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Transcript
Theory The Framework of Sociology Sociological Perspectives • The three “perspectives” of Sociology • Alienation as an example of theory Sociological Perspectives • The “story” of Sociology tends to be placed in boxes. • While sociologists are associated with certain perspectives, they are more complex that your text suggests. • To make it easy to understand, Sociology is divided into “perspectives.” Sociological Perspectives • Conflict – Society changes as a result of struggles of various groups against each other as a result of inequality. • Interactionist – The world is socially constructed - meaning that we interpret the world around us and act based on those interpretations. • Functionalist – The elements of society are understood by their role (function) in maintaining society. Conflict Perspective • Recognizes inequality between groups. • To understand history and society, we must understand how people use power to their advantage. • Does NOT assume conflict is inevitable. Conflict Perspective • The Conflict Perspective studies conflicts and inequalities between groups. – Ethnic Conflict – Media • The Conflict Perspective also suggests changes. – Informs public policy decisions. – Studies and participates in social movements. Interactionist Perspective • Interactionists focus on the “social construction” of the world around us. • They focus on the meaning that people attach to actions and institutions. • They also may look at how that meaning is manipulated by people in power (notice the link to conflict theory). Interactionist Perspective • The Interactionist Perspective attempts to understand the meanings people associate with their social actions and the social institutions around them. – What meaning do people attach issues? • Ethnic Conflict • Media Functionalist Perspective • Assumes the natural state is order or equilibrium. • Attempts to understand the role of various social institutions and practices to maintain that order. • Institutions and practices that disturb the order are considered deviant. – But even deviance plays a role in society! Functionalist Perspective • People who follow the Functionalist Perspective attempt to demonstrate how different social institutions provide a function for society. – How do social institutions provide order or become disordered? • Ethnic Conflict • Media Sociological Perspectives • Conflict (Marx) – Society changes as a result of struggles of various groups against each other as a result of inequality. • Interactionist (Weber) – The world is socially constructed - meaning that we interpret the world around us and act based on those interpretations. • Functionalist (Durkheim) – The elements of society are understood by their role (function) in maintaining society. Alienation Theory as an application to your experiences at work. Your Job • What do you like about your job? – What do think are the positive elements of a good job? • What do you hate about your job? – What are the worst things about a bad job? Human Nature? • Because of how we evolved, people really desire to be creative and produce something (usually with their hands) in a social context. Alienation • According to Karl Marx, there are 4 forms of alienation. – Product – Process – Others – Species Being • These forms of alienation take away our “human nature.” Alienation from Product • Estrangement from the things we make – The things we make do not belong to us. – As the worker produces, they are debilitated. • Estrangement from nature – Workers do not engage environment directly. – Products take on a life of their own. Alienation from Product • Alienation – ? – Perhaps, we have no connection to the product we produce, so we don’t recognize we should in our typical jobs! • “Now that’s the best quarter pounder I ever made!” • Less Alienated – Something I like – Meaningful (product) – Difference in the world – Accomplish Something – Work outside Alienation from Process • The mental aspect is stripped from labor. – People do not have control over their work. • People do not meet their needs directly. – Work is a means to earn wages. – Wages are used to buy the things we need. Alienation from Process – Boring • Dead End, Needs to be different, Tedious, Mindless, Meaningless tasks, Nothing to do – Bad Management • No Respect, Push you to work hard, No support, Bosses engage in politics, Do not work Micromanage, Rigid rules, Unjust policies, Opinions do not matter – Low Wages • No Benefits – Long Hours • Understaffed – Not enough hours • Part time – No Advancement – Interferes with other parts of life – No free time – Being deployed away from home Less Alienation from Process – Job is interesting • • • • Variation - different Mentally challenging Learn new skills Choices – Good Management • • • • • Respect Do not expect too much Help Fair Acknowledge work – Wages • Bonuses – Benefits • Insurance/Health Care – Flexible Work hours • Good Work hours – Possibility for Advancement Alienation from Others • Relations between people become relations between people and objects. – No longer meet our needs through people we know. • People treat each other as workers, not as fellow people. Alienation from Others • Alienation – Bad Co-Workers • • • • • Work less/lazy Complain Conflict Office politics Discrimination – Bad Customers • • • • Make it difficult Rude (Cell Phones) Belittled Don’t cooperate or understand • Less Alienated – Get along with coworkers • Fun • Social • Communication – Get along with people – Work with people Alienation from Species Being • What it means to be a social being is lost in wage work. – We lose our creative sense of self and do not identify with our work, but “animal” functions. – The social nature of making things is taken away since we usually do not know who ends up with the things we make. Alienation from Species Being • Alienation – Don’t like Job • Stress • Unhappy – Put on "fake smile" – Rather be doing other things – Takes time out of the day • Less Alienated – Job Satisfaction • Keep busy • Low stress • Fun / feel good – Something I want to do – Meaningful (to society/self) – Keep healthy / physical Animal Functions • What do I value in my free time? – Sex – Sleep/Naps – Eating – Nothing - No Thinking Species Being in Free Time • Product – Outdoors / lake • Process – – – – – Creative Flexible Stress Free Relax No pressure to get things done – No management – No one yelling at you – Am own boss • Others – – – – Family Friends Socialization Party • Species – – – – – Do what you want or like Freedom Independence Fun Athletic Inequality Exercise • Answer the worksheet on your own. – Place your answers on the back of worksheet. • Find 2 to 3 people to discuss your answers. – Place your consensus answer on the back.