
Society is a complex mosaic of understanding that emerges from the very process of interacting 11 12 12 12 12 12 12

31. THINK IN TERMS OF FAMILY, THE ECONOMY, RELIGION, THE
LEGAL SYSTEM, AND SCHOOL
THINK IN TERMS OF LAWS,
VALUES, NORMS, TRADITIONS,
SOCIAL EXPECATIONS, ROLES,
STATUSES, AND BELIEF
SYSTEMS.

32. SHOULD BE ABLE
TO SEE THE CONNECTION
BETWEEN BIOGRAPHY AND
HISTORY!