Introduction to Sociology

Lecture 01
?What is Sociology
Sociology is the scientific study of human social life, groups, and societies with emphasis
on modern, industrialized systems.

The word sociology was coined by Auguste Comte – A French Philosopher in 1839. he is
considered as a father of sociology.

The word Sociology is derived from the Latin Word “Societus” which means “society”
and the Greek word “Logos” means “science or study or advanced study” .

Sociology is the systematic study of human society.

Unlike psychology, sociology looks at groups and structures, not just individuals.

Unlike economics, sociology looks at a wide range of systems that influence life and
society.

Unlike anthropology, sociology considers cultures and structures close to home as well as
those that are distant.
:Sociology is

• Is a form of consciousness
• Is a way of thinking
• Is a critical way of seeing the world
• “the first wisdom of sociology is this: things are not what they seem’

- Peter Berger
Sociology Subject Matter

• Sociologists investigate the structure of groups, organizations, and societies, and how
people interact within these contexts.

• All human behavior is social : the subject matter of sociology ranges from the intimate
family to the hostile mob; from organized crime to religious cults; from the divisions of
race, gender and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture; and from the
sociology of work to sociology of sports.
Benefits of Sociology
• We can see the opportunities and constraints in our everyday lives.
• We can challenge widely held assumptions.
• We can assess the truth of common sense.
• We can be active participants in our society.
• We are able to live in a diverse world.
• We develop the capacity of enquiry.
History of Sociology
• 19th  Century Industrial and French Revolutions
• Increased mobility
• New kinds of employment
• A time of great social and political disorder
• People exposed to societies and cultures other than their own
• Urbanization
• Decline in traditional religious beliefs
 ?What are society and culture
• Sociologists study all aspects and levels of society
• A society is a group of people whose members interact, reside in a definable area and
share a culture.
• A culture includes the group’s shared practices, values, and beliefs.
• One sociologist might analyze video of people from different societies as they carry on
everyday conversations to study to study the rules f polite conversation rom different
world cultures.
• Another sociologist might interview a representative sample of people to see how
texting has changed the way they communicate.
• Yet another sociologist might study how migration determined the way in which
language spread and changed over time.
The Development of Social Thinking
Theories and Theoretical Approaches

 Sociology not only explores how things happen by also why they happen
 We need theories to help us make sense of facts
 Sociologists disagree about how to study human behavior and how to interpret results.

Early Theorists

 Auguste Comte

• Invented the word sociology

• Sociology should contribute to the welfare of humanity by using science to understand
and predict human behavior
 Émile Durkheim

• “Study social facts as things!”

• The continuation of society depends on cooperation
• Organic solidarity—specialized systems must function as integrated whole
• Societies exert social constraint over members’ actions
• Division of labor expands, people become more dependent on each other

 Karl Marx
• Social change is mainly prompted by economic influences
• Society is not cohesive; it is divided by class differences
• Capitalism breeds conflict
• Ruling class seeks to exploit workers and working class seeks to overcome
exploitation
 Max Weber

• Ideas and values have as much impact on social change as economic factors
• Advance of bureaucracy inevitable
• Society becomes more efficient but poses problems for democratic
participation
Functionalism, Conflict and Interactionism
• The Functionalist perspective focuses on order and stability (Durkheim).
• The Conflict perspective focuses on power relations (Marx).
• The Interactionist perspective focuses on how individuals interact with one another in
everyday life (Blumer)
Modern Theoretical Approaches

 The main theoretical approaches in sociology are:

• symbolic interactionism
• functionalism
• Marxism
• feminism
• rational choice approach
• postmodernism
 Symbolic Interactionism

• Study of language is crucial

• Symbolic thought frees us from our limited experience
• All interactions involve an exchange of symbols: we look for clues on how to behave and
how to interpret others’ behavior

 Functionalism

• The study of functions of social activity to determine the contribution to society as a whole
• Moral consensus helps maintain order and stability in society
• Apparent functions are intended by participants; hidden functions are consequences
participants do not know about.

 Feminism

• Gender relations and gender inequality are central to study of society

• Intersection of gender, race, and class.

 Rational choice theory

• Self-interest is best variable to explain society

• Rational approach is useful but cannot explain emotional responses, such as love
  Postmodernism

• Idea that history leads to progress has collapsed

• Dominated by “new media”
• Disconnected from the past
• Overall narratives of history or society do not make any sense

Microsociology vs. Macrosociology

 Microsociology is the study of everyday behavior during face-to-face
interactions.
• Illuminates broad institutional patterns
 Macrosociology is the analysis of large-scale social systems such as social
stability and change.
• Essential for understanding institutional background of daily life
:Social terms
• Values: society carries with it a system of values. A particular set of values are assigned
to each role. The practitioners of these roles are expected to accept and internalize these
values.
• Norms: these are rules set out for a particular role that are considered standard behavior
• Rules: these are developed by cultures based on their system of values.
• Deviance: any behavior that is different from the societal norm. it is deviant because
we, as a society, do not accept it.
The Sociological Perspective
• Sociological perspective casts a light that enables you to gain a new vision o social life.
It provides a different way of looking at life, and provides an understanding of why
people are the way they are.
• It looks into the broader context or social life involving and looking at the location of
people, their culture, social class, gender, religion, age and education; their relationship
with each other and the external influences such as people’s experiences that are
internalized and become a part of one’s thinking and motivation.