soci1004 week 2

emergence of sociology

Emerged in the 1800s as a response to rapid societal changes (Industrial Revolution, urbanization)

auguste comte

Coined "sociology" and advocated positivism (scientific study of society based on observable facts)

Structural-Functional Approach

• Society as a complex system where parts work together to maintain stability.

Social structure

Stable patterns of relationships (e.g., family, education).

Manifest

• (intended, e.g., education for skills).

Latent

(unintended, e.g., education as a marriage market)

Dysfunctions

harmful effects, e.g., student debt

Émile Durkheim

Studied social integration

Social-Conflict Approach

• Society as an arena of inequality, driving conflict and change.

Gender-Conflict Theory

Male domination (e.g., women’s exclusion from early Olympics).

Race-Conflict Theory

Racial hierarchies

Karl Marx

• Focused on class struggle (bourgeoisie vs. proletariat).

Symbolic-Interaction Approach

• Society as a product of everyday interactions and shared symbols.

Micro-Level Focus

Meaning-making (e.g., rituals like handshakes)

Max Weber

Emphasized cultural values (e.g., Protestant ethic and capitalism)

Positivist Sociology

• Systematic observation, variables, and causality.

  • Key terms: reliability, validity, spurious correlation (e.g., classical music vs. academic success confounded by wealth)

Interpretive Sociology

Focus on subjective meanings (e.g., why rituals matter)

Critical Sociology

Advocacy for social change (e.g., exposing inequalities)

Experiment

Controlled conditions, hypothesis testing (e.g., Hawthorne effect)

Survey Research

Questionnaires/interviews with random sampling

Participant Observation

Immersive fieldwork (e.g., studying subcultures)

Existing Statistics

Secondary data analysis (e.g., Durkheim’s suicide study)

Content Analysis

Coding texts (e.g., manifest/latent content in media)

Ethical Considerations

• Avoid harm, ensure gender sensitivity (androcentricity, gender blindness), and disclose findings transparently.