THE DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIOLOGY

AUGUSTE COMTE ( ) Comte is among the first scholars to apply the methods of the physical sciences to the study of society. He coined the word sociology and is considered the founder of the subject. Comte began by trying to explain the causes and consequences of the French Revolution. He focused on the areas of social order and social change.

HARRIET MARTINEAU ( ) Martineau conducted early sociological studies in Britain and the United States on marriage, the family, race relations, education, and religion. She was an advocate of the idea that scholars should try to improve society, not just study it. Martineau is also known for translating Comte’s works into English.

HERBERT SPENCER ( ) Spencer applied the principles of biology to society. Influenced by the views of Charles Darwin, he popularized the evolutionary theory of social change and coined the phrase “survival of the fittest.” Spencer’s view of society became known as Social Darwinism, and has fallen out of favor among modern sociologists.

KARL MARX ( ) Marx emphasized the primary role that conflict plays in social change and advocated revolution to speed up the process of change. His ideas led to the development of the conflict perspective in sociology, coming from his belief that an imbalance of power between workers and owners would lead to conflict.

ÉMILE DURKHEIM ( ) Durkheim described society as a set of independent parts, with each part serving a specific function. He believe that sociologists should focus on observable social phenomena. Durkheim was influential in the development of the functionalist perspective in sociology. He was especially interested in the function of religion in maintaining social order.

MAX WEBER ( ) Weber developed the concept of the ideal type, a model against which social reality can be measured. He believed that sociology should attempt to understand the meanings that individuals attach to their actions. Weber’s work influenced the development of the interactionist perspective in sociology.

JANE ADDAMS ( ) Addams opened a center to offer welfare, educational, and recreational services to poor residents on the West Side of Chicago. She undertook a series of surveys of poor people and the conditions in which they lived and published her results concerning wage levels, sweatshops, child labor, immigrants, and living conditions among the poor.

W.E.B. DU BOIS ( ) Du Bois used community studies to underscore the significance of race in American society. He believed that sociologists should be involved in social reform as well as academic study. Du Bois helped to found the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).