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Famous Sociologist
The Most Influential Early European
Sociologists
• Auguste Comte
• Harriet Martineau
• Herbert Spencer
• Karl Marx
• Emile Durkheim
• Max Weber
Sociology in America
• Although the early development of sociology occurred in Europe the
greatest developments happened in the United States
• 1892 – first department of sociology at University of Chicago (later:
Harvard, Columbia, Stanford, Berkley)
Notable American Sociologists
• Jane Addams
• W.E.B. Du Bois
• Booker T. Washington
• Robert Ezra Park
• George Herbert Mead
• Julian Samora
Auguste Comte 1798 – 1857
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“Father of sociology”
Improve society
Scientifically study social behavior
“Sociology”
Positivism – sociology shoud be
based on knowledge in which we are
positive is true
• Social Statics – social stability and
order
• Social dynamics – social change
• Positive Philosophy
Social Statics – What keeps
society at equilibrium
- Language binds people
and allows for consensus
- Common religious beliefs
bind people and is the
root of social order
- Men are bound together
by the need for the labor
others provide
Social Dynamics
• Dynamics begin when the functions of the social institutions are
altered or changed.
• Change is necessary and inevitable.
• social dynamics describe the successive and necessary stages in the
development in the human mind and the society.
Harriet Martineau
• Translated Comte’s Positive
Philosophy into English
• Feminist theorist – wrote
about the link between
slavery and the oppression
of women
Herbert Spencer 1820 - 1903
• Compared society to a human
body
• “Social Darwinism” – the theory
that society benefit when each
individual finds their own socialclass level without outside
interference
• Opposed social reform
Karl Marx 1818 - 1883
• Structure of society is influenced by the
economy
• 2 classes
– Bourgeoisie/capitalist – own the
means of production
– Proletariat/workers – provide the
labor needed to produce goods
and services
• Class conflict – bourgeoisie vs.
proletariat
• Proletariat would eventually win
resulting in a classless society
Emile Durkheim 1858 – 1917
• Developed France’s first sociology course
• Believed society existed because of broad
consensus or agreement among members
• Mechanical solidarity – consensus of values,
beliefs, strong social pressures for conformity
• Organic solidarity – interdependency based on a
web of highly specialized roles
• One of the first sociologist to systematically
apply the methods of science to the study of
society – Suicide
Max Weber 1864 - 1920
• Interested in separate groups within society
rather than society as a whole
• Believed people act on the basis of their own
understanding of a situation
• Verstehen (fehr-SHTAY-en) – see situations through
others eyes
• Ideal type – a description comprised of the
essential characteristics of a feature of
society.
• Rationalization – the mind-set emphasizing
knowledge, reason, and planning
Jane Addams 1860-1935
• Early female social reformer in U.S.
• Cofounded Hull House in Chicago’s
Slums
• Focuses on imbalances of power
among the social classes – especially
focused on the exploitation of the
lower class
• Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in
1931 for her work in social reform –
first sociologist to receive this honor
• Was discriminated against herself
W. E. B. Du Bois 1868-1963
• Focused on the problems
facing African American
communities
• Active in the Pan-African
movement – concerned with
the rights of all African
descendants, no matter where
they lived.
Booker T. Washington 1956-1915
• Founded the Tuskegee
Institute
• Believed that African
Americans should accept
segregation in return for
promises of economic
gains.
Robert Ezra Park 1864-1944
• Interested in how
populations grow and
change
• “superreporters”
George Herbert Mead 1863-1931
• Explored how our sense of
self develops
• His work laid the foundation
for symbolic interactionism
Julian Samora 1920-1996
• First Mexican American to earn
a doctorate in sociology.
• Focused on civil rights sand
discrimination, poverty, public
health, and the movement of
people along the MexicanAmerican border
Quiz
• Know the major contribution and terms associated with the following:
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Auguste Comte (Positivism, Social Statics, Social Dynamics)
Harriet Martineau
Herbert Spencer (Social Darwinism)
Karl Marx (Bourgeoisie, Proletariat, Capitalist, Class Conflict)
Emile Durkheim (Mechanical Solidarity, Organic Solidarity, Consensus)
Max Weber (Verstehen, Rationalization)
Jane Addams (Chicago Hull House)
W.E.B. Du Bois (Pan-African Movement)
Booker T. Washinton
Robert Ezra Park
George Herbert Mead
Julian Samora