Lecture 1 - Introduction to Sociology

8/3/2019 Lecture 1 - Introduction to Sociology

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Course Description

Introduce the origins of the disciple of Sociology

Study the works of Key Sociological Thinkers

Influence of Sociology on Modernization

Economic development

Race

Class

Gender

Socialization & Deviance

State & Citizenship


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Grade Structure

Class Participation:5%

Presentation:15%

Hourlies: 35% Final Exam: 45%


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What is Sociology?

Sociology - systematic study of social behavior andhuman groups is a recent development-late 18th century

It has its roots in significant social change

E.g. Industrial Revolution, Rise of Empires, Age ofEnlightenment

Early practitioners developed this disciple in an attempt tounderstand these social changes with respect to socialstructure culture and history

In order to understand the social behavior , sociologistshave to rely on creative thinking. C Wright Millsdescribes such thinking as sociological imagination


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The Development of Sociology

Sociology is a relatively new academic discipline among othersocial sciences including economics, political science,anthropology, and psychology

Sociology as a scientific discipline emerged in the early 19thcentury as an academic response to the challenge of modernity

The term "sociologie" was first used by the French essayistEmmanuel Joseph Sieys

The term was independently re-invented, and introduced as a

neologism, by the French thinker Auguste Comte in 1838. He believed all human life had passed through the same

distinct historical stages and that, if one could grasp thisprogress, one could prescribe the remedies for social ills


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What is sociological Theory?

Why do people commit suicide?

Sociologists are more concerned with identifying thesocial forces that forces people to take their lives

mile Durkheim (18581917) developed highly originaltheory about suicide and social factors

Sociological theories are complex theoretical frameworksthat sociologists use to explain and analyze variously howsocial action, social processes, and social structures work


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Early Thinkers- Auguste Comte

Auguste Comte was considered one of the mostinfluential philosophers of the early 1800s

Comte coined the termsociology

to apply to thescience of human behavior

He believed sociology held the potential toimprove the society and direct human activity


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Harriet Martineau (18021876)

Harriet Martineau was an English writer andphilosopher, renowned in her day as acontroversial journalist, political economist,

abolitionist and life-long feminist Martineau has also been called the first female

sociologist and the first female journalist inEngland

Her writings emphasized the impact that theeconomy, law, trade and population could have onthe social problems of the society


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mile Durkheim (1858-1917)

mile Durkheim was a French sociologist and pioneer inthe development of modern sociology and anthropology

Durkheim insisted that behavior must be understood

within a larger social context, not just in individualisticterms

According to Durkheim the process of change in themodern world is so rapid and intense that it gives rise to

major social difficulties which he linked to anomie. During his lifetime, Durkheim gave many lectures, and

published numerous sociological studies on subjects suchas education, crime, religion, suicide, and many otheraspects of society


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Max Webber (18641920)

Max Webber was a German lawyer, politician, scholar,political economist and sociologist, who profoundlyinfluenced sociological theory

Weber's major works deal with rationalization insociology of religion, government, organizational theory,and behavior

Social behavior can only be analyzed subjectively-

understand how people themselves view and explain theirbehavior- humans are thinking, reasoning beings


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Karl Marx (18181883) Karl Marx was a German philosopher, political economist, historian, political

theorist, sociologist, communist and revolutionary, whose ideas are credited asthe foundation of modern communism

Marx was so critical of existing institutions that most of his life was spent inexile

Marx summarized his approach in the first line of the first chapter ofTheCommunist Manifesto, published in 1848: The history of all hitherto existingsociety is the history of class struggles.

In Marx analysis society was fundamentally divided between classes that clashin pursuit of their own interest

Marx argued that capitalism, like previous socioeconomic systems, willinevitably produce internal tensions which will lead to its destruction

Just as capitalism replaced feudalism, he believed socialism will, in its turn,replace capitalism, and lead to a stateless, classless society called purecommunism

Marx emphasized the importance of an individual in a society- this line ofstudy is the major focus of contemporary sociology


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Major Theoretical Perspectives

Sociologists view society in different ways The most commonly used views by sociologists

are Functionalist Perspective Conflict Perspective Interactionist Perspective

A more specialized viewpoint that has beinfluential in recent years is the FeministPerspective


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Functionalist Perspective

Functionalist perspective views society as a vast networkof connected parts , each of which helps maintain thesystem as a whole

Talcott Parsons(1902-1079) was a key figure indeveloping this theory

Parson was greatly influenced by Emile Durkeim Limitations:

does not take into account social change

Epistemological argument-Functionalism approach only focusesonly on the effects and does not explain the causes of those effects Ontological Argument- society does not have needs as humans do

Manifist and Latent Functions- Robert Merton


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Conflict Perspective

In contrast to functionalists emphasis on stabilityand consensus Conflict sociology see the socialworld in continual struggle

It is best understood in terms of conflict or tensionbetween competing groups

The Marxist View- believed that struggle betweensocial classes as inevitable

Limitation: It overlooks the stability of society


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Interactionist Perspective

It is a theoretical approach to understanding therelationship between humans and society

Interactionist perspective generalizes abouteveryday forms of social interaction in order tounderstand society as a whole

Limitation: It overlooks the macro social structures (e.g. norms,

culture) as a result on focusing on the micro- levelinteraction


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Feminist Perspective

Feminist perspective views inequality in genderas central to all behavior and organization

Drawing on the work of Marx, Feminist theoryviews womens subordination as inherent inCapitalism Societies

Feminist Socialists have not only questionedfemale stereotypes but they have argued for agender balanced study of society where awomens experiences and contributions arevisible as that of males


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What is the Scientific Method?

It is a systematic, organized series of steps that ensuresmaximum objectivity and consistency in researching aproblem

There are five basic steps in the Scientific Method:1. Defining the problem

2. Reviewing the literature

3. Formulating the hypothesis

4. Selecting the research design and collect and analysis data5. Developing the conclusion


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Major Research Designs

It is a detailed plan or method for obtaining datascientifically

The choice we make directly influences the cost of the

project, the amount of time required to collect the resultof the research and also the quality of the results

The research designs sociologists regularly use include; Surveys

Field work Observation

experiments

Existing sources

Documents

Lecture 1 - Introduction to Sociology