Sociology: Then & Now

1. Sociology:Then & Now Chapter 1:2

2. Objectives: • How did the field of sociology develop? • In what ways do the three main theoretical perspectives in sociology differ in their focus?

3. Industrial Revolution: • The factory replaced the home as the main site for manufacturing. • People left their homes in the countryside in search of work.

4. Rapid Growth of urban populations produced SOCIAL PROBLEMS: • Number of people seeking work outpaced available jobs. • Housing shortages developed • Crime increased • Pollution became a major problem. • People found it difficult to adapt to impersonal nature of cities.

5. What Then? • These political, social, and economic changes caused some scholars to question the traditional explanations of life. • Sociology took root in the 1800s. • (Primarily in France, Germany, & England since felt effects of Industrial Revolution)

6. Overall Reasons for the Development of Sociology: • The rapid social and political changes that took place in Europe as a result of the Industrial Revolution. • Rapid growth of urban populations produced a multitude of social problems. • Over time, it became more difficult to ignore the effect of society on the individual.

7. Most influential of the early sociologists: Auguste Comte Herbert Spencer Karl Marx Emile Durkheim Max Weber

8. August Comte: • (1798-1857) • Considered FOUNDERof Sociology • Applied physical science to methods of Sociology/Used scientific research. • Focused on social order and change. • Believed in two social forces: • Social statics: Certain processes that hold society together. (static cling) • Social dynamics: Definite processes that changes society. • Sociologists today, however, do not agree with his ideas of order and change.

9. Herbert Spencer: • (1820-1903) • Influenced by Charles Darwin. • Agreed with only fittestsocieties would survive over time. (FYI: He actually coined the phrase survival of the fittest) • Believed society is a set of interdependentparts that work together to maintain the system over time. Social Darwinism: • Perspective that holds that societies evolve toward stability and perfection. • This was Spencer’s overview of society- a social organism

10. What do you think? What might be some arguments against the theory of Social Darwinism?

11. Possible Answer: Poor people who have achieved successor the positive social results of programs to help disadvantaged groups.

12. Focus and Review #4 • We talked earlier about the fact that the Industrial Revolution spurred the growth of the field of sociology due to the multitude of social problems Your Question: What social problems exist today that keep sociology alive? List as many as you can in 5 minutes. (Example: Crime)

13. Karl Marx: • 1818-1883 • Believed the structure of society is influenced by how its economy is organized. • Believed society divided into 2 classes: • Bourgeoisie: capitalist/upper class • Owned the means of production…materials/goods used to produce goods/services. • Proletariat: workers • Provided labor needed to produce goods/services.

14. Karl Marx(continued) • Believed imbalance between 2 groups (bourgeoisie and proletariat) would lead to conflict. • Conflict would end only the proletariat (workers) united to overthrow those in power (bourgeoisie).

15. The Result: • The workers would build a classless society in which each citizen would contribute “according to his ability” and would be rewarded “according to his needs.” • Primary cause of social change: • CONFLICT • Developed the conflict perspective.

16. Emile Durkheim: • 1858-1917 • Developed first university Sociology course. • Saw society as a set of interdependent parts in terms of their functions: • Consequence that an element of society produces for the maintenance of its social system. • EX: Religion creating social order in society. • Believed should study features of society that are directly observable.- they can be tested with scientific tools and statistical analysis

17. Emile Durkheim: • Famous study: • Suicide • Examined suicide rates in several European countries. • Showed that the decision to commit suicide was based NOT only on personal factors BUT also on social factors.

18. Max Weber: vay-buhr • 1864-1920 • Focused on the effect of society on the individual. • Wanted sociologists to go beyond studying what can be directly observed and attempt to uncover the feelingsand thoughtsof individuals.

19. Max Weber • Verstehen: • Involves an attempt to understand the meanings individuals attach to their actions. • One puts oneself in the place of others and tries to see situations through their eyes. See what they are feeling.

20. Max Weber • Ideal Type: • A description comprised of the essential characteristics of a feature of society. • EX: Ideal type of the public school. • Do we show all the basic characteristics of a high school?

21. Current Perspectives of Sociology Functionalist Perspective Conflict Perspective Interactionist Perspective

22. Few Basic Terms: • Theory: • Explanation of the relationships among particular phenomena. • Theoretical perspective: • General set of assumptions about the nature of things. • Outlines specific ideas about the nature of social life

23. 3 Perspectives of Sociology: Functionalist Perspective Conflict Perspective Interactionist Perspective

24. Functionalist Perspective: • Based on ideas of Comte, Spencer, and Durkheim • View society as a set of interrelated parts that work together to produce a stable social system. • Believe that most people agree on what is best for society and work together to ensure that the social system runs smoothly. • EX: Interested in functionsof family and education on society.

25. Functionalist Perspective(continued) • Looks at society in terms of functions: • Dysfunctional: • Negative consequence an element has for the stability of the social system. • EX: Crime • Manifest function: • Intended and recognized consequence of some element of society. • EX: Manifest function of car is to provided fast transportation. • Latent function: • Unintended and unrecognized consequence of an element of society. • EX: Latent function of car is to gain social standing through display of wealth.

26. Conflict Perspective: • Focus on the forces in society that promote competition and change. • FOUNDER: Karl Marx • Interested in how those who possess more power in society exercise control over those with less power. • NOT all focus on violent acts: • EX: Nonviolent competition between men vs. women; people of different ages and races; etc….

27. Conflict Perspective(Continued) • Basis of social conflict: • Competition over scarce resources. • EX: Power & wealth. • People compete over these resources!

28. Interactionist Perspective: • Focuses on how individuals interactwith one another in society • Interested in work of Max Weber. • Interested in role of symbols: • Anything that represents something else. • Members of society MUST agree on it, however, • EX:Physical objects, gestures, words, events.

29. Interactionist Perspective: • Symbolic interaction: • How people use symbols when interacting. • EX: • Used to study topics such as child development, relationships within groups, and mate selection. • EX: How do women attract men?