1. Founders of Sociology

2. Auguste Comte • Coined the term “sociology”
• Study social world through scientific method
• Key concepts: positivism—Use scientific method for social world
Theories and work has been abandoned.

3. Herbert Spencer • Structural/Functionalist
• Coined the term “survival of the fittest” in reference to human social arrangements (Social Darwinism)
• Advocated against social reform efforts to poor people because it disrupts the natural selection process of evolution\
Also discredited today.

4. The Fathers of Sociology
Marx, Weber, and Durkheim

5. Karl Marx
• Founder of political / economic theory of socialism (communism)
• Considered the founder of the conflict perspective – Class Conflict between wealthy class and working class.
• Key concepts: proletariat, bourgeoisie, capitalists, social class,

6. Karl Marx: Society and Conflict
He examined SOCIAL CLASS struggles
He believed the economy dominates all other aspects of society
He studied the Capitalists- owners and
Proletarians- the workers

7. The Capitalists
According to Marx the Capitalists had a false consciousness of the problem of social class, meaning their explanations of capitalism were wrong because they did not want to admit their own shortcomings

8. Class Conflict
Marx embraced communism and socialism with his work the Communist Manifesto
He believed the workers should unite an revolt against capitalist

9. Capitalism and Alienation
Marx believed workers became alienated – the experience of isolation and misery from working in the factory and having no power

10. WAS MARX CRAZY? OR
Does he have a point?

11. Max Weber: Rationalization of Society
He studied IDEALISM- how human ideas shape society
His thesis The Protestantism Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism proclaimed that the protestant work ethic drove capitalism and vice versa

12. Traditional vs. Rationality
Tradition beliefs passed down from generation to generation
He thought eventually society would move from traditional to rationality worldview
Rational view of the world is a deliberate, matter the fact calculations

13. Do you follow traditon? OR
Are you a rationalists?

14. Emile Durkheim Society as a function
Durkheim believed in patterns of behavior, cultural norms, and beliefs are social facts
He believed these social facts serve as function in society. For example he believed that crime is normal and society could not exist without

15. Emile Durkheim’s work: Suicide
In this book Durkheim studies groups that are most likely to commit suicide
He found that those who have less solidarity are more likely commit suicide

16. Solidarity
Solidarity is a feeling or condition of unity based on common goals, interests, and sympathies among a group's members
Durkheim believed being connected to society was the key to a happy life

17. How important is solidarity in today's society?
Do we need each other?
How important is solidarity in today's society?

18. Other Sociologists

19. W. E. B. Dubois
• First Afro-American PhD graduate of Harvard University
• Concerned with the social position of African-Americans in US
society.
• Wrote The Philadelphia Negro (1899) on race relations
• Used statistics to examine racial discrimination against blacks

20. Jane Addams • Won the first Nobel Peace Prize (1931) given to an
American sociologist
• Founded Hull House for the poor in Chicago
• Influenced the “Chicago School” of applied sociology
(social problems)
• Pioneered the study of social problems