Gain's Course 3 Cadi ayyad

What is Sociology?

Introduction to Sociology: What is Sociology?

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Cool Insights from Sociology

• Humans cannot be understood apart from social context (i.e. society)

• Society makes us who we are by structuring out interactions and laying out an orderly world before us

• Society is a social construction, that is, it is an idea created by humans (i.e. doesn’t exist in the biological world but only in the social world) through social interaction and given a reality through our understanding of it and our collective actions.

Society Influences You

• Death… Related to society? Of course!


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Baby Names


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Names that have gained the most popularity, 2004 – 2010

...Or, the names I’ll begin seeing all the time in 2022-2028


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What Does Society Look Like?

• While the idea of society is familiar, describing it can be difficult. Ultimately society is made up of many different components, such as culture, race, family, education, social class, and people’s interactions.

• People who share a culture and territory


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Meaning through Interaction

• People actively and collectively shape their own lives, organizing their social interactions and relationships into a meaningful world.

• Sociologists study this social behavior by seeking out its patterns.

• Patterns are crucial to our understanding of society


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Society

• Society is a group of people who shape their lives in aggregated and patterned ways that distinguish their group from other groups.


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What is Sociology?

Sociology is the systematic or scientific study of human society and social behavior, from large-scale institutions and mass culture to small groups and individual interactions.

Sociology is also the study of reifications, or social constructions.

What is Sociology?What is Sociology?

• SociologySociology is the systematic study is the systematic study of human society.of human society.

Remember: A human science is always Remember: A human science is always about about Man.Man.

Sociology is about Sociology is about HUMAN HUMAN societies.societies.


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How Sociology fits in

Sociology: I- The Sociological Sociology: I- The Sociological PerspectivePerspective

Unit 1Unit 1

1.1. The sociological perspectiveThe sociological perspective

2.2. The application of the The application of the sociological perspectivesociological perspective3.3. The theory of sociologyThe theory of sociology

Lecture 1Lecture 1

Lecture 2Lecture 2

What does the word “perspective” mean? What does the word “perspective” mean?

What appears to you when you see an What appears to you when you see an object from a particular angleobject from a particular angle

The Sociological PerspectiveThe Sociological Perspective

• In today’s lecture we want to see how In today’s lecture we want to see how sociology sociology seessees MAN: MAN: The sociological The sociological Perspective.Perspective.

• Perspective means: Perspective means: What appears to you What appears to you when you see an object from a particular when you see an object from a particular angleangle

ExampleExample

Why do couples Why do couples marry?marry?

Because they fall in Because they fall in love!!love!!

But!But!• Society has its own “rules” about whom we Society has its own “rules” about whom we

should and should not marry:should and should not marry:• Sociologists found that people want to marry Sociologists found that people want to marry

someone :someone :

1.1. Who is close in age.Who is close in age.2.2. with about the same level of educationwith about the same level of education3.3. with the same racial category.with the same racial category.4.4. of similar class backgroundof similar class background5.5. with the same degree of physical with the same degree of physical

attractiveness.attractiveness.

Decisions people make are Decisions people make are NOTNOT just a matter of just a matter of free will. Sociology teaches us that the social free will. Sociology teaches us that the social world guides all our life choices in much the same world guides all our life choices in much the same way that the seasons influence our clothing and way that the seasons influence our clothing and activities.activities.

Question 1Question 1

• The sociological perspective means:The sociological perspective means:

1.1. the sociologists feelings about society.the sociologists feelings about society.

2.2. how sociologists can make society better.how sociologists can make society better.

3.3. sociologists think that only sociology can tell sociologists think that only sociology can tell the truth about people.the truth about people.

4.4. the sociologists’ picture of society when they the sociologists’ picture of society when they look at it as a whole.look at it as a whole.

to see the to see the particular particular in the in the

generalgeneral

to see the to see the strange strange in the in the

familiarfamiliar

to see the to see the personal choicepersonal choice

in the in the social social contextcontext

1

2

3The Sociological PerspectiveThe Sociological Perspective

Seeing the Particular in the GeneralSeeing the Particular in the General

• Sociologists look for Sociologists look for general patternsgeneral patterns in the in the behavior of particular people.behavior of particular people.

• Although each individual is Although each individual is unique,unique, society society shapes the lives of its membersshapes the lives of its members

patternspatterns

ExampleExample

Why do couples Why do couples marry?marry?

Because they fall in Because they fall in love!!love!!

In a sociological study conducted by Lillian Rubin In a sociological study conducted by Lillian Rubin (1976), the following results were found:(1976), the following results were found:

Higher-income women Higher-income women typically expect men typically expect men to:to:

1.1. be sensitive to othersbe sensitive to others

2.2. to talk readilyto talk readily

3.3. share feelings and share feelings and experiencesexperiences

lower-income womenlower-income women typically expect men typically expect men who:who:

1.1. do not drink muchdo not drink much

2.2. are not violentare not violent

3.3. hold steady jobshold steady jobs

Decisions people make are Decisions people make are NOTNOT just a matter of just a matter of free free will.will. Sociology teaches us that the social world guides all Sociology teaches us that the social world guides all our life choices in much the same way that the seasons our life choices in much the same way that the seasons influence our clothing and activities.influence our clothing and activities.

We begin We begin to think sociologicallyto think sociologically when we start to when we start to realize how society shapes our life experiences: We are realize how society shapes our life experiences: We are “particulars” in a “general”.“particulars” in a “general”.

Learn to think sociologically!Learn to think sociologically!

Seeing the strange in the familiarSeeing the strange in the familiar

• Sociologists expect to find Sociologists expect to find “strange”“strange” explanations for explanations for familiar phenomena.familiar phenomena.

• Even when some of our explanations may Even when some of our explanations may sound sound convincing,convincing, sociologists may claim sociologists may claim we need explanations much deeper than we need explanations much deeper than those given by common people.those given by common people.

Why did you choose to Why did you choose to enroll at YOUR enroll at YOUR

university?university?

1.1. I wanted to stay close to home.I wanted to stay close to home.2.2. I got a scholarship.I got a scholarship.3.3. I want to learn some English.I want to learn some English.4.4. My girlfriend goes there too.My girlfriend goes there too.5.5. That was not a good choice anyway!That was not a good choice anyway!

TheyThey

YouYou

Some sociological facts about Some sociological facts about going to the university going to the university

1.1. Only 5 out of 100 people in the world earn a Only 5 out of 100 people in the world earn a university degree.university degree.

2.2. Most of US-university students are young Most of US-university students are young (between 18 and 30)(between 18 and 30)

3.3. Most of US-university students from families Most of US-university students from families earning incomes above the average.earning incomes above the average.

1.1. I wanted to stay close to home.I wanted to stay close to home.2.2. I got a scholarship.I got a scholarship.3.3. I want to learn some English.I want to learn some English.4.4. My girlfriend goes there too.My girlfriend goes there too.5.5. That was not a good choice anyway!That was not a good choice anyway!

These are These are familiarfamiliar explanationsexplanations

1.1. Only 5 out of 100 people in the world earn a Only 5 out of 100 people in the world earn a university degree.university degree.

2.2. Most of US-university students are young (between Most of US-university students are young (between 18 and 30)18 and 30)

3.3. Most of US-university students from families earning Most of US-university students from families earning incomes above the average.incomes above the average.

These are the sociologist’s These are the sociologist’s strangestrange explanation explanation


Seeing Personal Choice in Social Seeing Personal Choice in Social ContextContext

• Sociologists look for social patterns in Sociologists look for social patterns in personal choices.personal choices.

• Even if individuals are so different from Even if individuals are so different from each other in terms of their choices and each other in terms of their choices and preferences, preferences, the power of societythe power of society shapes even our most shapes even our most private choices.private choices.

Seeing Personal Choice in Seeing Personal Choice in Social ContextSocial Context

• Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) showed that Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) showed that even in choosing even in choosing to commit suicideto commit suicide one is one is influenced by social factors.influenced by social factors.

Commit suicide?Commit suicide?

• Examining official records in France, Emile Durkheim Examining official records in France, Emile Durkheim found that some categories of people were more likely found that some categories of people were more likely than others to take their own lives:than others to take their own lives:

More likely to More likely to commit suicidecommit suicide

Less likely to Less likely to commit suicidecommit suicide

MenMen

ProtestantsProtestants

Wealthy peopleWealthy people

unmarriedunmarried

WomenWomen

Catholics, JewsCatholics, Jews

Poor peoplePoor people

marriedmarried

Social Integration:Social Integration: Categories of people with Categories of people with strong social tiesstrong social ties had low suicide rate, and had low suicide rate, and more more individualisticindividualistic categories of people had high categories of people had high suicide rates.suicide rates.

STUDENTS SHOULD BE ABLETO SEE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN BIOGRAPHY ANDHISTORY!


Question 2Question 2

If you acquire a sociological perspective, then you If you acquire a sociological perspective, then you are able to do three things among following:are able to do three things among following:

• You are able to see social patterns in the lives of You are able to see social patterns in the lives of individuals.individuals.

• You are able to provide explanations that may You are able to provide explanations that may sound funny for common people.sound funny for common people.

• You are able to explain why individuals make You are able to explain why individuals make certain choices but not others.certain choices but not others.

• You are able explain the differences between You are able explain the differences between cultures.cultures.

Who can learn the sociological Who can learn the sociological perspective?perspective?

• Anyone!Anyone!

• But But two situationstwo situations help people see help people see clearly how society shapes individual clearly how society shapes individual lives.lives.

Living on the margins of Living on the margins of SocietySociety

Living through a social Living through a social crisiscrisis

1- Living on the margins1- Living on the margins

• If you have the chance of being If you have the chance of being a foreignera foreigner in in a country you will understand the importance of a country you will understand the importance of your nationality in shaping people’s lives.your nationality in shaping people’s lives.

• Living on the suburbs makes people develop Living on the suburbs makes people develop understandings of the real social factors that understandings of the real social factors that push people to choose to do so or so.push people to choose to do so or so.

2- Time of crisis2- Time of crisis• As the rate of As the rate of unemploymentunemployment is increasing is increasing

these days, people could not help but see these days, people could not help but see general social forces at work in their general social forces at work in their particular lives.particular lives.

ma 3andi zhar, ma 3andi zhar, ma-lqit 5adma!ma-lqit 5adma!

the economy has collapsed; the economy has collapsed; there are no jobs to be there are no jobs to be

found!found!

to see the to see the particular in the particular in the

generalgeneral

to see the to see the strange in the strange in the

familiarfamiliar

to see the to see the personal choice personal choice

in the social in the social contextcontext

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3The Sociological PerspectiveThe Sociological Perspective

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Gain's Course 3 Cadi ayyad