The Sociological Perspective

Chapter 1

Concepts to Know (p1-5)

Culture

Beliefs

Social Order

Scientific Method

Positivism

Capitalism

Social Change

Weberian Theory

Value Consensus

Traditional Society

Mechanical Solidarity

Organic Solidarity

What is Sociology

The study of how membership of social groups, from families to schools and workplaces influences people’s behavior.

Sociologists are interested in how facts:- are created- connect to one another to create “social reality”- theories explain how facts are connected

Auguste Comte (1798-1857)

Positivism – it is possible to study the social world in the same way that scientists have studied the natural world (Scientific Revolution)

All human societies pass through 3 stages1. theological – based on religious beliefs and controls2. metaphysical – “transition” where religion is challenged by science3. positive – science and reason have replaced religion

Social order is created and maintained through cooperation (consensus)

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Order is created and maintained through conflict

4 time periods of human history1. primitive communism2. ancient society – kings/pesants/slaves3. feudal societies (pre-industrial) – lord/serf4. capitalist / industrial societies – bourgeoisie/proletariat

Force / Persuasion characterize relationships

Social Classes based on inequality – wealth / power / influence

Occupy Wall Street

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSQgCy_iIcc

Max Weber (1864-1920)

Social Change – A major shift in a political, economic, or cultural order.

Process of Modernization - industrialization, urbanization, rationalization (bureaucratic organization)- comes from charismatic leaders – Jesus, Mohammed, Calvin

Unlike Marx – Weber says that political struggles, ideas, beliefs, science, forms of government may all transform a society

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICppFQ6Tabw

Emile Durkheim (1857-1917)

Followed Comte’s consensus tradition

Societies are understood through their relationships between institutions- school, work, religion, education

Societies exist because of “value consensus”- agreement about the things that people in a society think are important

Traditional Societies – “mechanical solidarity” – kinship groups, clans

Modern Societies – “organic solidarity” – industrial societies where people are bound together by what they do.

Behavior can be scientifically studied - suicide has social causes, not just biological or psychological causes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9W0GQvONKc

Concepts to Know (p6-10)

Hypothetico-deductive method

Hypothesis

Falsification

Researcher bias

Interperitivism

Value-freedom

Postmodernism

Objectivity

Sociology as Science

Scientific Approach- reliable – results can be replicated- valid – measures what is claimed to be measured (crime statistics, but 90% of crimes go unreported)

“hypothetico-deductive method” – method of systematically testing hypotheses

“hypothesis” – statement that is being tested

Scientific Ethics

1. Universal – knowledge is evaluated using universally agreed criteria. Personal values play no part. Focus is “falsification” – trying to identify weaknesses in process.

2. Communal – scientific knowledge is public. Peer-review used in process, not trust.

3. Disinterested – main responsibility is the pursuit of knowledge. No personal gain in outcomes. (pharmaceutical trials?) Or you may have “researcher bias” where validity is questioned.

Positivism

Positivism - It is possible and desirable to study the social world in the same way as the natural scientists.

Positivism should have “value freedom” (values of researcher not bias the process)

Positivism (scientific knowledge)– Factual, Objective, evidence-based, testable

Non-scientific- opinion, guesswork, untested assumptions, faith

Interpretivism

Interpretivism (anti-positivism) – different people in different situations understand the social world in different ways.

“to truly understand what it is like to be homeless, one should become homeless”

Method (does not go from hypothesis to conclusion)1. Planning2. Data Collection / Data Analysis3. Evaluation

Qualitative Research – experiences and feelings of respondents

Post-Modernism

Not a scientific method

Post-Modernism – people construct narratives (stories) to make sense of the world.- Buddhism- Communist Manifesto

“objectivity” – freedom from personal or institutional bias

“respondent” – a person who is the subject of research

Qualitative Questions / Quantitative Questions – which perspectives would use which questions

Concepts to Know (p10-12)

Feminism

Gender

Social Policy

Social Program

Social Control

Feminism and Gender

More recent social issue

Often involves equal pay, sexual discrimination

Gender – feeling masculine or feminine

Sex – biological characteristics

Social Policy

Social Policy – ideas or actions pursued by governments to meet a particular objective.

Can you think of 3 examples?

Intended and Unintended consequences.

Problems

Social Problem – public outcry to fix something

Sociological Problem – try to understand behavior

These can be the same or different.

Welfare

Why We Need Socialized Healtcare

Why We Don’t Need Socialized Healthcare

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPq6_7AFsp4

Social Problem / Sociological Problem

Social Problems – crime, poverty, unemployment- only considered a problem when the dominant group in society deems so

Sociological Problems- fundamental problems – food, shelter, socialization- the nature of social order- focus – how and why behavior comes about

Social Control

Social control – rewards and punishments that societies use to maintain order

Can you list 3 examples of social controls?

List positives and negatives of each.

Research Presentation for Next Class

Welfare

Medicare

Social Security

Education

Be READY to present for 10 minutes.

Concepts to Know (p14-20)

Modern Industrial Society

Manifest Functions

Latent Functions

Globalization

Cross-Cultural / Intra-Cultural Diversity

Cross-Cultural Diversity – Between different societies- same sex - holding hands- personal space

Intra-Cultural Diversity (found in modern industrial societies)- class- age- gender- ethnicity- religion- global culture

Modern Industrial Society – type of society characterized by particular forms of political, economic (mass production), and cultural (science and reason) beliefs

Functions

Manifest Functions – intended consequences

Latent Functions – unintended functions (think of government)

Globalization – economic, political, and cultural processes that occur on a worldwide basis

Concepts to Know (p20-26)

Functionalist Theory

Marxist Theory

Structuralist

Macrosociology

Determinism

Economic Determinism

Relations of Production

Forces of Production

Ideology

Liberal Feminism

Marxist Feminists

Radical Feminism

Functionalist Theory v. Marxist Theory

Functionalist Theory – society functions mainly because of consensus- focus on institutions, government

Marxist Theory – based on Marx’s ideas – class conflict

Structuralist – Focus on analyzing society through institutional relationships- both Functionalist and Marxist theories are structuralist.

Structural Determinism –families-governments-economies determine how we view the world and behave

Macrosociology / Determinism

Macrosociology – Large scale approach focused on social structure and institutions

Determinism – human behavior is shaped by forces beyond our immediate control (social structure or society)- things we do, by class, age, gender?

Social Sub-Systems

Systems solve problems

Economic - physical survival (relationships to get what you need)

Political – governing, maintaining order, creating rules

Family – socialization, function as adult members of society

Cultural – social integration, common values and norms- school, churches, media

Conflict

Conflict Structuralism – societies are generally considered stable because powerful groups impose order on less powerful groups.

Conflict w. feminism – struggle between men and women

Economic Determinism – economic relationships- lord/serf, employer/employee- work is especially important to Marx b/c it provides the resources for us to survive

Marxism + Conflict

Relations of Production – social relationships people must enter in order to survive.

Capitalism – hierarchy (within companies)- to control those lesser down the hierarchy

Workplace as an area of conflict- the majority have little of nothing and are forced to sell their labor power (ability to work)

Marx argues that the economically powerful are also politically powerful

Private ownership allows higher classes to control the media + influence

Media, Education, Religion support the status quo to keep lesser people in line.

Feminism

Many types of feminism, but they all share the idea of patriarchy (men are more important than women).

Liberal Feminism – promotes gender equality

Marxist Feminism – challenging capitalism to promote gender equality, and free women from oppression.

Radical Feminism – sees female oppression in terms of patriarchal relationship.- public – women paid less, less career mobility- private – women doing most of unpaid work at home

Approaches and Change

Action Approach – people create and re-create society on a daily basis through their routines.

Social Change- Marxism – conflict and clash- Feminism – anti-discriminary laws in US- Marxist Feminism – Men are class enemies- Radical Feminism – Men must be overthrown and matriarchy established (goes further than Marxist)