...Know? Ballantine, Roberts, and Korgen. Our Social World: Condensed, Fourth Edition. © 2015 SAGE Publications The Development of Sociology • Social thought before sociology: strongly influenced by religion and philosophy • Modern sociology arose in 19th century Europe, influenced by several conditions: – Colonialism: exposure to other cultures – Industrial Revolution & French Revolution: desire to know how dramatic change could be systematically explained – Advances in the natural sciences: desire to apply scientific method to the social world Ballantine, Roberts, and Korgen. Our Social World: Condensed, Fourth Edition. © 2015 SAGE Publications The Development of Sociology August Comte & the science of society • Coined the term “sociology” in 1838 • Thought society’s problems could not be understood by philosophical or religious speculation; scientific knowledge was needed • Two main concerns – What holds society together? (social statics or structure) – Why is there change in society? (social dynamics or process) Ballantine, Roberts, and Korgen. Our Social World: Condensed, Fourth Edition. © 2015 SAGE Publications The Development of Sociology Early sociology after Comte • Focus on massive social and economic change brought by Industrial Revolution • Focus on relationship between micro-, meso-, and macro-level processes • Early sociological theorists: Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, Harriet Martineau, Max Weber, W.E.B. DuBois • Use of scientific...
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...Sociology is the study of human social relationships and institutions. Sociology’s subject matter is diverse, ranging from crime to religion, from the family to the state, from the divisions of race and social class to the shared beliefs of a common culture, and from social stability to radical change in whole societies. Unifying the study of these diverse subjects of study is sociology’s purpose of understanding how human action and consciousness both shape and are shaped by surrounding cultural and social structures. Sociology is an exciting and illuminating field of study that analyzes and explains important matters in our personal lives, our communities, and the world. At the personal level, sociology investigates the social causes and consequences of such things as romantic love, racial and gender identity, family conflict, deviant behavior, aging, and religious faith. At the societal level, sociology examines and explains matters like crime and law, poverty and wealth, prejudice and discrimination, schools and education, business firms, urban community, and social movements. At the global level, sociology studies such phenomena as population growth and migration, war and peace, and economic development. Sociologists emphasize the careful gathering and analysis of evidence about social life to develop and enrich our understanding of key social processes. The research methods sociologists use are varied. Sociologists observe the everyday life of groups, conduct large-scale...
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...Sociology = the scientific study of society and human nature I. What are the two components of the sociological perspective (imagination) and why are both elements essential? a. b. II. What is social location? a. III. What is the role of tradition vs. science in the origins of sociology and what is the scientific method? a. b. IV. Who was credited as the founder of sociology? What was he known for? a. b. V. Who was known for Social Darwinism and what is it? a. b. VI. How did Comte and Spencer differ? a. VII. Karl Marx believed that societal problems were a result of class conflict. What is class conflict? a. Class Conflict- i. bourgeoisie- ii. proletariat- VIII. What did Max Weber believe and how did he and Marx differ? a. IX. Explain Emile Durkheim’s following contributions to sociology? a. In reference to the discipline of sociology: b. Social facts or forces (patterns of behavior): c. Social integration: X. What was the role of women in early sociology and who were the key women figures (and their contributions)? a. b. c. XI. Explain racism in early sociology and the role of W.E.B.Du Bois? a. b. XII....
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... Introduction of Sociology SOC 111 Question: What is Sociology? Date of Submission: 7th Nov 2012 Mode of Submission: Coordinator Examiner: Mr.Olomi This paper proposes to show up, examine the concept of sociology and also to discuss the objective of sociology and its importance. The term Sociology as quoted by Geoffrey, et al, (1970 p.201) from the new dictionary of sociology state that, ‘sociology is the study of human social life, groups and societies’. It is amazing and compelling enterprise, having as its subject matter our own behavior as social being. The scope of sociology is very wide, ranging from the analysis of passing encounters between individual in the street up to the investigation of world-wide social processes. To support dictionary, sociology is the study of societies in a scientific way. Before the emergence of sociology, there was no systematic and scientific attempt to study human society with all its complexities. Sociology has made it possible to study society in a scientific manner. This scientific knowledge about human society is needed in order to achieve progress in various fields. Father more; Sociology is the study of the social lives of humans, groups and societies. It concerns itself with the social rules and processes that bind and separate people not only as individuals, but as members of associations, groups, and institutions Sociology is interested in our...
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...SOUTHERN RURAL SOCIOLOGY, 24(1), 2009, pp. 200–222. Copyright © by the Southern Rural Sociological Association DURKHEIM DID NOT SAY “NORMLESSNESS”: THE CONCEPT OF ANOMIC SUICIDE FOR INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY COURSES PHYLLIS PUFFER BIG SANDY COMMUNITY AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE ABSTRACT The definitions of anomic suicide presented in introductory sociology textbooks from 1996 to 2007 were compared with the definition given by Durkheim in his own writings both in the original French and the English translation. It was found that only one textbook correctly gave Durkheim’s own definition while the other definitions showed little or no relationship to the original concept. The original concept was based on an analysis of the economy, more particularly the business cycle, and refers only to the structure of society and not to the mental state of the individual. An attempt is made to discover the source of such a widespread and well-accepted error. All of us are concerned about the introductory course in sociology, no matter the august reaches of academe we might have attained. Nearly all of us have taught it at least once, if only as teaching assistants during our graduate school days. Some of us always teach it. The rest depend on it as a basis for their advanced courses, for a supply of research assistants, and ultimately to build public appreciation and support for the field. If we think of the number of students who take introductory sociology in just one small...
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...Wyness (2006, p. 94) looks at both the national level and the global level of childhood to identify whether he thinks childhood in in crisis. At a global level childhood could be seen to be in crisis. Wyness (2006, p 78) discovers a key theme which could be linked to childhood being in crisis. This is the idea of children being abandoned on the streets to fend for themselves. In developed countries these children are seen to be troubled and unwanted by society, but in developing countries they are seen to be there through extreme poverty often caused by natural disasters or wars. Corsaro (1997 cited in Wyness 2006, p 79) believed child poverty would lead to those children entering ‘dangerous adult territory’, which could involve gangs, drug...
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...Sociology A-Level This bridging work MUST be completed by the time you start your course and it will be assessed in September. The aims are for you to be ready to start learning at post 16 level. What do you do in your first year? Exam Board: AQA - all exam, no coursework. At AS two units are taught; Unit 1 Families & Households (40% of AS) Unit 2: Research methods in context to education (60% of AS). Summer Bridging Work- ESSENTIAL Research topic: Is the position of men and women in the family equal? The Division of labour refers to the roles that men and women occupy within the family. Many types of division of labour exist and have changed over time. Task 1: Research the following types of division of labour and complete the table: Type of Division of labour | Definition | Statistics or studies that support the type of division of labour | Instrumental role | | | Expressive role | | | Segregated role | | | Joint conjugal role | | | Symmetrical family | | | Patriarchal family | | | Matriarchal family | | | Dual burden | | | Triple shift | | | Find out the following: What are the definitions for each type of division of labour? Research either statistical evidence or sociological research that supports each type of division of labour – the evidence does not need to be recent. Create a table as seen above. Task 2: Write two statements; for and against the question “Is the position of men and women in the...
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...Why Study Sociology of Education? There are several answers to this question. Someday you may be a professional in the field of education or in a related field; you will be a tax payer, if you aren’t already; you may be a parent with children in the school system; right now you are a student involved in higher or continuing education. If you are sociology major, you are studying education as one of the major institutions of society; if you are an education major, sociology can give you a new perspective on your field. You may be at college in pursuit of knowledge; or it may be that this course is required, or you need the credit, or the teacher is supposed to be good, or it fits into your schedule. Let’s consider these reasons further. Ⅰ.Teachers and Other Professionals In 1990, of all college graduates, 104,715, or 10 percent, were graduated in the field of education, and many hold teaching positions. Many other college graduates will teach in their respective academic fields as social work and business have regular contact with schools when dealing with clients and employees. Ⅱ.Taxpayers Taxpayers finance schools at the elementary, secondary, and higher education levels. Almost 100 percent of the bills for physical plants, materials, salaries, and other essentials come from tax monies. In 1989, revenues for schools, a large amount of which is from sales, income, and property taxes, come from three sources: 6.2 percent from federal government, 47.7 percent from states...
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...Social policies are the plans and actions of government agencies, which aim to address social issues, ranging from poverty to racism. Sociology has been linked to the beginning of social policies, especially in more recent years. For example, the concept of marketisation within the school system in the early 1990’s and the reduction in funding for Higher Education Tuition Fees was influenced by contemporary sociology. Donnison believes that there are four factors that he feels shape social policy. These are changing political agendas, changing circumstances, growing knowledge and new questions. There are different sociological opinions that view the relationship between sociology and social policy differently, which means there is no simple view. For example, social policies are introduced to the belief that they will improve society by tackling social problems: affecting the welfare of the population of the country where the policy is being introduced. However, Feminists and Marxists believe that social policy is not just about improving the welfare of citizens, as they believe it is about social control; deterring rather than helping individuals. Giddens’ supports Donnison by stating that there are four practical uses of studying sociology. These include: understanding social situations, being aware of cultural differences, assessing the effects of policies and increasing self-knowledge. By understanding social situations, we are able to understand the world around us...
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...This article provides information about the importance of sociology to society! The most significance of sociology is that it studied the society social institutions scientifically. Of late the importance of sociology as the science of human relationship is being realised. The scientific study of society and the scientific promotion of human welfare has been neglected for long periods. Now the truly scientific study of society has been well under way. Sociology Image Courtesy : sociology.arizona.edu/sites/sociology.arizona.edu/files/images/soc_club_3.jpg As a matter of fact the study of social phenomena and ways and means of promoting what Giddings calls human adequacy is one of the most logical and reasonable of all subjects that ought to be made scientific. This century must be one of developing human and social welfare if we are to make social progress. It is, therefore, rightly thought by many that sociology may be the best approach to all the social sciences and therefore a key study for the present situation. As Beach says, sociology has a strong appeal to all types of minds through its direct bearing upon many of the critical problems of the present world. Giddings has suggested that just as economics tells up how to get the things we want to have, sociology tells us how to become what we want to be. Thus, sociology becomes as the scientific study of society, the representative of a great advice. Society is the largest organisation of the individuals...
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...1 Sociology - Presentation Transcript 1. 1.The Sociological perspective What is Sociology? Sociology is the scientific study of human society & social behavior. 2. What is Sociology? * It focuses primarily on the influence of social relationships upon people’s attitudes and behavior and on how societies are established and change. * The ultimate aim of sociology as summed up by Samuel Koenig is “ to improve man’s adjustment to life by developing objective knowledge concerning social phenomena which can be used to deal effectively with social problems.” 3. The Sociological Perspective * 1. The sociological perspective is important because it provides a different way of looking at familiar worlds. It allows us to gain a new vision of social life. * 2. This perspective stresses the broader social context of behavior by looking at individuals’ social location, employment, income, education, gender, age, and race –and by considering external influences –people’s experiences –which are internalized and become part of a person’s thinking and motivations. (cont…) 4. * We are able to see the links between what people do and the social settings that shape their behavior. * 3. The sociological perspective enables us to analyze and understand both the forces that contribute to the emergence and growth of the global village and our unique experiences in our own smaller corners of this village. 5. Subject Matter of...
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...Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science (a term with which it is sometimes synonymous) which uses various methods of empirical investigation[1] and critical analysis[2] to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity. For many sociologists the goal is to conduct research which may be applied directly to social policy and welfare, while others focus primarily on refining the theoretical understanding of social processes. Subject matter ranges from the micro level of individual agency and interaction to the macro level of systems and the social structure.[3] The traditional focuses of sociology have included social stratification, social class, culture, social mobility, religion, secularisation, law, and deviance. As all spheres of human activity are affected by the interplay between social structure and individual agency, sociology has gradually expanded its focus to further subjects, such as health, medical, military and penal institutions, the Internet, and the role of social activity in the development of scientific knowledge. The range of social scientific methods has also expanded. Social researchers draw upon a variety of qualitative and quantitative techniques. The linguistic and cultural turns of the mid-twentieth century led to increasingly interpretative, hermeneutic, and philosophic approaches to the analysis of society. Conversely, recent decades have seen the rise of new analytically, mathematically and computationally rigorous techniques...
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...Films mimic the human experience in a way that other visual mediums cannot. Cinema’s basis in fiction and fact is what makes for an excellent lens through which to view the human experience. Over the course of the semester, we were instructed to watch two films. “Food Inc.”, a harsh look inside America’s corporate controlled food Industry, while “The Vernon John’s Story: The Road to Freedom” is a film that portrays the inspirational story of Martin Luther King Jrs’ successor as he interminably campaigns for Civil Rights. While seemingly different themes, each film portrays two issues important in sociology. After all, sociology can be defined as the scientific study of human social behavior and its origins, development, and organizations. Sociologists use many ways to analyze subjects from a sociological perspective. These ways are known today as the symbolic interactionist perspective, the functionalist perspective, and the conflict perspective. Each perspective uniquely conceptualizes society, social forces, and human behavior. The purpose of this essay is not so much as to narrate each film but rather to illustrate a better understanding for three commonly misunderstood perspectives. Although a daily occurrence, the consumption of food can also be associated with important moments in our lives. In the context of society, our nation’s food system is at the core of numerous social movements, political issues, and economic debates. After watching “Food Inc.”, we see that any...
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...opinions pertinent to the effect on the gamut of society and individuals within a community, is inevitable. Albeit, each perspective's view generated as a result of these social milestones, equally hold valid points. Therefore, while social networking sites provide a multitude of beneficial improvements to the world, there are just as many issues that arise, and all three sociological perspectives serve to complement one another in the comprehension of social media networks and the sway they bring to societies. As Viewed Through the Structural-Functional Theorists’ Lens English philosopher and biologist Herbert Spence (1820-1903) first introduced Structural-Functionalism Theory through his writings, which employ macro, as well as mid-level analysis. Further, the functionalist perceives society as a socially systematized structure involving interrelated parts (social institutions) that contribute by coequally...
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...Teaching Period 3, 2013 SLSS102 Explorations in Sociology Assessment 1: Minor essay Word limit: 1000 (+/- 10%) Due date: 9am AEDT Monday 2 December (Week 5) Weighting: 20% Assessment details Write a 1000-word essay on one of the following topics: TOPIC 1: Which is more important in shaping individual identity: social structure or social interaction? TOPIC 2: Explain how culture and socialisation interact in a sociological context. In your essay you should: • • • • • Demonstrate your understanding of themes covered so far in this unit. Use the three texts listed in the resources box (right) to answer your selected question. In addition you should use a minimum of TWO references to augment the material in these texts. Support your discussions with examples from the social world. Use correct Harvard referencing style. Essay resources To answer your chosen topic, use: Your eText: Sociology: a down to earth approach (Possamai & Possamai-Indesedy 2011). The following eBooks: • • Plummer, K 2010, Sociology: the basics, Taylor & Francis e-library. Back, L, Bennett, A, Edles, L,Gibson, M, Inglis, D, Jacobs, R, Woodward, I 2012 Cultural sociology: an introduction, Wiley. To augment the material in these texts you may use other sociology textbooks, articles from the Swinburne library database and current media articles. 1 SLSS102 Explorations in Sociology Assessment criteria Your essay should clearly address the question and include relevant ideas addressed in...
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