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Lecture Two
Sociological Analysis: Theoretical
Perspectives
Sociology for Social Change

Sociological study that is concerned about
social justice, human rights, and economic,
political, and social equality is called Public
Sociology
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"I try to be objective. I do not claim to be
detached." - C. Wright Mills
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We can work toward a better society and remain
objective with sociological analysis that trains us
to be honest about our assumptions and explicit
about our motives
The Origins of Sociology
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The sociological discipline emerged at the end of
the 19th C at the intersection of 3 major revolutions
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Scientific Revolution: idea that we can objectively study
society
Democratic Revolution: idea that ‘the people’ are
responsible for making decisions that shape and change
society (not God)
Industrial Revolution: created significant and lasting
changes in society and people’s daily lives
Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Association of Marx with Communism
obscure his contribution to sociology and his
ideas. Communism is a later application of
his ideas.

Marx focused on the economic relations of
society as the source and solution of social
conflict

He believed that social scientist’s task is to
analyze and explain conflict, which drives social
change
Emile Durkheim (1858-1918)

While Marx was concerned with the source of
conflict in society, Durkheim wondered what
tied people to each other and society

Durkheim believed that the social scientist’s
task is to analyze and explain solidarity and
the mechanisms through which it is achieved
Max Weber (1864-1920)

Weber believed that the structure of society could be
explained by observing the behavior of people in
society that supports that structure and the
ideas/values that motivate those actions.
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He was concerned with social actions and the meaning
people attach to their behavior.
Weber believed that social scientist’s task us to
explain the course and consequences of social action
Studying the Social World

The major theoretical approaches are important to
compare and contrast because they make different
assumptions about the social world and have
different answers

Sociologists ground their research and analysis in a
theoretical approach to:
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Ask the right questions
Guides research methods
Organize empirical observations and conclusions
Some sociologists use ONLY one approach all the
time and some use the perspective that best
addresses the question at hand.
Functionalism

Functionalist approach believes that society
works toward equilibrium and stability

According to functionalism society is a system of
interrelated parts – economy, family, religion,
mass media, etc.

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Each of society’s parts function to maintain the
stability of the larger system
Main questions asked by functionalists: How do the
institutions (parts) of society contribute to social
stability and/or instability?
Marxist/Conflict Theory

In contrast to functionalists who focus on order and
stability, the conflict approach focuses on conflict
and social change.

According to the conflict approach, society is based
on conflict between social groups
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Patterns of inequality create social stability in some
circumstances and social change in others
Social conditions are the expression of the ongoing power
struggle between groups
The main question asked by the conflict approach
is: Who benefits from a particular pattern or social
arrangement and at whose expense?
Symbolic Interactionism

In contrast to functionalism and conflict theory,
which assumes that people’s group membership
determine their behavior (race, class, etc.), symbolic
interactionism focuses on how people’s ideas/values
shape their behavior

Symbolic Interactionism assumes that social life is
possible because people attach meaning to it.

Main question asked by symbolic interactionsim is
how do individuals communicate and interact to
make social life meaningful?
Putting them into practice…
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"When we talk about equal pay for equal work, women in the workplace are beginning to
catch up. If we keep going at this current rate, we will achieve full equality in about 475
years. I don't know about you, but I can't wait that long." - Lya Sorano