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What is the major goal of
Sociology? What do
sociologists focus on in
their studies?
Founding Figures in Sociology
Jane Addams (1860-1935)
 Social Reform
 Opened Hull House in
Chicago
Refuge for the poor in the
slums
8 hour work day, laws
against child labor
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Founding Figures in Sociology
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Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
Positivism—applying the
scientific method to the
social world
Coined the term “sociology”
Discover social principles
and apply them to the social
world
Founding Figures in Sociology
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W.E.B. Dubois (1868-1963)
Race relations
Studied the relationship
between races
Founded NAACP
Founding Figures in Sociology
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Emile Durkheim (18581917)
Social Integration--the
degree to which people are
tied to their social group
Goal: show how social
forces affect people’s
behavior (suicide study)
Founding Figures in Sociology
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Harriet Martineau (18021876)
Early female sociologist,
largely ignored
Studied social life in Britain
and U.S.
Society in America—report
on young America’s customs
Founding Figures in Sociology
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Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Conflict theory— societies is
composed of groups competing
for scarce resources
Communist Manifesto
Ideas came from struggle of
workers during Industrial
Revolution
Founding Figures in Sociology
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George Herbert Mead
(1863-1931)
Symbolic Interactionist
Study of children at play:
learn to take the role of
the other
Essential if we are to live
in human groups
Generalized other— our
perception of how people
in general think of us
Founding Figures in Sociology
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Herbert Spencer (18201903)
Social Darwinism—
“survival of the fittest”
Reforms don’t allow
this don’t improve
society
Founding Figures in Sociology
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Max Weber (1864-1920)
Protestant Ethic— selfdenying approach to life
(work hard, save money)
Religion key to social
change ( caused
capitalism to flourish in
some areas)
Founding Figures in Sociology
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C. Wright Mills (1916-1962)
Focus on social reform
Sociological imagination—
external influences of
society affect individual
behavior