Origins of Sociology

Origins of Sociology

Sociology began in 1800’s (19th Century) in Europe

Auguste Comte• Father of Sociology (French)•Wrote: Positive Philosophy• Belief: Scientific observation to study behavior/society• Positivism: base knowledge on truths• Social Statics: study of social stability• Social Stability: study of social change

Harriet Martineau• Pioneer Feminist (English)• Belief: emphasis on Sociology as a science• Translated Comte’s book into English

Herbert Spencer• Social Darwinism (English)• Belief: evolutionary social change leads to progress• Opposed social reform (interfered w/evolution)

Karl Marx• Founder of Communism (German)• Belief: conflict and social change work hand in hand

Max Weber• Sociologist (German)• Belief: humans act based on personal understandings in a situation• Verstehen: understanding social behavior by putting yourself in the place of others•Rationalization: use of knowledge and reason in a situation

Emile Durkheim• First to teach Sociology at university (French)• First to use statistics in Sociology• Belief: society exists based on agreement among members of society• Mechanical Solidarity vs. Organic Solidarity

Jane Addams• Woman Social Reformer (American)• Belief: problems of the poor caused by imbalance of power among the social classes

W.E.B. DuBois• African American educator & social activist (American)• Focus: analyzed social structure of blacks and why American belief was blacks are “inferior”