SOAN 201 Chapter 1, Fall 2012

I. What is Sociology and how is it a science? A basic introduction to Sociology and its emergence in the Western World through an account of the historical changes taking place in Europe in the late 18th century. Four early thinkers in Sociology, the three major theoretical perspectives that derived from their way of thinking, the continuing development of the field of Sociology, and the benefits of being able to analyze things in a sociological manner through the expansion of your "sociological imagination". Why Sociology is considered a science? We will differentiate between qualitative and quantitative research, define and identify the basic steps of carrying out sociological research, as well as discuss the advantages and limitations of each of those. You will learn about different types of variables, correlations and triangulation methods. 1789: French Revolution, Industrial revolution, separation of classes, immergence of factories A.Comte: Changes, preserving stability in society, positivism, religion of humanity, founder of the term ‘’sociology’’ Durkheim: division of labor, suicide, solidarity: what binds people together, anomie: losing point of reference because not having time to adapt to changes. Instead of talking about historical dimension, he was more concerned about solidarity and bonds between people. Marx: Battle of the classes, the rich prevent changes from occurring, struggle between those who owned/worked the means of production. Capitalists vs. proletariat, exploiters vs. exploited. Problems with capitalism and emergence of factories Class consciousness will lead to rebellion of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie. Shift from traditional to modern society will lead to alienation. G.H Mead: father of the interaction approach Harriet Martineau: feminism, translated the works of Comte and Durkheim. Issues in the private and domestic sphere. M Weber: economic factors are at the base of the problems that will occur in society Where you are on the economic scale depends on 3 factors: economy, status and power via titles aristocracy, connections. Shift from traditional to modern society leads to disenchantment. Shift from religion to science via technology Sacred to profane Values and norms to dependence on division of labor Personal to city life, impersonal Mechanical to organic, dependent on division of labor Sociology & Social Sciences by Henslin Types of sociology: Structural . Patterned relationships/recurring aspects of human behavior . Group membership, institutions of society, customary arrangements to solve perennial problems like need for social order, dealing with sickness and death . Aggregate, characteristics in common Interactional . Emphasis based on individual . Behavior of people when they are in the presence of one another Quantitative . Determining numbers to represent the behavioral patterns of people, statistical techniques. Qualitative . Meaning of what is happening to people, how people’s meanings (symbols, mental constructs, ideas, stereotypes) affect their ideas about the self and their relationships to one another. The promise CW Mills 2 types of sociological problems: troubles and issues The troubles are of the individual; however when the same trouble is experienced by many it becomes an issue in society. What occurs in an individual’s life is interrelated to society as a whole. Durkheim: suicide Suicide: 4 types Egoistic, weakly attached to social order, lacks the restraints that intense participation in group life imposes on him, not bound to others, free of any claims. Altruistic: tightly bound into a highly integrated group with a strong sense of solidarity, willing to sacrifice his life for group goals. Anomic: individual may be deeply involved in society, but group life fails to provide him with controlling standards of behavior. He may find life unbearable because of inadequate self- discipline. Fatalistic Social integration: too integrated, altruistic, egoistic. For example, the suttee in India. Social regulation: overregulated, powerless, anomic and fatalistic suicide. 3 approaches: Functionalist: division of labor, solidarity, roles/status, status quo, stability, moral, Merton: manifest/latent, disfuncional Conflict: classes, positive change nteractionalist: micro level, how individuals were acting and how it affects society leading to structural changes