SOCI1001: Introduction to Sociology

Lecture 2. The Sociological Perspective (Thinking like a Sociologist)

Date: September 13, 2023
Course instructor: Dr. HAN, Sinn Won
Logistics

1. Tutorial
• Tutorial registration period ends tomorrow (September 14, 11:59pm)
• First tutorial session: September 20 (Wednesday), 5:30 pm ~
• Tutorial groups on Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday morning (9:30 am) will have their
first sessions in Week 5 (September 25-29)

2. Email query
• Lecture-related questions To me!
• Tutorial-related questions To your tutors!

3. PPT slides for lectures will be uploaded right before each class
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Introduce yourself to the classmates surrounding you (at least 8)

The core interest of any sociological research is our SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS within a society

● Your name?

● What year? 載入中⋯

● Concentration?

● What’s your motivation to take this course?

● What is your personal troubles/concerns/challenges these days?

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Today’s core agenda

● Introduction to the sociological perspective

Two contemporary classic books in sociology
• C. Wright Mills. 1959. The Sociological Imagination. (Chapter 1)
• Peter Berger. 1963. Invitation to Sociology: A Humanistic Perspective. (Chapter 1)

● What is sociology?

● What is the basic insight of sociology?

● How to think, and see, like a sociologist

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Today’s core agenda (cont.)

● How does sociology differ from other neighbouring disciplines?

● Sociology is the “Queen of the Sciences” (Auguste Comte)

載入中⋯
● History, anthropology, psychology, biology, economics, political science

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The sociological imagination

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Sociologists on “what is sociology?”

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Sociologists on “What Is Sociology?”

● Some of the words that were often mentioned:

➢ Individuals (people, groups, persons, …)
➢ Social structures
➢ Structural basis
➢ Contexts in which people are situated
➢ Power of context 情境⼒量
➢ Forces outside of us
➢ Historical lens 8
Sociologists on “What Is Sociology?”
巧合
It is not a coincidence that these sociologists with different backgrounds share a
similar vision of sociology
– Studying the intersections of individuals and social structures
(or, Sociological Imagination)

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The sociological imagination

● C. Wright Mills (1916-1962)

● Sociologist at Columbia University

● Regarded as one of the leading

social critics of the 20th century

● Books
● The New Men of Power (1948)
● White Collar (1951)
● The Power Elite (1956)
● The Sociological Imagination
(1959) 10
Photo credit: Getty Images (left) & Columbia University Magazine (right)
The sociological imagination

Across his written work, Mills’ core interest (in an abstract sense) was the following:

“How did we get here where we are right now?”

Q: Why did you choose to go to HKU?

載入中⋯
A1: “I got a really high score on HKDSE.”

A2: “I was told that HKU is the best college in Asia.”

A3: “My parents have consistently told that I should go HKU.”

A4: “HKU has a strong cross-cultural orientation, and I wanted to make foreign friends.”

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The sociological imagination

The key argument of C. Wright Mills in The Sociological Imagination:

WE SHOULD GO BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL ORIENTED PERSPECTIVE!
我們應該超越以個⼈為中⼼的視⾓ !
● Each of us lives in a very small and private orbit, and our worldview is limited by the social

situations we encounter on a daily basis (e.g., family, neighborhood, the school we attend).

● To overcome our limited perspective, we all need a certain “quality of mind” that makes it

possible to understand the larger meanings of our personal experiences.

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The sociological imagination

Sociological imagination is the quality of mind that enables us to grasp

(1) BIOGRAPHY, (2) HISTORY, and (3) the INTERPLAY between the two within a society.
交互作⽤
● Biography: The personal troubles of milieu (e.g., personal challenges, troubles, concerns)

● History: The public issues of social structure (e.g., political arenas, macro-economic
circumstances)

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The sociological imagination

Sociological imagination is the quality of mind that enables us to grasp

(1) BIOGRAPHY, (2) HISTORY, and (3) the INTERPLAY between the two within a society.
● Biography: The personal troubles of milieu (e.g., personal challenges, troubles, concerns)

● History: The public issues of social structure (e.g., political arenas, macro-economic
circumstances)

● A sociological imagination is TOO important to be just left to sociologists

• Journalists, artists, scientists, clerks, and even publics are expected to have a sociological imagination
• It is a social and political citizenship that can CHANGE the world we live in

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The sociological imagination

Why can’t I find love?

A1: “Well, I’m too busy, working and studying hard…”

A2: “Well, probably I’m not that attractive…”

A3: “Honestly, I’m not interested in dating and getting married…”

A4: “I am TOO attractive to a usual the average men or women.”

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A good man is hard to find: China’s leftover women issue

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A good man is hard to find: China’s leftover women issue

What could be the structural sources of the marriage market mismatch in China?

● Skewed (i.e., unbalanced) sex ratio at birth

● Labor market opportunities for young adults

● (Gendered) Internal migration

● Gender-essentialist cultural ideology

● The value of being young (especially for women)

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Peter Berger’s sociological perspective

Peter Berger’s sociological perspective begins with the following agenda:

“How to think like a sociologist”

“How to explain the world without becoming a bore”

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Peter Berger’s sociological perspective

● Peter L. Berger (1929-2017)

● Austrian-born American Sociologist

● Jewish emigrated to U.S. after the Nazi takeover

● Intellectual founder of neo-institutionalism,

sociology of knowledge, etc.

● Books
● Invitation to Sociology (1963)
● The Social Construction of Reality (1966)
● The Sacred Canopy (1967)
Photo credit: The New York Times 19
● The Capitalist Revolution (1986)
Peter Berger’s sociological perspective

● Peter Berger’s intention to write Invitation to Sociology

Encourage readers to UNDERSTAND the social world through the lenses of sociology

● UNDERSTANDING (verstehen in German) is the key component of Berger’s vision of sociology

● Sociology is “not a practice, but an attempt to understand.” (p.4)
● Sociologist is a “someone concerned with understanding society in a disciplined way.” (p.16)

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Peter Berger’s sociological perspective

● Peter Berger’s intention to write Invitation to Sociology

Encourage readers to UNDERSTAND the social world through the lenses of sociology

● UNDERSTANDING (verstehen in German) is the key component of Berger’s vision of sociology

● Sociology is “not a practice, but an attempt to understand.” (p.4)
● Sociologist is a “someone concerned with understanding society in a disciplined way.” (p.16)
● Then, how to understand?

(1) “Value-free” mind (p.5)

(2) The debunking motif (see pp.23-4) 21
Peter Berger’s sociological perspective

1. Sociology as a “value-free” (objective) social science

• This does not mean that sociologist should have no values.
• But within the limits of his/her activities as a sociologist, only ONE fundamental value exists:

思
Scientific integrity (p.5): Sociology is “value free” in the sense that a sociologist collect/analyze data objectively.

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Peter Berger’s sociological perspective

1. Sociology as a “value-free” (objective) social science

• This does not mean that sociologist should have no values.
• But within the limits of his/her activities as a sociologist, only ONE fundamental value exists:
Scientific integrity (p.5): Sociology is “value free” in the sense that a sociologist collect/analyze data objectively.

2. Sociology as a “debunking” (i.e., unmasking) social science

• “The first wisdom of sociology is this: things are not what they seem.” (p.23)
• Our social reality has “many layers of meaning,” and a goal of sociology is to help us discover these
multiple meanings. (p.23-4)
• Sociology looks beyond the taken-for-granted understandings of social reality and helps us
recognize the value of alternative understandings. This is the debunking motif! 23
“The first wisdom of sociology is this: things are not what they seem.” (p.23)

• Relevant quotes from (different versions of) Sherlock Holmes

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Peter Berger’s sociological perspective

● Think about the the power structure in a nation state.

For example, who has the greatest power in the United States?

● The President?
• The Wall Street
• Big tech companies and their founders
• The Chair of FRB
• Deep State
• Jay Z & Beyonce … 25
Peter Berger’s sociological perspective

How do I know if sociology is right for me?

“People who like to avoid shocking discoveries, who prefer to believe that society is just what
they were taught in Sunday School, who like the safety of the rules and maxims of the “taken-
for-granted,” SHOULD STAY AWAY FROM SOCIOLOGY.” (pp.23-24)

“People who feel no temptation before closed doors, who have no curiosity about human
beings, who are content to admire scenery without wondering about the people who live in those
houses on the other side of that river, SHOULD ALSO STAY AWAY FROM SOCIOLOGY.” (p.24)
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Peter Berger’s sociological perspective

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To Sum Up…

• C. Wright Mills’ sociological imagination

• Look beyond the individual and grasp the influences of larger social systems

• Peter Berger’s debunking motif in sociology

• Look beyond the taken-for-granted understandings/assumptions of social phenomena

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To Sum Up…

• C. Wright Mills’ sociological imagination

• Look beyond the individual and grasp the influences of larger social systems

載入中⋯
• Peter Berger’s debunking motif in sociology

• Look beyond the taken-for-granted understandings/assumptions of social phenomena

• Are there any sociological pieces that were successful to achieve these two
goals of sociology?
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How did the Holocaust happen?

• Zygmunt Bauman (1989) Modernity and Holocaust

Zygmunt Bauman (1925-2017)

● Polish-born UK-based sociologist

● Best known for his books

➢ Liquid Modernity (2000)
➢ Liquid Love (2003)

Photo credit: The Guardian

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How did the Holocaust happen?

• The holocaust is the most tragic events of human history. How did it happen?

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How did the Holocaust happen?

• The holocaust is the most tragic events of human history. How did it happen?

• A popular (and taken-for-granted) explantion at the time of Bauman:

• Adolf Hitler was the worst evil and dictator of human history
• Hitler did hate the jews very much
• Hitler and his inner circle (The Nazis) capitalized on anti-semitism
(hatred of jews) and Aryan supremacy to gain/sustain power

The Holocaust happened…

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How did the Holocaust happen?

• Bauman attempted to counter the prevailing tendency to reduce the Holocaust to merely
• The evilness of Adolf Hitler (and his inner circle)
• The long-time anti-semitism in history

• To Bauman, the most devisive factor of the Holocaust was MODERNITY ifself
(i.e., modern industrial and bureaucratic paradigms)
• Technological achievement of an industrial society (mass transportation, medical technologies)
• Rationalized organizations of a bureaucratic society
• Rationality and emotional distance
⼤屠殺
Bauman’s focus in on the structural/institutional factors that made the Holocaust thinkable and doable
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Why do we need the sociological perspective?

• Sociological imagination, debunking motif, value-free mind, …

• All these are TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

• These skills (e.g., critical thinking) are easily transferable from one domain to another.
• These skills are more foundational than technical skills which often become quickly outdated
• Therefore, these skills will be a great resource for any career you will choose

• Most of you will eventually take a career path that is not a professional sociologist

• Journalist, lawyer, policy maker, analyst at an investment bank, NGO service, …

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How does sociology differ from other neighbouring disciplines?

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See you next week!

Slides templates:
Ma, G. Y. K., Choi, C., & Yeung, P. P. S. (2023) PowerPoint template.
#IDEALeaders Self-learning Series: Co-creation of virtual learning
accessibility. HKU Data Repository. https://doi.org/10.25442/hku.22683433

13/9/2023

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