Objectives of Unit 2:

2. Objectives of Unit 2: • Discuss findings/experience of Assignment 1: “Doing Nothing” • Reflect on the concept of “theory” in Sociology • Introduce the ‘classical’(traditional) perspectives in Sociology • Introduce the newer perspectives in Sociology • Introduce a global perspective in Sociology (unit 3 & 9) • Introduce briefly common methodological approaches (tools) in Sociology

3. Assignment 1: “Doing Nothing”

4. A theory is…. Hmmm !?

6. What is a Theory? • Attempts to understand the (social) world and our place in it, has led to the development of theories • Theories are abstract propositions about how things are as well as how they should be; an explanation of how we think things work • We refer to theories as approaches, schools of thought, paradigmsor perspectives. • This implies that they are different approaches! • Social theories are guiding principles or abstract modelsthat attempt to explain and predict the social world • A theory is comparable to a map. When you discover new places, you have to modify this map

10. Is there something like ‘down’ or ‘above’? ‘down’ and ‘above’ become relative…

11. Example of a theoretical model: “the social change model”

12. Theories are dynamic, they change… • Theories have to be tested: • That’s what scientifically research is all about! • We develop theories and test them, modify them to fit the reality better, why? • Theories will change over time, because their area of study they seek to understand and explain: • Society, itself changes over time • Theories seek to understand society in periods of both order and change • Social change makes theoretical change a continual necessity

13. The object of study is on the move

14. Have you ever tried to photograph a moving object?

15. Different theoretical perspectives • In attempting to develop theories about humans and societies, sociologists face a wide range of choices: • What issues should we study? How should we link facts together to form theories? What assumptions might underpin our theories? • I.e. what theoretical maps guides the study of phenomena? • =Theoretical Perspective • This is a basic image that guides thinking and research • There exists an array of basic images that guide thinking and research!

16. The elephant metaphor:poem by John Godfrey Saxe (1816-18-87) Wall Fan Snake Rope Spear Tree

17. The poem/parable’s moral:

18. ‘Classical’, traditional perspectives in Sclg

19. 3 classical perspectives in Sclg: Macro-level perspectives: • Structural Functionalism • Conflict theory Micro-level perspective: • Symbolic interactionism

20. Structural Functionalism

21. Key tenets Structural Functionalism • Is a framework for building theory that envisages society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability • Our lives are guided by social structure • i.e. relative stable patterns of social behaviour • This frameworks understands social structure in terms of its social functions • i.e. functions/consequences for the operation of society • Society is stable, an ordered system of interrelated partsof the social structures. Each structure has a function that contributes to the continued stability of society.

22. Founding Fathers of Structural Functionalism: “Society is comparable to the human body” “I focus on social solidarity” “ To promote social integration during times of radical change” Herbert Spencer Emile Durkheim Auguste Comte

23. Key tenets Structural Functionalism • The SF perspective organizes sociological observations by identifying various structures of society and studying the function of each one. • E.g. of social structures (social institutions) are: the family, the educational system, politics, religion, mass media systems and the economy

24. Other theorists that have contributed to SF perspective “Society is a system, with parts that have basic tasks, all members should be socialized to maintain order” “Social functions can be expanded in manifest, latent and dysfunctions” Talcott Parsons Robert Merton

25. Social functions expanded (Merton) • The consequences of any social pattern are likely todifferfor various members of society • E.g. traditional families provide crucial support for the development of children but also confer privileges on men while limiting the opportunities for women • We don’t always perceive all functions of a particular social structure: • Manifest functions: the recognized/intended consequences of any social pattern • Latent functions: consequences that are largely unrecognized and unintended • Not all the effects if any social structure turn out to be useful: Social Dysfunctions • i.e. any pattern’s undesirable consequences for the operation of society

26. (dys)functions of….? What are the main functions (in terms of manifest and latent) and dysfunctions of the following social structures: • The family • Education • Religion • Mass media • The economy • Jail • Gaming

27. Critique on Structural Functionalism • How can we assume that society has a natural order when social patterns vary from place to place and changeover time? • By focusing on social integration and harmony SF tends to overlook/hide social inequalities based on social categories such as: ethnicity, gender, age and social class

28. Conflict Theory

29. Key tenets Conflict Theory • Is a framework for building theory that envisages society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change • It highlights divisionsin society based on inequalities • Inequalitiesbased on social class, ethnicity (or race), sex and age • Theory focuses on dominance,competitionandsocial change • Conflictbetween categories of people (social groups): dominant vs. disadvantaged categories. E.g. Rich vs. poor • Aim is not only to understand how inequality is rooted in the way society is organized, but also to do reduce inequalities: • By promoting and bring about Social Change

30. Conflict Theory • has a materialistic view of society. It focuses on labor practices and economic reality • takes a critical stancetowards existing social arrangements (labor market, democracy, inequality between social groups) • doesn’t believe that science can be objective: “all theoretical approaches have political consequences”. i.e. theories have hidden agendas • Believes that transformation of society is inevitable(social change)

31. Founding father of Conflict theory: “My main task is not to just analyze how society reproduces inequality, but my task is to change this!” Karl Marx

32. Critique on Conflict Theory • CT highlights inequality and overlooks how shared values or interdependence generate unity among members of society • CT sometimes pursuits explicitly political goals (it wants to bring social change) and because of this it sometimeslacks scientific objectivity* * The objectivity of science is a much disputable notion in science on itself

33. Critique on how SF & CT approach ‘Society’ • Both the SF and CT envisage society in very broad terms. “Society becomes a thing on itself” describing our lives as a composite of for example: “family” or “social class” • we have criticized this notion in unit 1! • Both SF and CT are considered conservative theories (gone out of fashion!)

34. Symbolic Interactionism

35. 3. Symbolic Interactionism* • Is a theoretical framework that envisages societyas the product of everyday interactions of people doing things together • Is influenced by Weber’s social action perspective. i.e. a perspective that emphasizes the need to understand a setting from the point of view of people in it. • Human meanings and action shape society • We act toward things on the basis of their meanings • Individual/social groups give meaning to the experience of life • Meaning is process of constant negotiation: • i.e. meanings can change or be modified through interaction and through time *SI is the most influential sociological perspective!

36. Founding father & inspiration of SI “Meanings and action shape society. Modern society is the product of a new way of thinking, not just of new technology and capitalism” “I look at how we assemble our sense of self over time based on social experience” George Mead Max Weber

37. Key tenets of Symbolic Interactionism • Through the human process of finding meaningin our surroundings, we define our identities, bodies and feelings, and come to socially construct the world around us. • Society as a mosaic of subjective meanings and variable responses: • E.g. the meaning of the membership of a gang member: • The one perceives being part of a gang as something to be proud of, you get symbolic ‘status’ in an other part of society, you are appreciated by fellow gang members, they are your family. • The other sees gangs as something to be feared, a menace for society, a collection of organized crime, peer pressure and stupidity

38. Changing meanings of the concept of beauty for teenagers(1975 vs. 2010):

39. Critique on Symbolic Interactions • By focusing on day-to-day experience/interactions we overlook the workings of larger social structures

40. Conclusion so far… • Not one single perspective can cover in its totality the dynamic character of society and social experience. • A some what more better understanding of society comes from the combination of different perspectives: • Sociology examines the social world by looking at functions and dysfunctions, conflicts and consensus, actions and meanings • And still, as we will see, some other angles are lacking! • Because all 3 traditional perspectives have weakness as well as strengths, they will probably never fully explain the totality of social phenomena, even when taken together…

41. Contemporary, emerging perspectives

42. 3 new perspectives in Sociology • New perspectives will, and indeed must, continue to rise. Changes in society, bring changes in our conceptual way of studying it: • Each is linked to a major contemporary social transformation: • Changing ideas about gender roles • Changing notions of sexual identity • Changes associated with a post-industrial, technologically based society

43. Feminist Theory

44. First female sociologist “I can be considered the first female in sociology. My area of expertise is the study of urban life, I am one of the pioneers of the Chicago School” Jane Addams

45. 1. Feminist theory • Looks at gender inequalities in society and the way gender structures the social world • Gender is a social construct

47. E.g. A feminist analysis of female fairy tale characters

49. Queer Theory

50. 2. Queer theory • Proposes that categories of sexual identity are social constructs and that no sexual category is fundamentally either deviant or normal