SCOPE OF SOCIOLOGY

 Science – own area of study and enquiry must have boundary and
limits or demarcations.
 On consensus as to the boundary and scope of sociology.
 Boundaries difficult to determine.
 Two Schools :
1. Specialist / Formalistic School
2. Synthetic School

SPECIALIST / FORMALISTIC SCHOOL:

 Chief Proponent – George Simmel

 Other proponents - Vierkandt, Max Weber, Small, Von Wiese and
Tonnies.
 Opinion :
1. PURE & INDEPENDENT SCIENCE.
2. SINCE PURE SCIENCE – LIMITED SCOPE.
3. ONLY CERTAIN ASPECTS OF HUMAN LIFE TO BE STUDIED.
4. CONCERN ONLY WITH FORM & NOT CONTENTS.
(Division of Labour, Subordination).
5. SHOULD STUDY SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP IN ABSTRACT.

Criticism:
1. Unreasonable narrowing of the field – genl. Form of institutions as
well as the concrete contents must be studied.
2. D/b. Forms and contents not workable.
3. Other sciences also study the forms of relationship.
4. Estb. Of Pure Sociology – Impractical.

SYNTHETIC SCHOOL:

 SOCIOLOGY IS A GENERAL AND SYSTEMATIC SOCIAL SCIENCE.

 SCOPE OF SOCIOLOGY IS VERY VAST.
 SOCIOLOGY NEEDS HELP FROM OTHER SOCIAL SCIENCES.
 IT IS A SYNTHESIS OF SOCIAL SCIENCE.
 SOCIOLOGY IS CLOSELY RELATED WITH OTHER SOCIAL
SCIENCES.