Sociology Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Seeing and Acting Through the Lens of Sociology

Learning Objectives:
- LO1: Things Are Not What They Seem
- LO2: What Is Sociology?
- LO3: Comparing Sociology and Other Disciplines
- LO4: Building Your Sociological Imagination: Your Sociological Toolkit
- LO5: Sociological Theorizing
- LO6: Core Sociological Theoretical Perspectives
- LO7: Critical Thinking

Explore the technologies, social forces, and people integral to online shopping.
Key Concepts:
- Strange in the Familiar: Recognize how common practices have deeper social implications.
- General in the Particular: Identify societal patterns reflected in individual behaviors.
- Social Patterns: Examine evident patterns within society.
Micro and Macro Levels:
- Macro Level: Analyze societal forces.
- Micro Level: Study individual actions and choices.
Influences on Personal Choices:
- Family and friends impact individual life chances and decisions.
- Examine societal norms that question motivations for being a student.

Definition: Sociology is the systematic study of social behavior and societal patterns, objectively analyzing how they shape human interactions.
C. Wright Mills (1916 - 1962): Emphasized the connection between history and biography in understanding society.

Ibn Khaldun (1332-1406): Focused on social solidarity and the dynamics of exploitation within societies.
French Revolution and Enlightenment: Advocated reason, equality, and progress as foundational sociological principles.
Auguste Comte (1798-1857): Promoted the application of scientific methods to understand social statics and social dynamics.
Essential Insight: Sociology studies the meaningful connections between individuals, positing that "society is greater than the sum of its parts."

Key Components:
- Empirical Research: Collecting reliable knowledge through structured observation and verification.
- Sociological Methods: Employ various analytical methods to comprehend societal behavior.
- Theorizing: Develop theories to explain social phenomena.
- Critical Thinking: Apply critical evaluation of societal norms and structures.

Definition: A theory is a set of propositions designed to explain facts or phenomena.
Approaches to Sociological Theory:
- Positivist Approach (Emile Durkheim): Links science to society, focusing on laws and statistical modeling.
- Interpretative Approach (Max Weber): Emphasizes understanding social context (verstehen).
- Critical Approach (Karl Marx): Focuses on power struggles and the quest for emancipation and freedom.

Theoretical Perspectives:
- Symbolic Interactionist: Examines individual interactions and meanings.
- Functionalist: Society as a living organism with roles and norms that promote stability.
- Conflict Perspective: Views life through the lens of inequality and power struggles.
- Postmodern, Feminist Perspectives: Highlights diverse experiences and challenges patriarchal norms.

Analogy: Society is like a tower of interconnected blocks maintaining balance.
Foundational Assumptions:
- Society operates through shared norms and values.
- Stability occurs when individuals fulfill their societal roles.
Durkheim's Contributions:
- Introduced concepts like social facts and anomie (normlessness).
Parsons' Social Institutions:
- Traditional: Family, education, economy, politics, religion.
- Newer: Science, technology, medicine, mass media, military, sport.
Robert Merton's Concepts:
- Differentiated between manifest and latent functions and dysfunctions.

Key Focus: Examines power dynamics in relationships, specifically between capital and labor.
Core Assumptions:
- Society is characterized by inherent social inequality.
- Continuous struggle shapes social arrangements in favor of some at the expense of others.
Key Ideas:
- Modes of production influence class struggles and feelings of alienation.
- Call to action: "Workers of the world unite!"

Core Assumptions:
- Behaviors are learned through socialization.
- Society is crafted through individual interactions and shared meanings.
- Concepts of “significant others” and “generalized other” are vital in understanding identity formation.

Fundamental Assumptions:
- Men and women should be viewed as equals.
- Gender is a critical category for exploring social inequalities.
Martineau's Contributions:
- Integrated moral critiques within sociological analysis, using science to challenge inequalities.
Contemporary Feminist Theories:
- Now vale multiple accounts of experience, addressing patriarchy, androcentrism, and gendered experiences.

Core Assumptions:
- Truth and knowledge are socially constructed post-WW2.
- Shift from a focus on material production to the creation of ideas and cultural images.
Two Forms of Postmodernism:
- Skeptical Postmodernism: Society experiences chaos and meaningless due to rapid social changes.
- Affirmative Postmodernism: Questions overarching theories as inadequate to explain contemporary society.

Skill Levels:
- Lower-order: Summarizing and recalling information.
- Higher-order: Evaluating, responding, and conceptualizing insights.