Chapter 1 The Sociological Perspective “Seeing the general in the particular” (Peter Berger)

Chapter 1 The Sociological Perspective

“Seeing the general in the particular” (Peter

Berger)

What is Sociology? the systematic study of human

society and social interaction Sociologists use theoretical perspectives

and research methods to systematically examine social behaviour

Sociology provides important insights on pressing social issues–such as sexual assault, suicide, and homelessness–in contemporary societies

Sociologists….. Identify general social patterns in

the behaviour of particular individuals

See the strange in the familiar Give up the idea that human behaviour is simply a matter of what people decide to do

Understand that society shapes our lives

Why Study Sociology? Sociology helps us see the

complex connections between our own lives and the larger, recurring patterns of the society and world in which we live

reveals the limitations of myths associated with commonsense knowledge that guides out lives

C. Wright Mills (1959) said…

We need to develop the sociological imagination a "quality of mind" that "enables us to grasp

history and biography and the relations between the two in society."

A sociologist asks questions like: What is the structure of this particular society as a

whole? Where does this society stand in human history? What varieties of men and women now prevail in

this society?

The Sociological Imagination and Obesity Is obesity a social issue or a

personal problem?

Watch The Sociological Imagination from Sociology Live (2015)

Seeing Sociologically: the Impact of Crisis

Periods of change or crisis encourage us to use the sociological perspective Example – Durkheim was a

“conservative” sociologist Social upheaval in the late 19th century

stimulated his investigation of social order, functionality of society, and effect of morality/religion

Seeing the Personal in the Social – Emile Durkheim The power of society to shape

even our most private choices Durkheim and Suicide (1897)

Found that lack of social integration (weak ties to others) and the presence of anomie (weaker norms) in society affected suicide rates

Especially true for males, Protestants His findings still hold true today

Suicide (the School of Life, 2015) This brief video highlights some of

Durkheim’s ideas, especially the idea that a strong sense of community leads to lower suicide rates.

Suicide

Seeing Sociologically: the Effect of Marginality

People at the margins of social life are aware of social patterns that others rarely think about

Example – Montesquieu, a French nobleman who tried to look at French society impartially and sociologically wrote the Persian Letters (https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Persian_Letters) in 1721

An attempt to describe society from the margins through the viewpoint of two fictional Persian “outsiders” and their correspondence

The Development Of Sociological Thinking Industrialization (the process by which

societies are transformed from dependence on agriculture and handmade products to an emphasis on manufacturing and related industries)

Urbanization (the process by which an increasing proportion of a population lives in cities rather than rural areas) contributed to the development of sociological thinking.

Sociological Theory Theory: a statement of how and why

facts are related Theoretical Approach: A basic image of

society that guides thinking and research Structural-functional Social-conflict (includes Gender-conflict and

Race-conflict approaches) Symbolic-interactionism

Paradigm: the theoretical approach and its particular research methodology

Early Social Thinkers Auguste Comte Harriet Martineau Herbert Spencer Emile Durkheim Karl Marx Max Weber

Auguste Comte (1798-1857) coined the term sociology stressed the importance of

positivism a belief that the world can best be

understood through scientific inquiry Saw the sciences as a hierarchy

with sociology at the top

Auguste Comte wanted to use sociology to study society scientifically

Three-stages of historical development: Theological (society structured according to

God’s will – “supernatural” power) Metaphysical (society is a “natural” system

– i.e. Thomas Hobbes wrote the Leviathan, 1651 on the need for a social contract)

Scientific (use of science to study society – development of early positivism)

Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)

Martineau - first female sociologist British social theorist and social reformer Early feminist – critical of inequality when studying society, one must focus on all

aspects of it – “public sociology” Herbert Spencer – “survival of the fittest”

Applied evolutionary theory to study of society Wrote “Social Statics” (Comte’s term) which

deals with the conditions of social order Founder of “Social Darwinism” – societies are

evolving organisms

Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) “father of sociology” – most famous

for: Division of Labour in Society Rules of the Sociological Method Suicide: A Study in Sociology

Credited with developing structural functionalism and making sociology a “science”

Sociology should study “social facts”

Structural-functionalism Macro level orientation society is made up of interrelated

parts, each of which contributes to the functioning of society as a whole.

stable patterns (social structure) which have consequences or functions (social functions) for society as a whole.

Latent and manifest functions (Merton) sometimes the parts can be

dysfunctional for society

Structural functionalist thinkers and critique

Important Sociologists: Auguste Comte, Emile Durkheim, Herbert Spencer,

Robert K. Merton Critique:

Focusing on social stability and unity, ignores inequalities

Such inequalities cause tension and conflict The approach ends up being politically

conservative

Karl Marx (1818-1883) Developed socio-political theory of

Marxism most famous works The Communist Manifesto

(with F. Engels, 1848) and 3 volume Capital (Das Kapital, 1867)

Concern with class conflict, exploitation and alienation

Social-conflict theory Social change occurs out of conflict

between groups in society (bourgeoisie vs proletariat)

Social conflict theory Macro level approach focuses on the social processes of

competition and power resources and rewards are unevenly

distributed, and inequality produces conflict. some groups may gain power and

advantage over others Factors such as race, sex, class, and age are

linked to social inequality

Related Conflict Approaches Gender-conflict approach

focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men

Race-conflict approach focuses on inequality and conflict

between people of different racial and ethnic categories

Social conflict theoristsCritique of social conflict theory Important Sociologists:

Karl Marx, W.E.B. Du Bois Critique:

Ignores how shared values and mutual interdependence unify society

If theorists pursue political goals, cannot be scientific (not objective)

Max Weber (1864-1920) Economist and socio-political

theorist Concerned about the “iron cage of

bureaucracy” Famous for The Protestant Ethic and

the Spirit of Capitalism (1904) Capitalism developed out of Protestant

religious ideology Ideals drive society and social change

Symbolic Interactionism Micro-level approach Reality socially created through people’s

everyday interactions and symbolic communication with one another

Focus on subjective meanings created through interaction

Important Sociologists: Max Weber, George Herbert Mead,

Erving Goffman, George Homans & Peter Blau

Critique Ignores larger social

structures, effects of culture, factors such as class, gender, ethnicity, and race

Other Approaches Postmodernism

critical of modernism with a mistrust of grand theories and ideologies

Human sciences cannot be scientific because of human subjectivity

Deconstruct and demystify assumptions, hierarchies of knowledge, and ideological motivation of social science

Contemporary Feminism Advocate social, political, and economic equality

for all Use of a feminist research method – collaborative,

in depth, intimate in order to devolve control

Analysis of Religion through the Three Major Approaches

Structural functionalism: Religion promotes social cohesion. It binds

the community of believers together (Durkheim)

Religion helps maintain the social order. It reinforces the norms and values of society.

Religion provides meaning, gives answers about the universe.

Religion provides psychological support for important events and in crises

Analysis of religion (cont.) Social conflict:

Religion is the "opium of the people," lulling people into passive acceptance of injustices (Karl Marx).

Religion legitimates the social inequities in societies.

Religion benefits the dominant group.

Analysis of religion (cont.) Symbolic interactionism:

Each religious community has its own definition of the sacred.

Religious communities have unique sets of beliefs, rituals, and experiences.