Chapter 1: The Sociological Point of View1/22/2013 11:40:00 AM

What is Sociology? Social Science that studies human society and social behavior Social Sciences study human social behavior or institutions and functions of human society in a scientific manner. o Social interaction o Social phenomena Sociological Perspective Helps one to see that all people are social beings Try to find balance between what you want and the pull of society. o Golden Mean According to C. Wright Mills o Sociological imagination gives the ability to see the connections between the larger world and our personal life. Sociology: Then and Now Sociology developed as a by product of the Industrial Revolution o Urbanization o Impersonal nature of cities led to problems. The ideas of the Enlightenment stressing individual liberty and rights led people to question authority. Many speculated Some thought these same ideas could be applied to the social world. They tried to prove their thoughts through: o Careful observations o Controlled experiments o Collection/analysis of data Sociology really began in the 1800s in o France

o Germany o Britain Auguste Comte (1798-1857) Founder of sociology Social order and social change principles called social statics hold society together. Society changes through definite process called social dynamics. Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)

Influence by Charles Darwin. Social Darwinism Society is comprised of parts that work to maintain the system over time. Karl Marx ( 1818-1883) Society is divided into the bourgeoisie (own the means of production) and the proletariat (provide labor) This would inevitably lead to conflict in which the proletariat would win. Create a communist society. mile Durkheim ( 1858-1917) Thought society had parts that functioned according to their function. o Consequence that an element of society produces for the maintenance of its social system Shared beliefs and values are the glue that hold society together. Study features of society that are directly observable. Max Weber (1864-1920) Interested in separate groups within society. o Effects of society on the individual. Not just observable events but try to uncover meanings individuals attach to their actions Verstehen: try to see from perspective of another. Current Perspectives Like all other sciences, Sociologists create theories They also adopt theoretical perspectives, general set of assumptions about the nature of things. Functionalist perspective See society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system. o Held together through consensus. Label parts that disrupt society as dysfunctional. Also interested in manifest and latent functions of an element to society. Conflict perspective

Focus on the forces in society that promote competition and change. o Power and control Believe that competition over scarce resources is the basis of social conflict. Change is inevitable. Interactionist Perspective Focus on how individuals interact with one another in society. Interested in the meanings that individuals attach to their own actions and the actions of others. o Role of symbols ( anthing that represents something else).

1/22/2013 11:40:00 AM Project 1 Working on your own choose a favorite childrens book from your childhood. The book must have a plot. Reread the book. Then figure out which one of the three current perspectives does your book best showcase. Write a one paragraph response in which you describe the book and how it fits your chosen perspective. Be sure to bring the book to class next period. Project 2 Working with no more than 2 students, create a 1-2 minute movie in which you showcase examples of any one of the three current perspectives and how it portrays society. Project 3 Working on your own, conduct a survey of 5 adults in your community to find out what they think are some of the most pressing problems facing society today. Record your information. Analyze your data. Write a one paragraph report in which you discuss what your participants said about society. Decide which of the three current perspectives best describe our society based on the result of your survey.

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