Download THE STUDY OF SOCIOLOGY

THE STUDY OF
SOCIOLOGY
YESTERDAY’S GUIDED READING
Get out yesterday’s guided reading, let’s discuss a
couple of the questions.
WHY STUDY SOCIOLOGY?
“Educating students to better understand themselves and others, to
value our heritage, and to appreciate the diversity of the world and its
cultures."
Sociology provides us with an understanding of how social forces shape
individual attitudes and behavior.
Sociology shows us how societies are developed and maintained.
Sociology introduces us to the sociological imagination, which is the mindset
that allows us to see the connection between the individual and society.
Sociology helps us to the appreciate the diversity that exists in the human
population.
Sociology challenges our common sense notions about the social world that
we live in.
Sociology sharpens our analytical skills.
Sociology helps us to understand ourselves and others.
Sociology adds value to our lives by empowering us to make well-thought out
decisions.
WHERE CAN IT LEAD YOU????
Corporate America… many sociologists are employed in
Human Resources to maintain a positive, organized corporate
environment.
SOCIAL WORK
Hi Mr.
Tabb!!
Many sociologists are employed
as social workers in communities
and schools.
In schools they can help
students and families overcome
mental, social, physical, and
environmental issues. Along with
counselors, they are great people
to talk to if you are having
problems, just FYI.
SPORTS
Large sports franchises employ
sociologists to deal with the following
areas:
• sport subculture and fan base
• the political economy of sport
(marketing)
• sport and the media,
• sport, the body and the emotions
• sports violence
• sport politics and national identity
• sport and globalization
RESEARCH AND TRAVEL
Getting paid to travel, do field work, and gather data.
SOCIOLOGY MAJORS…
…have done
everything from
teaching, to becoming
President, to changing
the world.
EMERGENCE OF SOCIOLOGY
Was developed in the mid 1800’s- what was
happening in the world during that time??
Product of the Industrial Revolution, as well
as political, intellectual, and economic
upheavals of the 18th and 19th centuries.
Why?
Radical change in social organization
(urbanization) gives way to a need to
understand why the sudden change in
society...this leads to the desire to want
to control society… this science
becomes sociology (originally called
“Social Physics”)
THE FOUNDERS…WHO CAN WE THANK?
AUGUST COMTE (1798-1857)
Father of Sociology
Believed we can study the social world , like the
natural/ scientific world. Once we understand we
can control events
Divided study into 2 parts:
1. social structure (social order, stays the same)
STATICS
2. social process (changes in society) DYNAMICS
HERBERT SPENCER (1820-1903)
Influenced by Darwin. (Who’s that?)
Thought that social change and conflict
were just stepping stones on the road
to a perfect society.
Believed best aspects of society would
survive over time… became known as
Social Darwinism. (Hmm when
have I heard this before?)
KARL MARX (1818-1883)
Repulsed by poverty and inequality.
Thought a society’s economic system,
greatly influenced it’s social structure.
(Have’s vs. Have Not’s)
Saw conflict as a “human-made”
condition that society fostered to slow
or stop social change to oppress the
worker.
His theory becomes known as
Conflict Theory.
EMILE DURKEIM (1858-1917)
People are the product of their social
environment.
Concerned with the stability of
society… felt religion was main thing
that held a society together… less
religion=less order.
Says successful society needs balance
between regulation and freedom
One of the first to discuss suicide and
society… talk of suicide was taboo
until then.
MAX WEBER (1864-1920)
MAX WEBER
Most influential… modern thinker.
Disagreed with Marx…economics not the
“building block”.
Unlike other theorists, he was concerned
with separate groups rather than society as a
whole.
Studied without judging… sociology
concerned with what is, not what should
be…this is Value Free Sociology
SOCIOLOGY IN THE UNITED STATES
Reform approach vs. radical (Europe)… in other words only
reform what needs to change, don’t radically overhaul all of
society.
Slavery, Civil War, and Immigration sparked interest in
study of Soc.
W.E.B DuBois… writer who brought racial problems to light.
Started one of the first Sociology classes at the Univ. of
Atlanta.
Jane Addams… founding mother of Soc. Founded Hull
House which pushed for social reform programs in Chicago.
FIRST FORMAL SOCIOLOGY CLASS IN THE UNITED
STATES…YALE IN 1876. WHO DO YOU THINK IT WAS
GEARED TOWARDS?
WHY?????
HOW DO POLITICIANS
USE SOCIOLOGY?
Look at the following
pictures… how is the
politician trying to appeal to
the group?
2008
2005
SOCIETY VS. CULTURE…
Culture is way of life shared by members of a society…a
group in which we choose to live.
Society is the mass of different cultures around us bound
together by territory, economics, and politics. If culture is
where we choose to live, society is the world we “can’t
avoid”.
Society = territory (have to live in it)
Culture = things (we choose this)
Example… I might be a member of American society, but
my culture is that of a Dutch American.
THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION
Seeing the connection between your personal world
and the world around you.
Theory of C.Wright-Mills…says social
problems require changing social structure,
NOT just personal therapy. Seeing personal
issues, such as divorce, poverty, etc in a larger social
context. In other words, some of what we
experience is beyond our individual control.
Example…poverty=lack of education (individual)
AND lack of opportunity/jobs (society)
IN OTHER WORDS… ACCORDING TO MILLS’
SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION THERE IS A
DEFINITE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
INDIVIDUAL LIVES AND THE LARGER FORCES
OF SOCIETY.
WHAT ARE SOME “SOCIAL PROBLEMS”?
“When, in a city of 100,000, only one man is
unemployed, that is his personal trouble and for its
relief we look at the character of the man…his skills,
opportunity that he has missed, and what he has
done wrong. But when in a nation of 50 million
employees, 15 million men are unemployed, that is a
social issue, and we will not find its solution within the
range of opportunities open to any one individual.
Then, societies structure of opportunities has
collapsed and it is the issue of society… not the
problem of the individual”. – C. Wright Mills.
Do you agree or disagree???
LOOK AT THE FOLLOWING PICTURES AND EXPLAIN
USING SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION.
Fault/Problem of individual because?
Fault/ Problem of society because?
Fault/Problem of individual because?
Fault/ Problem of society because?
Fault/Problem of individual because?
Fault/ Problem of society because?
Fault/Problem of individual because?
Fault/ Problem of society because?
EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS TO PEOPLE IS
NOT PRIVATE… PEOPLE ARE SHAPED BY
FORCES THEY DON’T EVEN SEE.
Macrosociology= looking at large groups or
parts of society. (Ex: study of female college
graduates in Europe or a big issue like crime)
Microsociolgy (Weber)= looking at smaller
groups or parts of society. (Ex: study of a
group of female high school students at SHS or a
small issue like family relationships).
WARM-UP
True or False
1. The main focus of sociology is the individual.
2. Sociology is an old science dating back to the middle ages.
3. Sociology has a lot in common with other social sciences.
4. This is the theory that follows the tradition of Karl Marx.
5. This person is the founder of Sociology who divided it into
two areas of study; social order and social change.
BODY BIOS ON THEORISTS
1. Legs- Foundations with which they stand on- What
happened in their “childhoods”/life that shaped their
thinking.
2. Arms- Things they want the world to know or practice.
3. Heart- 1 word that describes what they care about most.
4. Head- what thoughts or questions would you find going
through their brain
5. Mouth- slogan they would “campaign” with
6. Hand- what would you find in their hands if you ran
into them on a daily basis (what kind of things would
they be working on, always carrying etc.)