Introduction to Sociology Lecture 2 - Sociological Theory and Leading Thinkers

1. Introduction to Sociology Lecture 2 - Sociological Theory and Leading Thinkers Phua Kai Lit, PhD ADTP Sunway University

2. Lecture Objectives • Main approaches to study of society: structural-functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism • Giants of classical sociological theory - Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, Max Weber • Other social theorists e.g. Du Bois, Goffman, Wallerstein, Ritzer • Application to Malaysian and US society

3. Main Approaches • The main approaches can be roughly divided into: Structural-Functionalism (Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons); Conflict Theory (Karl Marx); Symbolic Interactionism (Erving Goffman)

4. Structural-Functionalism • Society is held together by common values • Organic Analogy (human society is like a living organism) • Society survives through its different parts working together in harmony, resulting in equilibrium (Talcott Parsons) • If a social institution exists, it is because it serves a social function e.g. the school system in industrial society serves to transmit common values, and to train the future work force

5. Conflict Theory • Conflict theorists argue that human society is full of conflict and exploitation; and is often held together through propaganda and force. • One of the most famous conflict theorist is the German scholar Karl Marx. • He argued that in capitalist society, the bourgeoisie (capitalist class) exploits the proletariat (working class) through “expropriation of surplus value”. • Louis Althusser, Antonio Gramsci 5

6. Symbolic Interactionism • Followers of this school focus on the study of social interaction between individuals (microsociology) • Social order is created through the countless interactions of individuals • Individuals interact through exchange of symbols • Language - spoken language, gestures, body language • Other symbols - dress, ornaments, cars, flags, signs 6

7. Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) • French and Jewish • Reacted to disorder in French society of his time (revolutions in 1789, 1830, 1848, 1871) • Studied what holds society together (how is social order possible?) • Mechanical solidarity and organic solidarity • Anomie (normlessness) leads to major social problems • Famous book “Suicide” 7

8. Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) • Book: “Suicide” • Why do Protestants experience higher suicide rates than Catholics? • Argued that suicide is more than an individual act and it is affected by larger social forces • Integration (sense of belonging) versus Regulation (social and moral restraints on the individual) • Criticisms of Durkheimian theory 8

9. Karl Marx (1818-1883) Famous book “Das Kapital” • Historical materialism - base structure and superstructure, dialectic • His model of human history (changes in the mode of production): Primitive communism, ancient slavery, feudalism, capitalism, communism • Class struggle (between exploiting class and the exploited class) • Surplus value and its expropriation • False consciousness in Marxist thought • Communist society • Criticisms of Marxist theory

10. Max Weber (1864-1920) “Debated the ghost of Karl Marx” Weber's concept of the Ideal Type Book: “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” Calvinism and salvation anxiety Power and authority - traditional authority, charismatic authority, legal-rational authority Criticisms of Weberian theory Criticism of Weberian theory

11. Black Recoand W.E.B. Du Bois (1868-1963) William Du Bois One founder of NAACP Fought for equal rights for blacks in America Pan-Africanism Sees link between capitalism and racism Book: “The Souls of Black Folk” Double consciousness faced by African-Americans: being both American and black. This was a unique identity which had been a handicap in the past, but could be a strength in the future: "Henceforth, the destiny of the race could be conceived as leading neither to assimilation nor separatism but to proud, enduring hyphenation."

12. Erving Goffman (1922-1982) Famous book: “The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life” Dramaturgy Impression management Frontstage behavior - how one behaves in public (especially in formal situations) Backstage behavior - how one behaves when alone or with family members Props Idealization: portraying yourself to others in order to closely resemble the values of society (emphasize positive qualities to make yourself look better).

13. C. Wright Mills (1916-1962) Influenced by Marx Power Elite in the USA Sociological Imagination versus grand theory and abstracted empiricism Grand Theory: Grand theory refers to the form of highly abstract theorizing in which the formal organization and arrangement of concepts takes priority over understanding the social world. Abstracted Empiricism: An approach to sociology that Mills' regarded as obsessed with method and detrimental to the sociological imagination. The sociological imagination is simply a "quality of mind" that allows one to grasp "history and biography and the relations between the two within society.”

14. Immanuel Wallerstein Influenced by Marx • World-Systems Analysis • Wallerstein argued that capitalism first arose in Western Europe and then spread out to envelope the rest of the world. • Today, there exists a "capitalist world-economy" which consists of many competing political units within a global capitalist economic system. The nations of the world are divided into the core, semi-periphery and the periphery. The core nations such as USA, Japan, Germany etc. dominate the system at the expense of the semi-periphery and periphery. The periphery are the poor and weak nations of the Third World while the semi-periphery consists of nations which have both the characteristics of the core and the periphery. • Core countries focus on higher skill, capital-intensive production, and the rest of the world focuses on low-skill, labor-intensive production and extraction of raw materials. This constantly reinforces the dominance of the core countries. • Wallerstein argues that nations can rise (South Korea) or fall (Argentina) in the world-system.

15. George Ritzer Influenced by Max Weber's idea of “the iron cage of rationality” i.e. increasing emphasis on formal rationality exerts a toll on individuals (freedom, mental health) MacDonaldization of society McDonald’s has applied the principles of rationality to its business of producing and selling fast food. Ritzer argues that the McDonald’s style of doing business has spread to all sectors of modern society. Ritzer argues that adopting McDonald's way of operating has harmful effects on people. For example, the constant emphasis on efficiency and productivity puts a lot of mental and physical pressure on worker Another aspect of McDonaldisation is the favouring of order, standardisation and predictability. However this alienates people by treating them like cogs (which are replaceable) in a soulless machine. Karoshi in Japan

16. Application to Malaysian and US Society 1. Durkeimian theory and Malaysian/US society 2. Marxian theory and Malaysian/US society 3. McDonaldization and Malaysian/US society

17. BBC Video: Masters of Money Masters of Money: Karl Marx (Others in the Series include John Maynard Keynes and Freidrich von Hayek)

18. Thank You