THE FIELD OF SOCIOLOGY Chapter 1

HOW DID SOCIOLOGY DEVELOP?  Developed as an academic discipline in the 1800s  In France, Germany, and England  Social and political changes during the Industrial Revolution  Social world could be studied and analyzed with scientific methods

AUGUSTE COMTE  Founder of sociology as a distinct subject  Applied methods of physical science to social life  Coined the term sociology  Social order and social change  Social statics – hold society together  Social dynamics – society changes through definite processes  Modern sociologists use his basic issues of order and change

Knowledge of society can only be acquired through scientific investigation And by observing the laws that govern social stability and social change Scientific understanding of these laws can bring about change Science can be used to build a better world The Sociology Book: Big Ideas Explained p.23

HERBERT SPENCER  Strongly influenced by Darwin’s “survival of the fittest” idea  Biological model for society – society is a set of interdependent parts that work together to maintain the system  Social change and unrest are natural occurrences when society is moving toward stability  Social Darwinism - the fittest societies would survive over time. Also refers to the most able people would rise to the top of society

KARL MARX  Structure of society is influenced by how its economy is organized  Society is split into 2 classes: the bourgeoisie (own means of production) and the proletariat (workers)  Imbalance of power leads to conflict between the 2 classes. Conflict only ends when the proletariat overthrew those in power  His views led to the creation of the Conflict Theory of sociological perspectives

Modern society has 2 classes: the industry-owning bourgeoisie and the proletariat (workers) Controlling the means of production enriches the bourgeoisie and enables it to dominate private property. Self-interest mitigates against solidarity among the bourgeoisie, while unceasing competition fuels regular economic crises. The fall of the bourgeoisie and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable. The majority proletariat owns little and sells its labor to the bourgeoisie yet stays poor because of exploitation. This dehumanizing status leads to alienation and a group consciousness that seeks its own class’s collective good. The Sociology Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained, p.29

EMILE DURKHEIM  One of the first to use methods of science to study society  Society is a set of interdependent parts working together, but each part has it’s own function  Ex: Function of religion to maintain social order  Conducted the 1 st sociological study, Suicide – examined suicide rates in several European countries

Humankind has evolved from gathering in small, homogeneous communities to forming large, complex societies In traditional society, religion and culture created a collective consciousness that provided solidarity In modern society, the division of labor has brought about increased specialization and the focus is more on the individual than the collective… …and solidarity now comes from the interdependence of individuals with specialized functions Society, like the human body, has interrelated parts, needs, and functions The Sociology Book: Big Ideas simply Explained, p.35

MAX WEBER  Focused on separate groups in society  Effect society has on the individual  Verstehen – attempt to understand the meanings individuals attach to their actions. “Put yourself in someone else’s shoes”  The “iron cage of rationality”  Ideal type – description of typical characteristics for a selected society  Ex: Public school characteristics

Sociological Perspectives Functionalist Perspective *Society is a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system *Focus on functions (positive consequences) & dysfunctions (negative) *Manifest (intended) & Latent (unintended) functions *Theorists: Comte, Spencer, and Durkheim Interactionist Perspective Conflict Perspective

Sociological Perspectives Functionalist Interactionist Conflict Perspective *Forces in society promote competition & change *Social change is inevitable *People compete for power & wealth *Competition over scarce resources is the basis for social conflict *Theorist: Karl Marx

Sociological Perspectives Functionalist Perspective Interactionist Perspective *How individuals interact in society and how they react to others *Role symbols play in our lives *Symbolic interaction: how people use symbols when interacting *Theorist: Max Weber Conflict Perspective