Download Introduction to Sociology

The Basics & Schools of Thought
• Sociology began in the late 1800’s
• Industrial Revolution led to dramatic societal changes (ppl moving
from country to urban centres)
• Migration to cities led to problems (pollution, poverty,
malnutrition, unemployment, crime)
• Resulted in social unrest & disorder
• 1st sociologists studied these problems
• Wanted to help ppl deal with these issues
• Sociology studies the development, structure, & functioning of
human society
• Sociologists study how groups of people who share common
characteristics function
• A sociologist always investigates an issue from a social or
group level
• They focus on patterns of behaviour shared by members of a
particular group or society
• Sociologists
• Observe & conduct practical research into key social issues & behaviours
to explain why a society functions as it does
• Sociologists ask broad questions & look at different elements to
make sense of them
• Q’s are broad enough that they can apply to other societies as well as the
one being studied
• Sociologists are interested in cultural expressions
• (shared symbols/learned behaviours that everyone in a society recognizes
& understands
• Sociologists study
• Ethnic groups, gender, social & economic disparity/classes, deviance, etc
• Symbols: come in
numerous shapes & forms
• Learned Behaviours come
from
• Values: shared ideas &
standards that are
considered acceptable &
binding
• Norms: expectations about
how ppl should behave
• Roles: the expected
behaviour of a person in a
particular social position
• Sociologists must approach their research objectively
• Set aside own beliefs & avoid making judgments
• Also need to understand universality
• Cultural/geographic boundaries can be removed
when studying societal components b/c all societies
have similar structures
• Sociologists need to compare societies to explain
trends & behaviours
• Many issues affect all societies
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Both examine the human condition
Both attempt to investigate the “big picture”
Both investigate the way society influences the lives of people
Anthropologists study cultures as a whole, whereas sociologists
study parts of a society
• Sociology studies components that make up culture (i.e. family,
religion, education) & the groups closely associated with these
institutions
Macrosociology
• An approach that analyzes social
systems on a large scale
• Takes a wide perspective & is
concerned w/ studying society
as a whole
Microsociology
• This approach studies small
groups & individuals w/in a
society
• Analyze social systems &
populations on a large scale
• Interested in understanding the
bases of social action &
interaction among individual
members & their place in
society
• Look @ large social institutions
individuals belong to (country,
religion)
• Concerned w/ the role &
interactions an individual or
small group of ppl may have in
society
• Four leading theoretical
perspectives/SoTs
• Each attempts to explain a
situation from a point of view
• Theories are NOT facts, they
are tools to describe evidence
& conduct research
• Sociologists are attempting to
define patterns & trends
using one of the following
theories
• Believes every structure in
society has a vital function
(the whole is made up of
parts such as family,
economy, religion)
• Society seeks stability
(after every upheaval
society will return to a
stable or normal state)
• Most aspects of society
contribute to its wellbeing/survival (families
contribute by reproducing
and taking care of its
members)
• Society works in a logical
manner to protect most of
its members (makes laws
and punishes those that
break them)
• Bee Movie: 3:56
• Believes society
experiences inconsistency
and change everywhere
(i.e. Technology is
important – need it to
learn to get ahead– but
high tech is not
accessible to all –
therefore poor cannot
get ahead)
• All societies involve
control and coercion of
some members by others
(some people have
power over others – and
have the ability to
constrain or limit those
with less power)
• Bee Movie: 32:30
• Believe people have
unique interpretations of
symbols based on
meanings they learn
from others
• People base their
interaction with others on
their interpretation of
symbols (i.e. Musical
groups learn that people
don’t like the music they
hear or the performance
if boos are heard)
• Is an extension of feminism
that aims to understand the
nature of gender inequality
• Examines social roles,
experience, and interests
• Believe that men have held
power in society
unjustifiably & that
women’s interests must be
promoted
Research based on two
premises;
1. Should focus on the
condition of women in
society
2. Must be grounded on the
assumption that women
generally experience
subordination
Exemplar Case
Juan and his family are living in poverty. Juan is the father of 3
children and has been unemployed for 6 months. His wife
stayed at home to raise the children. Juan lost his job because
he didn’t have the skills to use the new computers at his
workplace (and no training was provided). He and his family do
not even have enough money for food. One day, Juan is so
worried that his children will starve to death, he decides to steal
some food from the local grocery store, is caught and sent to
prison for his actions.
• Functionalism Perspective
• Prisons are an institution and perform a function in society –
contain individuals that break the law
• Juan (the head of the family) lost his job, resulting in the family
entering an unsteady state and therefore, does not function well
in society
• Since Juan stole, he threatens the stability of society and
therefore, he must be sent to jail/prison to restore balance
• Conflict Theorist Perspective
• Those in power fired Juan, who was merely an employee
• Without money or computer skills Juan is powerless
• Juan will continue to be powerless b/c he is poor and does not
have the funds to gain the necessary skills
• Resulted in his actions (stealing) in an attempt to gain the power
to survive
• His actions are the fault of those in power
• Symbolic-Interactionist Perspective
• Juan perceives stealing as a vital need for his families survival
and steals food from the store
• Law enforcement perceives stealing as a crime, Juan is guilty of
that crime
• As a result of societies perception of stealing Juan is sent to
jail/prison
• Feminist Theory
• Juan is the traditional “breadwinner” or money-earner in the
family meaning he has all the power (perhaps unjustifiably)
• When he loses his job, all power is lost and he resorts to crime
• As a result of this gender inequality, Juan’s wife and children
are victims of the unjustifiable situation set-up by having Juan
the sole breadwinner