Notes: Sociology only existed for 180 years.
Auguste Comte – society can be studied using same scientific methods in natural sciences. 24 yrs wrote essay \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”Plan for the Scientific Work Necessary to Reorganize Society\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\”.
– Positivism: authentic and valid knowledge of social world is found only through scientific and empirical pursuit.
Sociology from France to US in the 19th century.
Social Theories: Conflict, Functionalist and Symbolic Interactionism
– Sociological Perspective: process of understanding and explaining how individual and groups interact within society.
– Social Structures: the distinctive and stable arrangements of social patterns that form the society as a whole.
– Social Problems: the societal level conditions that harm segments of society.
– 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
– Social Change: the social forces that change the organization and social structures of society.
Vineyard/Village represent macro sociology a level of analysis focusing on social systems and populations on a large scale.
Meadow represent micro sociology a level of analysis focusing on individuals and small groups within the larger social system.
Vineyard- German Karl Marx (industrial rev). 2 classes: Proletariat majority who were the poor, property less industrial working class. Bourgeois land and business owners (small minority). Developed the constructs for socialism and capitalism. Engels wealthy businessman financially supported Marx and family for decades. Conflict Theory sociological perspective emphasizing the role of political and economic power and oppression as contributing to the existing social order.
Village – Emile Durkheim French credited w/developing discipline of sociology and conducting the first large scale sociological study. Functionalist Theory a macro view of how the parts of society serve to maintain stability. Function 3 ways.
1. Manifest Functions intentional and formally sanctioned functions of social institutions and society.
2. Latent Functions unintentional and informally sanctioned functions of social institutions and society.
3. Dysfunction undesirable disruptions of social patterns resulting in negative consequences within society.
Meadow – American George Herbert Mead taught at Uni of Chicago where the first sociology dep was founded. Theory Socialized Self the self cannot develop apart from society (you are who you are due to your social interactions and environment). Theory is referred to as Symbolic Interaction a micro view of how society is the product of interactions between people occur via symbols that have distinct meanings.
Max Weber German – Verstehen an empathetic approach to understanding human behavior (observation and explanation). Researchers must observe social actions to understand and explain meanings that individuals attribute to their social interactions. Can be used to investigate macro issues (economics and religion).
Feminist Theory a view on anti-oppression, gender relations and gender inequality. Focus on social and political reform represents concept of applied sociology the use of sociological theory, research and methodologies to find solutions to problems in society.
Queer Theory – critical view that rejects the traditional categories of gender, sex and sexuality in contemporary society. Addresses both micro and macro issues.
Postmodern Social Theory – critical view rejecting the historical, scientific and structured means of investigating and interpreting the social world. French Michel Foucault, Jean Baudrillard and Jean Francois Lyotard responsible for promoting this.
Rationalization of Society – the replacement of traditional values and personal connections w/bureaucracy, efficiency and a means end approach.