Notes:
Sociological Perspective: the process of understanding and explaining how individuals and groups interact within society (HP).
Social Structures: the distinctive and stable arrangements of social patterns that form the society as a whole (HP).
Social Problems: societal conditions that harm segments of society (HP).
Sociological Imagination: the ability to see the details of our own lives in the context of larger social structures as opposed to merely personal choices or personal troubles (HP).
Social Change: the forces that change society’s organization and social structures (HP).
Each chapter begins by analyzing the topic using the sociological perspective. You will spend your entire life interacting with others within society. Gaining a new perspective to better understand these social processes will move you closer to understanding the complexities of your social world. To understand the sociological perspective, it is necessary to start with a brief history of sociology.