#1: a sociological compass

sociology

systematic study of human behaviour in social context

the sociological perspective

analyzes the connection between personal troubles and social structures

• used to determine the hidden social causes of human actions

collective conscience

shared beliefs etc. that unify society

social facts

reflections of the collective conscience

social solidarity

• the degree to which group members share beliefs and values

• the intensity and frequency of their interaction

altruistic suicide

• suicide in high solidarity settings

• sacrifice of one’s life to benefit a group, society, cause etc.

social structures

relatively stable patterns of social relations

three levels of social structure

1. microstructures

2. macrostructures

3. global structures

microstructures

patterns of intimate relations. formed during face to face interaction

macrostructures

patterns of social relations outside and above ones circle of intimates

eg. government

global structures

patterns of social relations outside and above the national level

eg. internet, relations between countries

auguste comte

sought to understand social world using a scientific method of research

origins of sociology were based on

scientific methods of research and a vision of the ideal society

herbert spencer

theorized that societies evolve in the same way biological species do

theories

tentative explanations of some aspect of social life that state how and why certain facts are related

the sociological imagination

quality of mind that enables a person to see the connection between personal troubles and social structures

patriarchy

the traditional system of economic and political inequality between women and men

scientific revolution 1550

emphasized that people should use evidence to draw conclusions abt how society works

democratic revolution 1750

suggested that people are responsible for organizing society and that human intervention can solve social problems

Industrial Revolution 1780s

rapid economic transformation. formed the working class

research

process of systematically observing reality to assess the validity of a theory

values

ideas about what is good and bad, right and wrong

• helps sociologists formulate and favour certain theories over others

functionalism theory

analyzes how social order is supported / stabilized by macrostructures.

• social structures are based on shared values

• re-establishing equilibrium can best solve most social problems

dysfunctional consequences

effects of social structures that create social instability

manifest function

obvious and intended effects of social structures

latent functions

non obvious and unintended effects of social structures

conflict theory

• major patterns of inequality in society produce either social stability or social change

• on macrolevel / global structures

• eliminating privilege will lower the level of conflict

class conflict

struggle between classes to resist and overcome the opposition of other classes

cultural hegemony

dominant classes values are accepted as common sense, controlling a culture

• Antonio Gramsci

poststructuralism (Foucault)

denied

• stability of social relations and cultures

• their capacity to shape how people think and act

• categorization of social and cultural elements as opposites

the social world is more complex. people are often the agents of their own destiny.

symbolic interactionism

analyzes how meaning is created when people communicate in microlevel settings

• people help to create their social circumstances

• roots in weber’s focus on subjective understandings

globalization

process by which formerly separate economies, states, and cultures become tied together and people become increasingly aware of their growing interdependence

postindustrial revolution

tech driven shift from manufacturing to service industries

• working in factories to working in offices

egoistic suicide

poor integration of people into society because of weak social ties

• eg. someone who is unemployed has weaker social ties

anomic suicide

when vague norms govern behaviour

• people living in a society lacking a widely shared code of morality / direction

• eg. sudden financial ruin = suicide

main goal of sociologists

identify and explain how an individual’s personal troubles are connected to the social structures

which revolution birthed the sociological imagination

industrial revolution

who introduced the term sociology

august comte

Robert Merton

proposed that social structures may have different consequences for different groups of people and that some consequences may be disruptive or dysfunctional

class consciousness

being aware of belonging to an exploited class

karl marx

• used conflict theory, class conflict, class consciousness

• thought communism was inevitable

Max Weber

• critiqued marx

• class conflict is not the only driving force of history

• politics and religion are also important factors of social change

protestant ethic

belief that religious doubts can be reduced and a state of grace ensured if people work diligently and live simply

• stimulated capitalist growth

verstehen

having empathy to understand people’s significance of their actions

social constructionism

theory that argues that apparently natural or innate features of life are often sustained by social processes that vary historically and culturally

feminist theory

examines the operation of patriarchy in both micro and macro settings

George herbert mead

sense of self is formed through interaction with other people

erving goffman

people present themselves in the best possible light. life is a performance

what are the main challenges facing society today?

• causes and consequences of postindustrialism

• tensions between equality and inequality, and between freedom and constraint

gaslighting

• form of emotional abuse / manipulation

• led to doubt sense of reality / control