Subject Matter of Sociology

Major Focus of Sociology in

Yesteryears
• Man on society
• Dynamics of Society and major units

Sociology answers:
1. How and why societies emerge
2. How and why societies persist
3. How and why societies change
 Subject Matter
1. Sociological Analysis

– Analysis of human culture with a

sociological perspective

– Analyze factors of transformation of

society
2. Study Primary Units of Social Life

• Study
– Societal acts
– Societal relationship,
– Communities associations,
 Subject Matter
3. Concerned with structure and functions
of social institutions

• Family
• Kinship
• Religion
• Property
• Economy
• Political, Legal, Educational
• Welfare, institutions
4. Studies Social Processes
• Cooperation, Competition, Accommodation,
Assimilations,
• Social conflict,
• Opinion formation
• Social differentiation
• Stratification, socialization and
indoctrination, social deviance

• Social integration and social change

 Subject Matter

5. Studies Method of Research

• Sociologists now more empirical

Sociologist formulates
– Researchable propositions
– Collection of data
– He arrives at generalizations
6. Formulating Concepts, Propositions and
Theories
– Social Stratification
– Social differentiation
– Social Deviance

– Propositions : Relating data with concepts

– Social Theories: Sanskritisation, modernization

7. Studies Specialization Areas

• Sociology of Law
• Sociology of Knowledge
• Sociology of Education
• Sociology of History
• Sociology of Culture
• Sociology of Religion
• Sociology of Family