Field of Sociology

1. Historical setting in which
Sociology appeared as a
discipline.
Presented
By
Guannu Kuluku Dezon

2. Introduction: History of the
Discipline
Sociology
is a relatively new academic
discipline which emerged in the early 19 th
century in response to the challenges of
modernity.
Increasing
mobility and technological
advances resulted in the increasing
exposure of people to cultures and societies
different from their own.

3. Definition: What is Sociology?
Sociology
•The systematic study of social behavior in
human groups.
•Examines the influence of social
relationships on people’s attitudes and
behavior.
•Studies how societies are established and
change

4. The
Sociological Imagination
Definition:
An
awareness of the relationship between
an individual and the wider society.
It
is the ability to view our own society as an
outsider might, rather than from the
perspective of our limited experiences and
cultural biases.

5. Developing the Sociological
Imagination
•Theory in Practice
•Research in Action
•The Significance of Social Inequality
•Speaking Across Race, Gender, and
National Boundaries
•Social Policy Throughout the World

6. Sociology
In
and the Social Sciences
contrast to other social sciences, sociology
emphasizes the influence that groups can have
on people’s behavior and attitudes and the ways
in which people shape society.

7. Sociology
and Common Sense
Knowledge
that relies on “common sense”
is not always reliable.
Sociologists
must test and analyze each
piece of information that they use.

8. What is Sociological Theory?
•Theory: An attempt to explain events,
forces, materials, ideas or behavior in a
comprehensive manner.
•Sociological Theories: Seek to explain
problems, actions, or behavior.
•Effective theories should explain and
predict.
•Sociologists employ theories to examine
the relationships between observations or
data that may seem completely unrelated.

9. Historical setting of Sociology
Sociology
began in the middle nineteenth
century. Four Factors lead to the
development of Sociology:
1.
Industrial Revolution: Moving from
close- knit agricultural communities to cities
traditional norms and values could no
longer be counted on.
2.
American and French revolutions:
people began to question social life (the
belief that people have inalienable rights)

10. Historical setting of Sociology
cont.
3.
Imperialism: exposure to different
cultures
4.
Success of the natural sciences:
The use of the scientific method

11. Development of Sociology
Prominent Contributors to Sociological Thought
Auguste Comte
1857
1798
Harriet Martineau
1802
Herbert Spencer
Karl Marx
1876
1820
1903
1818
1883
Émile Durkeim
1858
Jane Addams
1860
George Herbert Mead
1864
1935
1863
Max Weber
Charles Horton Cooley
W.E.B. Du Bois
1931
1920
1864
1929
1868
Talcott Parsons
The “time lines” shown
here give an idea of
relative chronology.
1917
1963
1902
Robert Merton
1979
1910
C. Wright Mills
1916
Erving Goffman
1922
1962
1982

12. Prominent Contributors to
Sociological Thought
Auguste Comte: Founder
(Father) of Sociology
1. Interested in how society
functions
2. Social Static
3. Social Dynamic
Sociology could discover social
principles and those principles
could be used for social reform.
4. Positivism: Applying the
scientific approach (scientific
method ) to the social world.

1798-1857

13. Comte Cont...
Coined
the term Sociology
From the Greek – logos “study of”
From the Latin – socius “companion” or
“being with others”

14. Prominent Contributors to
Sociological Thought
1.
The First Feminist
Sociologist
2.
Drew an Analogy Between
The Plight of Women And
Slavery – Said Women
Were Oppressed Because
They Had No Economy
Power
3.
Society In America: family,
race, gender, politics and
religion
Harriet Martineau
1802 - 1876

15. Prominent Contributors to
Sociological Thought
 1.
Influenced by Charles Darwin Herbert Spencer
 2.
Society evolve from lower
(Barbarian) to higher (Civilized)
forms. The most capable and
intelligent (Fittest) surviveimproving society
 3.
Coined the term “Survival of
the Fittest.”
 4.
Said the “Fittest Society” Was
the best so anyone sick,
disenfranchised, poor, should
not be helped. This would make
the society weak.
1820 - 1903

16. Prominent Contributors to
Sociological Thought
 1.
There will always be conflict
between the “Have and Have
Nots”-Class conflict
 2. Bourgeoisie- Own the
means of production
 3.
Proletariat – Own their
own labor. This conflict must
result in revolution by the
middle class resulting in a
classless society
Karl Marx
1818 – 1883

17. Prominent Contributors to
Sociological Thought
 1.
Society exists because of
consensus (Agreement) to
follow the rules to keep
society stable
 2.
Mechanical Solidarity
Social pressure for
conformity, tradition and
family
Emile Durkheim
1858 - 1917

18. Emile Durkheim Cont...
 3.
Organic Solidarity –
Social InterdependencyHighly specialized rolesSociety dependent on
goods and services.
 4. He wanted to show
how social forces affect
peoples behavior.
 5. Anomie- The
breaking down of the
controlling influences of
society.
- People become
detached and do not
have enough moral
guidance.
-
Sociologists intervene by
creating new social
groups to provide a
sense of belonging.
 6.
SUICIDE- Social
integration (How closely
people are tied to their
social group) – People
with weaker ties are
more likely to commit
suicide-Protestant males,
unmarried are more
likely to commit suicide

19. Prominent Contributors to
Sociological Thought

1. Interested in the personal
meaning people attach to their
behavior and the behavior of
others.

2. Verstehen – Being able to put
yourself in someone else’s shoes.

3. Religion is the central force in
social change.

4. Protestant Ethic- Sociology
should be “Value free”.
Max Weber
1864 - 1920

20. Prominent Contributors to
Sociological Thought
 1.
First Social Worker
 2.
Founder Hull House in
Chicago (1889)-Provided
food, education, medical care
for the poor
 3.
First American woman
and only sociologist to
received a noble peace
prize.
Jane Addams
1860 – 1935

21. Prominent Contributors to
Sociological Thought

Was a philosopher at the
University of Chicago who was a
pragmatist.
 Def
– Pragmatism- Test the truth
of a belief by its actual
consequences. Tries to capture
the created, socially constructed
reality

Def – Phenomenology – Things
do not have meaning in and of
themselves, their meaning is
created by like minded groups
defining them.
George Herbert
Mead
1863-1961

22. Prominent Contributors to
Sociological Thought
 1.
Interested in race relations
 2.
He wanted to eliminate
social injustice
 3.
The Philadelphia Negro,
the souls of black folk

 4.
Founded the National
Association for the
Advancement of Colored
People (NAACP) WITH Jane
Addams and others in 1909.
W.E.B. Du Bois
1868 - 1963

23. Prominent Contributors to
Sociological Thought
 1.
In 1956- Urged
sociologists to become
more involved in social
reform.
 2.
Power Elite- Top
leaders in business,
politics, and the military
are a treat to freedom
C. Wright Mills
1916 - 1962

24. Theoretical Perspectives in
Sociology
1. Symbolic Interactionism
 2.
Functionalist ( Functional Analysis)
 3.
Conflict

25. Functionalist Perspective
Society
is a set of interrelated parts that
work together to produce a stable social
system.
Society is held together through consensus
- people agree to what is best for society
and work together to ensure a stable social
system.
Study division of work in family – functions
served by education
Sociologists – Herbert Spencer/Emile
Durkheim

26. Conflict Perspective
There
are forces in society that promote
competition and change.
Conflict
in society arises over competition
for scarce resources and social change is
an inevitable feature of society.
Study
decision making in the family;
relationships of racial groups; labor disputes
Sociologists – Karl Marx

27. Symbolic Interactionist
Perspective
Individuals
attach meaning to their own
actions and to the actions of others;
interaction between people takes place
through the use of symbols.
Studies
how people interact with one
another in society
Study
child development; relationships
within groups; mate selection

28. Theoretical Perspectives in
Sociology
Levels
1.
of Analysis
Macro – level analysis: Functionalists and
conflict theorists - examine large-scale patterns
in society – Homelessness = changes in society
(family structure, outsourcing, failing economy)
2. Micro – level of analysis: symbolic
interactionists – examine small scale patterns in
society – homeless ( patterns of communication
both verbal and nonverbal)

29. Conclusion
Although
sociology emerged from
Comte’s vision of a discipline that would
subsume all other areas of scientific
inquiry, that was not to be the future of
sociology.
Far from replacing the other sciences,
sociology has taken its place as a
particular perspectives for investigating
human social life.

30. Thank You