intro to social theory

sociological imagination

C. Wright Mills The ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and larger societal forces. It involves understanding how personal troubles are connected to public issues.

three parts of sociological imagination

1. historical sensibility - understanding that society today has been shaped by events in the past

2. anthropological insight - recognising that different cultures have different values, beleifs, and ways of living

3. critical thought - questioning assumptions and common sense ideas about society

free will and sociology

decisions shaped by factors such as family, culture, gender. interested in the relationship between individual agency and social structure

what are the key takeaways of sociology

✅ Sociology examines the relationship between individuals and society.

✅ The sociological imagination connects personal experiences to larger social forces.

✅ Sociologists distinguish between private troubles and public issues.

✅ Sociology develops three important skills:

Historical understanding

Cultural awareness

Critical thinking

✅ Studying sociology helps us question assumptions, understand social patterns, and become more aware of the world around us.

what are the sociological perspectives

modernity, postmodernity, globalisation

what is modernity

progressm science, rationality

e.g industrialisation and vureacuracy

how does society become more organised and efficent

what is post modernity

diversity, media, uncertaincy

social media shaping identity

is there one truth about soicety

what is culture

The symbolic, learned and socially constructed aspects of society that include language, morals, values, meanings, norms, rules, behaviour patterns, beliefs, lifestyles and scientific knowledge and technology

Sociological alternative to biology or psychology in explaining social world and its encompassing social phenomena

what are values

represent cultural standards by which we determine what is good, bad, right or wrong. They identify what we ought and ought not to aspire to (for e.g., a well-paid job and having children)

what are norms

which are the translation of values into rules of behaviour about how people should behave. Norms vary between places, social groups and cultural groups.