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The Sociological Perspective
Chapter 1
Concepts to Know (p1-5)
Culture
Beliefs
Social Order
Scientific Method
Positivism
Capitalism
Social Change
Weberian Theory
Value Consensus
Traditional Society
Mechanical Solidarity
Organic Solidarity
What is Sociology
The study of how membership of social groups, from families to schools and workplaces influences people’s behavior.
Sociologists are interested in how facts:- are created- connect to one another to create “social reality”- theories explain how facts are connected
Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
Positivism – it is possible to study the social world in the same way that scientists have studied the natural world (Scientific Revolution)
All human societies pass through 3 stages1. theological – based on religious beliefs and controls2. metaphysical – “transition” where religion is challenged by science3. positive – science and reason have replaced religion
Social order is created and maintained through cooperation (consensus)
Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Order is created and maintained through conflict
4 time periods of human history1. primitive communism2. ancient society – kings/pesants/slaves3. feudal societies (pre-industrial) – lord/serf4. capitalist / industrial societies – bourgeoisie/proletariat
Force / Persuasion characterize relationships
Social Classes based on inequality – wealth / power / influence
Occupy Wall Street
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSQgCy_iIcc
Max Weber (1864-1920)
Social Change – A major shift in a political, economic, or cultural order.
Process of Modernization - industrialization, urbanization, rationalization (bureaucratic organization)- comes from charismatic leaders – Jesus, Mohammed, Calvin
Unlike Marx – Weber says that political struggles, ideas, beliefs, science, forms of government may all transform a society
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICppFQ6Tabw
Emile Durkheim (1857-1917)
Followed Comte’s consensus tradition
Societies are understood through their relationships between institutions- school, work, religion, education
Societies exist because of “value consensus”- agreement about the things that people in a society think are important
Traditional Societies – “mechanical solidarity” – kinship groups, clans
Modern Societies – “organic solidarity” – industrial societies where people are bound together by what they do.
Behavior can be scientifically studied - suicide has social causes, not just biological or psychological causes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9W0GQvONKc
Concepts to Know (p6-10)
Hypothetico-deductive method
Hypothesis
Falsification
Researcher bias
Interperitivism
Value-freedom
Postmodernism
Objectivity
Sociology as Science
Scientific Approach- reliable – results can be replicated- valid – measures what is claimed to be measured (crime statistics, but 90% of crimes go unreported)
“hypothetico-deductive method” – method of systematically testing hypotheses
“hypothesis” – statement that is being tested
Scientific Ethics
1. Universal – knowledge is evaluated using universally agreed criteria. Personal values play no part. Focus is “falsification” – trying to identify weaknesses in process.
2. Communal – scientific knowledge is public. Peer-review used in process, not trust.
3. Disinterested – main responsibility is the pursuit of knowledge. No personal gain in outcomes. (pharmaceutical trials?) Or you may have “researcher bias” where validity is questioned.
Positivism
Positivism - It is possible and desirable to study the social world in the same way as the natural scientists.
Positivism should have “value freedom” (values of researcher not bias the process)
Positivism (scientific knowledge)– Factual, Objective, evidence-based, testable
Non-scientific- opinion, guesswork, untested assumptions, faith
Interpretivism
Interpretivism (anti-positivism) – different people in different situations understand the social world in different ways.
“to truly understand what it is like to be homeless, one should become homeless”
Method (does not go from hypothesis to conclusion)1. Planning2. Data Collection / Data Analysis3. Evaluation
Qualitative Research – experiences and feelings of respondents
Post-Modernism
Not a scientific method
Post-Modernism – people construct narratives (stories) to make sense of the world.- Buddhism- Communist Manifesto
“objectivity” – freedom from personal or institutional bias
“respondent” – a person who is the subject of research
Qualitative Questions / Quantitative Questions – which perspectives would use which questions
Concepts to Know (p10-12)
Feminism
Gender
Social Policy
Social Program
Social Control
Feminism and Gender
More recent social issue
Often involves equal pay, sexual discrimination
Gender – feeling masculine or feminine
Sex – biological characteristics
Social Policy
Social Policy – ideas or actions pursued by governments to meet a particular objective.
Can you think of 3 examples?
Intended and Unintended consequences.
Problems
Social Problem – public outcry to fix something
Sociological Problem – try to understand behavior
These can be the same or different.
Welfare
Why We Need Socialized Healtcare
Why We Don’t Need Socialized Healthcare
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPq6_7AFsp4
Social Problem / Sociological Problem
Social Problems – crime, poverty, unemployment- only considered a problem when the dominant group in society deems so
Sociological Problems- fundamental problems – food, shelter, socialization- the nature of social order- focus – how and why behavior comes about
Social Control
Social control – rewards and punishments that societies use to maintain order
Can you list 3 examples of social controls?
List positives and negatives of each.
Research Presentation for Next Class
Welfare
Medicare
Social Security
Education
Be READY to present for 10 minutes.
Concepts to Know (p14-20)
Modern Industrial Society
Manifest Functions
Latent Functions
Globalization
Cross-Cultural / Intra-Cultural Diversity
Cross-Cultural Diversity – Between different societies- same sex - holding hands- personal space
Intra-Cultural Diversity (found in modern industrial societies)- class- age- gender- ethnicity- religion- global culture
Modern Industrial Society – type of society characterized by particular forms of political, economic (mass production), and cultural (science and reason) beliefs
Functions
Manifest Functions – intended consequences
Latent Functions – unintended functions (think of government)
Globalization – economic, political, and cultural processes that occur on a worldwide basis
Concepts to Know (p20-26)
Functionalist Theory
Marxist Theory
Structuralist
Macrosociology
Determinism
Economic Determinism
Relations of Production
Forces of Production
Ideology
Liberal Feminism
Marxist Feminists
Radical Feminism
Functionalist Theory v. Marxist Theory
Functionalist Theory – society functions mainly because of consensus- focus on institutions, government
Marxist Theory – based on Marx’s ideas – class conflict
Structuralist – Focus on analyzing society through institutional relationships- both Functionalist and Marxist theories are structuralist.
Structural Determinism –families-governments-economies determine how we view the world and behave
Macrosociology / Determinism
Macrosociology – Large scale approach focused on social structure and institutions
Determinism – human behavior is shaped by forces beyond our immediate control (social structure or society)- things we do, by class, age, gender?
Social Sub-Systems
Systems solve problems
Economic - physical survival (relationships to get what you need)
Political – governing, maintaining order, creating rules
Family – socialization, function as adult members of society
Cultural – social integration, common values and norms- school, churches, media
Conflict
Conflict Structuralism – societies are generally considered stable because powerful groups impose order on less powerful groups.
Conflict w. feminism – struggle between men and women
Economic Determinism – economic relationships- lord/serf, employer/employee- work is especially important to Marx b/c it provides the resources for us to survive
Marxism + Conflict
Relations of Production – social relationships people must enter in order to survive.
Capitalism – hierarchy (within companies)- to control those lesser down the hierarchy
Workplace as an area of conflict- the majority have little of nothing and are forced to sell their labor power (ability to work)
Marx argues that the economically powerful are also politically powerful
Private ownership allows higher classes to control the media + influence
Media, Education, Religion support the status quo to keep lesser people in line.
Feminism
Many types of feminism, but they all share the idea of patriarchy (men are more important than women).
Liberal Feminism – promotes gender equality
Marxist Feminism – challenging capitalism to promote gender equality, and free women from oppression.
Radical Feminism – sees female oppression in terms of patriarchal relationship.- public – women paid less, less career mobility- private – women doing most of unpaid work at home
Approaches and Change
Action Approach – people create and re-create society on a daily basis through their routines.
Social Change- Marxism – conflict and clash- Feminism – anti-discriminary laws in US- Marxist Feminism – Men are class enemies- Radical Feminism – Men must be overthrown and matriarchy established (goes further than Marxist)