Macionis Slide (1)
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Sociology is the systematic, scientific study of human society and social behavior. It examines how groups influence individuals and how individuals influence groups. The sociological perspective views society as an integrated whole and looks at patterns in human behavior. Studying sociology provides benefits like enhancing understanding of social issues, empowering people, and appreciating diversity. It examines both opportunities and constraints that society places on individuals. The field originated in response to social changes in the 19th century and aims to understand social life through different theoretical paradigms like structural functionalism, social conflict theory, and symbolic interactionism.
Macionis Slide (1)
- 2. What Is Sociology? • Systematic – Scientific discipline; patterns of behavior • Human society – Group behavior is primary focus; how groups influence individuals and vice versa • At the “heart of sociology” – Sociological perspective; unique societal view © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 3. Why Take Sociology? • Education and liberal arts – Well-rounded as a person – Social expectations • More appreciation for diversity – The global village © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 4. Why Take Sociology? – Domestic social marginality • Enhanced life chances – Micro and macro understanding – Increase social potentials © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 5. Benefits of the Sociological Perspective • Helps us assess the truth of common sense • Helps us assess both opportunities and constraints in our lives • Empowers us to be active participants in our society • Helps us live in a diverse world © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 6. Importance of Global Perspective • Where we live makes a great difference in shaping our lives • Societies are increasingly interconnected through technology and economics © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 7. Importance of Global Perspective • Many problems that we face in the United States are more serious elsewhere • Thinking globally is a good way to learn more about ourselves © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 8. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 9. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 10. The Sociological Perspective Peter Berger • Seeing the general in the particular – Sociologists identify general social patterns in the behavior of particular individuals. • Seeing the strange in the familiar – Giving up the idea that human behavior is simply a matter of what people decide to do – Understanding that society shapes our lives © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 11. Durkheim’s Study of Suicide • Emile Durkheim’s research showed that society affects our most personal choices – More likely to commit: male Protestants who were wealthy and unmarried – Less likely to commit: male Jews and Catholics who were poor and married © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 12. Durkheim’s Study of Suicide • One of the basic findings: Why? – The differences between these groups had to do with “social integration” – Those with strong social ties had less of a chance of committing suicide © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 13. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 14. C. Wright Mills’ Sociological Imagination • Sociological perspective lies in changing individual lives & in transforming society • Society, not people’s personal failings, is the cause of social problems. • The sociological imagination transforms personal problems into public issues. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 15. The Origins of Sociology • Sociology has its origins in powerful social forces – Social Change • Industrialization, urbanization, political revolution, and a new awareness of society © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 16. The Origins of Sociology – Science • 3-Stages: theological, metaphysical & scientific – Positivism–A way of understanding based on science – Gender & Race • These important contributions have been pushed to the margins of society © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 17. Sociological Theory • How and why facts are related – Explains social behavior to the real world • Theoretical paradigm: fundamental assumptions that guides thinking – Structural-functional – Social-conflict – Symbolic-interaction © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 18. Structural-Functional Paradigm • The basics – A macro-level orientation, concerned with broad patterns that shape society as a whole – Society as a complex system; parts work together to promote solidarity and stability © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 19. Structural-Functional Paradigm • Key elements – Social structure: any relatively stable patterns of social behavior found in social institutions – Social function refers to the consequences for the operation of society as a whole © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 20. Who’s Who in the Structural- Functional Paradigm • Auguste Comte – Importance of social integration during times of rapid change • Emile Durkheim – Helped establish sociology as a discipline • Herbert Spencer – Compared society to the human body © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 21. Who’s Who in the Structural- Functional Paradigm • Robert K. Merton – Manifest functions are recognized and intended consequences – Latent functions are unrecognized and unintended consequences – Social dysfunctions are undesirable consequences © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 22. Social-Conflict Paradigm • A macro-oriented paradigm • Views society as an arena of inequality that generates conflict and social change • Society is structured in ways to benefit a few at the expense of the majority © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 23. Social-Conflict Paradigm • Factors such as race, sex, class, and age are linked to social inequality • Dominant group vs. disadvantaged group relations © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 24. Who’s Who in the Social-Conflict Paradigm • Karl Marx – The importance of social class in inequality and social conflict • W.E.B. Du Bois – Race as the major problem facing the United States in the 20th century © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 25. Feminism and the Gender-Conflict Approach • A point of view that focuses on inequality and conflict between women and men • Closely linked to feminism, the advocacy of social equality for women and men • Harriet Martineau & Jane Addams: women important to sociology development © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 26. The Race-Conflict Approach © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. • Point of view; focuses on inequality & conflict between people – Of different racial and ethnic categories • People of color important to the development of sociology: – Ida Wells Barnett and W.E.B. Du Bois
- 27. Symbolic-Interaction Paradigm • The basics – A micro-level orientation, a close-up focus on social interactions in specific situations – Views society as the product of everyday interactions of individuals © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 28. Symbolic-Interaction Paradigm • Key elements – Society is a shared reality that people construct as they interact with one another – Society is a complex, ever-changing mosaic of subjective meanings © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 29. Who’s Who in the Symbolic- Interaction Paradigm • Max Weber – Understanding a setting from the people in it • George Herbert Mead – How we build personalities from social experience © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 30. Who’s Who in the Symbolic- Interaction Paradigm • Erving Goffman – Dramaturgical analysis • George Homans & Peter Blau – Social-exchange analysis © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 31. Critical Evaluation • Structural-Functional – Too broad – Ignores inequalities of social class, race & gender – Focuses on stability at the expense of conflict • Social-Conflict – Too broad © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 32. Critical Evaluation – Ignores how shared values and mutual interdependence unify society – Pursues political goals • Symbolic-Interaction – Ignores larger social structures, effects of culture, factors such as class, gender & race © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 33. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 34. Applying the Approaches: The Sociology of Sports • The Functions of Sports – A structural-functional approach directs our attention to ways sports help society operate – Sports have functional and dysfunctional consequences © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 35. Sports and Conflict • Social-conflict analysis points out games people play reflect their social standing • Sports have been oriented mostly toward males © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 36. Sports and Conflict • Big league sports excluded people of color for decades • Sports in the United States are bound up with inequalities based on – Gender, race, and economic power © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 37. © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.
- 38. Sports as Interaction • Following symbolic-interaction approach: – Sports are less a system than an ongoing process • Structural-functional, social-conflict, and symbolic-interaction: – Provide different insights into sports. – No one is more correct than the others © 2013 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.