INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY HISTORY, CONCEPTS AND METHODS

THE CREATION OF MODERN SOCIOLOGY • AUGUSTE COMTE(1798-1857) -OFFICIALLY COINED THE TERM “SOCIOLOGY” -FELT THAT THERE WAS A LACK OF SYSTEMATIC DATA COLLECTION OR OBJECTIVE ANALYSIS IN SOCIAL THOUGHT

COMTE • COMTE’S BASIC PREMISE WAS THAT RELIGIOUS OR PHILOSPHICAL SPECULATION ABOUT SOCIETY DID NOT PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO SOLVE SOCIETY’S PROBLEMS.

COMTE • WANTED TO USE SCIENTIFIC METHODS TO ADDRESS TWO BASIC QUESTIONS: “WHAT HOLDS SOCIETY TOGETHER AND GIVES RISE TO A STABLE ORDER RATHER THAN ANARCHY” / “WHY IS THERE CHANGE IN SOCIETY”

COMTE • SOCIETY DIVIDED INTO 2 PARTS: • SOCIAL STATICS(ASPECTS OF SOCIETY THAT GIVE RISE TO ORDER, STABILITY AND HARMONY) • SOCIAL DYNAMICS(CHANGE AND EVLOUTIION IN THE PARTS OF SOCIETY AND IN SOCIETY ITSELF OVER TIME)

THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES

MICRO-LEVEL THEORIES • SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISM-concerned with how people give meaning to the events, objects and individuals in their everyday lives; focuses on how one defines and responds to events and situations

Symbolic Interactionism • Groups form from interacting individuals; through interactions, people learn what to expect from others and learn to share common understandings through the use of symbols; through symbolic communication people learn to socially construct a world of meaning.

SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONISTS • George Herbert Mead • Interested in how humans define their situations and how we learn our social roles

MACRO-LEVEL THEORIES • Structural Functionalism-assumes that all parts of the social structure, culture and social processes work together to make the whole society run smoothly and harmoniously

FUNCTIONALISTS • COMTE • ROBERT MERTON-manifest and latent functions

functionalists • TALCOTT PARSONS- • -all the parts of the social system are interrelated and each performs some task or function necessary for a society’s survival

FUNCTIONALISTS • EMILIE DURKHEIM(1858-1917) • -individuals conform to the rules of societies because of a collective conscience- the shared beliefs in the values of a group;

Durkheim • people grow up sharing the same values, beliefs and rules of behavior as those around them and gradually these beliefs and rules are internalized

DURKHEIM AND OTHER FUNCTIONALISTS PLACE GREAT EMPHASIS ON SOCIETAL CONSENSUS, WHICH GIVES RISE TO STABLE AND PREDICTABLE PATTERNS OF ORDER • PEOPLE NEED GROUPS TO SURVIVE SO THEY ADHERE TO THE GROUP’S RULES SO THEY FIT IN

CONFLICT THEORY • Conflict in any group or society is inevitable.

Conflict Theory • Conflict Theorists advance the following ideas: *conflict and the potential for conflict underlie all social relations

Conflict Theory *social change is desirable, particularly changes that bring about a greater degree of social equality

Conflict Theory *the existing social order reflects the powerful imposing their values and beliefs upon the weak

CONFLICT THEORISTS • W.E.B. DuBois • Race as a construct perpetuating inequality

CONFLICT THEORISTS • Jane Addams- • Hull House

CONFLICT THEORISTS • KARL MARX • MEANS OF PRODUCTION • PROLETARIAT • BOUGIEOISE

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY