Bell Work

What is the major goal of Sociology? What do

sociologists focus on in their studies?

Founding Figures in Sociology

Jane Addams (1860-1935)

Social Reform Opened Hull House in

ChicagoRefuge for the poor in the

slums8 hour work day, laws

against child labor

Founding Figures in Sociology

Auguste Comte (1798-1857) Positivism—applying the

scientific method to the social world

Coined the term “sociology” Discover social principles

and apply them to the social world

Founding Figures in Sociology

W.E.B. Dubois (1868-1963) Race relations Studied the relationship

between races Founded NAACP

Founding Figures in Sociology

Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)

Social Integration--the degree to which people are tied to their social group

Goal: show how social forces affect people’s behavior (suicide study)

Founding Figures in Sociology

Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)

Early female sociologist, largely ignored

Studied social life in Britain and U.S.

Society in America—report on young America’s customs

Founding Figures in Sociology

Karl Marx (1818-1883) Conflict theory— societies is

composed of groups competing for scarce resources

Communist Manifesto Ideas came from struggle of

workers during Industrial Revolution

Founding Figures in Sociology George Herbert Mead

(1863-1931) Symbolic Interactionist Study of children at play:

learn to take the role of the other

Essential if we are to live in human groups

Generalized other— our perception of how people in general think of us

Founding Figures in Sociology

Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)

Social Darwinism— “survival of the fittest”

Reforms don’t allow this don’t improve society

Founding Figures in Sociology

Max Weber (1864-1920) Protestant Ethic— self-

denying approach to life (work hard, save money)

Religion key to social change ( caused capitalism to flourish in some areas)

Founding Figures in Sociology

C. Wright Mills (1916-1962) Focus on social reform Sociological imagination—

external influences of society affect individual behavior