History of Sociology Study Notes

Understand how different sociological perspectives have developed.
Explain why sociology emerged when it did.
Describe how sociology became a separate academic discipline.
Understand theoretical perspectives in sociology.
Explain what sociological theories are and how they are used.
Understand the similarities and differences between structural functionalism, conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.

Prehistory: Stone Age (6 million years ago – 3600 BCE)
Ancient History: Bronze Age (3600 BCE – 500 CE) & Iron Age (1200 – 400 BCE)
Dark Ages: (500 CE – 1000 CE)
Middle Ages: (1000 CE – 1500 CE)
Medieval Period: (1000 – 1450 BCE)
Renaissance: (1350 CE – 1600 CE)
Reformation: (1517 CE – 1648 CE)
Elizabethan Age: (1558 CE – 1603 CE)
Age of Enlightenment: (1650 CE – 1800 CE)
Industrial Revolution: (1700 CE – 1900 CE)
WW1/WW2
Age of Information: (1975 CE – Present)

Sociology emerged in the middle of the 19th century in Europe due to the following factors:
1. Industrial Revolution: Transition from agriculture to factory production, leading to urban migration and social challenges.
2. Travel: Exposure to diverse cultures through European colonial empires prompted inquiries into cultural differences.
3. Success of Natural Sciences: Newton's laws and the application of scientific reasoning encouraged exploration of social phenomena.

Predecessors to modern sociology included thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, Confucius, Khaldun, and Voltaire.
Ancient philosophers explored social topics such as social conflict, economics, cohesion, and power.
- Ma Tuan-Lin recognized social dynamics as determinants of society in the 13th century.
Enlightenment philosophers created general principles for social explanation, addressing social ills and advocating for reform.

Coined the term "sociology" (1838) from Latin "socius" (social) and Greek "logos" (study).
Emphasis on positivism:
- Methodological dimension: Scientific application to social phenomena.
- Social and political dimension: Use of knowledge to inform policy.
Noted for dividing societies into:
- Social statics: Forces maintaining order.
- Social dynamics: Forces leading to change.
Advocated for sociology to reveal societal secrets to improve social order and authority.

Faced acknowledgment issues as a female sociologist in a male-dominated field.
Translated Comte’s works, actively engaged in sociological practice.
Examined societal customs in Britain and the U.S. focusing on class, race, and gender distinctions in various topics like religion and immigration.
Advocated for empirical observation in sociology and aimed for racial and gender equality.

Introduced an evolutionary perspective in sociology, comparing society to a biological organism.
Developed Theory of General Evolution highlighting dependency of societal parts (family, economy, government).
Emphasized "survival of the fittest," often associated with social Darwinism.
Critiqued for potential justification of social inequalities, as societies are not akin to biological systems with natural selection.

Viewed humans as products of their social environments, asserting social facts guide behavior.
Defined social facts as external societal patterns that influence individual actions (e.g., norms, values).
Introduced the concept of anomie: loss of shared values, occurring in rapid social change.
Studied suicide patterns connecting societal integration levels with rates.
- Egoistic suicide: Resulting from social isolation.
- Altruistic suicide: Excessive group integration.
- Anomic suicide: Breakdown of social equilibrium.
- Fatalistic suicide: Extreme social regulation.

Focused on class conflict as a driving force for social change, particularly between the bourgeoisie and proletariat.
Highlighted economic factors as core to societal issues and stressed the exploitative nature of capitalism on the working class.
Viewed alienation in workers due to exploitation; predicted revolutionary change leading to a classless society.
His ideas sparked debates on class relations, overshadowing diverse issues of race and gender analysis.

German social scientist concerned with non-economic factors in societal change, critiqued Marx's economic focus.
Advocated for value-free research in sociology while recognizing the subjective nature of social behavior.
Introduced verstehen: empathetic understanding of social actions.
Discussed bureaucracy: an organization structure characterized by division of labor, hierarchy, and adherence to rules, while warning against its potential to restrict individual freedoms.

Co-founded the second sociology department in the U.S., emphasizing systematic research on African American communities.
Discussed double-consciousness, the conflict of racial identity in America.
Criticized societal values of democracy and equality amidst racial discrimination, advocating social reform through organizations such as the NAACP.

Positivism: Comte’s belief in scientific inquiry for understanding the world.
Social Darwinism: Spencer’s theory that survival and prosperity result from adaptation.
Social Facts: Durkheim’s term for societal influences shaping individual behavior.
Anomie: A condition of social instability from the loss of shared values, as described by Durkheim.