introduction to sociology. sociology the systematic study of human society
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Purpose of Sociology C. Wright Mills
“the sociological imagination” allows sociologists to place personal troubles of
individuals within a framework of larger social issues I.e. divorce
Sociological Perspective seeing the general in the particular (Peter
Berger, 1963) Possible to identify general patterns in the
behavior of particular people
People are split into different categories men vs. women rich vs. poor
The categories to which we belong shape our experiences
Lillian Rubin (1976) Marriage Study Higher income women expect their men to
be sensitive to others, to talk readily, and to share feelings
Lower income women look for men who do not drink to much, were not violent, and held steady jobs
Seeing Strange in the Familiar People do NOT decide what to do; society
shapes our thoughts and deeds Why do you choose a particular college?
“I wanted to stay close to home” “I got a basketball scholarship” “My girlfriend goes to school here” “I didn’t get into the school I wanted”
Doesn’t really tell you how and why people go to college
Personal Choice Emile Durkheim
Studied suicide figures in France and found: Protestants, wealthy, single, and men were more
likely to commit suicide Catholics, Jews, poor, and women were less likely to
commit suicide
Social Integration: categories of people with strong social ties vs. more individualistic
Living on the Margins Outsiders- not part of the dominant
group the greater the social marginality, the better
someone can use the sociological perspective
Need to be able to step back and observe
Crisis Great Depression
people realized general forces were at work in their particular lives
Not “Something is wrong with me; I can’t find a job” Rather “The economy has collapsed; there are no
jobs to be found”
Global Perspective The study of the larger world and our
society’s place in it
Our place in society shapes our life experiences
The position of our society in the larger world system effects everyone in the U.S.
High-income Countries Nations with the highest overall standard of living Includes top 60 counties
U.S., Canada, Argentina, Western Europe, South Africa, Israel
Produce most of the world’s goods and services Own most of the wealth
*These people are better off simply because they were born in these countries
Middle-income Countries Nations with a standard of living about
average for the world as a whole Includes 76 countries
Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America, Asia
Receive 6-8 years of schooling Extreme social inequality (some very rich,
some very poor)
Low-income Countries Nations with a low standard of living in
which most people are poor
Most countries are located in Africa and a few in Asia
Some very rich Most lack safe housing, water, food, and
little chance to improve their lives
Comparisons to the U.S.• Where we live shapes the lives we lead• Societies throughout the world are
increasingly interconnected• Many social problems that we face in the
U.S. are far more serious elsewhere• Thinking globally helps us learn about
ourselves
Sociological Perspective Seeing the general in the particular
Society shapes the lives of its members
Applying the Sociological Perspective Why it is useful:
Sociology guides many of the laws and policies that shape our lives
Making use of the sociological perspective leads to important personal growth and expanded awareness
Good preparation for work
Sociology and Public Policy Sociologists help shape public policy
Racial desegregation, school busing laws, divorce
Example Lenore Weitzman discovered women who leave
marriages lose income Many states have passed laws that have
increased women’s claim to martial property and enforced fathers’ job to support women raising their children
Benefits of Sociological Perspective1. Helps us assess the truth of commonly
held assumptions-Do we decide our own fate, if so we are likely to praise successful people as superior
-pg. 10: Seeing Sociology in Everyday Life
2. Helps us assess both the opportunities and constraints in our lives
-we play our cards but society deals us the hand
-helps us “size up” the world to better accomplish our goals
3. Empowers us to be active participants in our society
-if we do not understand how society operates, we are likely to accept the status quo
-pg. 7: C. Wright Mills
4. Helps us live in a diverse world-U.S. represents 5% of the world’s
population-95% live very differently-everyone sees their life as “right”,
“natural”, and “better”-helps us think more critically about all ways of life
Science and Sociology French social thinker Auguste Comte
(1798-1857) first came up with the term sociology Described a new way of looking at society
Wanted to find out how society could be improved and how society actually operates
Comte Saw sociology as the product of a 3-stage
historical development
1. Theological- thinking guided by religion
2. Metaphysical- society as a natural, not supernatural system
3. Scientific- used a scientific approach to study sociology
Positivism Definition: a way of understanding based
on science Society operates according to its laws
(much like the laws of nature)
Structural-Functional Definition:
Framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability
Sociologists Emile Durkheim, Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer
Points to Social Structure any relatively stable pattern of social behavior
gives our lives shape (families, school, work, community)
Examines Social Functions the consequences of any social pattern for the
operation of society as a whole
all social structures keep society going similar to the way the human body operates
Robert K. Merton Manifest Functions:
recognized and intended consequences of any social pattern
Latent Functions: unrecognized and unintended consequences of
any social pattern
Summary Main goal is to figure out “what makes
society tick”
critics say it ignores inequalities of social class, races, and gender
Social-Conflict Theory Definition:
a framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and change
investigate how social class, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and age are linked to society’s unequal distribution of money, power, education, and social prestige
Focus on how social patterns benefit some while hurt others
Feminism and the Gender-Conflict Approach Definition:
a point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men
closely linked to feminism support of social equality for women and men
Helps make us aware of the ways life places men in positions of power over women at home, at work, in the media
also, shows importance of women to the development of society
Race-Conflict Approach Definition:
point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between people of different racial and ethnic categories
Review of Social-Conflict Approaches Critics:
ignores shared values and interdependence cannot claim scientific objectivity paints society in broad strokes
Symbolic-Interaction Approach Definition:
framework for building theory that sees society as the product of the everyday interactions of individuals
Max Weber understand a setting from the point of view of the
people in it
Macro-level Orientation Definition:
a broad focus on social structures that shape society as a whole
Big picture Includes the structural-functional approach and
the social-conflict approach
Micro-level Orientation Definition:
a close-up focus on social interactions in specific situations
includes the symbolic-interaction approach
Applying the Approaches: The Sociology of Sports
The Functions of Sports A structural-functional approach directs our attention to
the ways in which sports help society operate Sports have functional and dysfunctional consequences
Sports and Conflict Social-conflict analysis points out that games
people play reflect their social standing. Sports have been oriented mostly toward
males. Big league sports excluded people of color for
decades. Sports in the United States are bound up with
inequalities based on gender, race, and economic power.
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