1. Origins of Sociology

2. Sociology began in 1800’s (19 th Century) in Europe Auguste Comte Father of Sociology (French) Wrote: Positive Philosophy Belief: Scientific observation to study behavior/society Positivism: base knowledge on truths Social Statics: study of social stability Social Stability: study of social change

3. Harriet Martineau Pioneer Feminist (English) Belief: emphasis on Sociology as a science Translated Comte’s book into English Herbert Spencer Social Darwinism (English) Belief: evolutionary social change leads to progress Opposed social reform (interfered w/evolution) Karl Marx Founder of Communism (German) Belief: conflict and social change work hand in hand

4. Max Weber Sociologist (German) Belief: humans act based on personal understandings in a situation Verstehen: understanding social behavior by putting yourself in the place of others Rationalization: use of knowledge and reason in a situation Emile Durkheim First to teach Sociology at university (French) First to use statistics in Sociology Belief: society exists based on agreement among members of society Mechanical Solidarity vs. Organic Solidarity

5. Jane Addams Woman Social Reformer (American) Belief: problems of the poor caused by imbalance of power among the social classes W.E.B. DuBois African American educator & social activist (American) Focus: analyzed social structure of blacks and why American belief was blacks are “inferior”