Famous Sociologists Flashcards

Auguste Comte
- Focused on social laws, proposing concepts of social statics (stability) and social dynamics (change).
Herbert Spencer
- Advocated for the idea of "Social Darwinism," emphasizing natural selection within society.
Emile Durkheim
- Investigated the role of solidarity, distinguishing between mechanical solidarity (common beliefs) and organic solidarity (diversity).
Talcott Parsons
- Proposed that all societal aspects are interconnected, likening society to a bicycle wheel where changes come from central forces.
Robert Merton
- Introduced middle-range theory, concentrating on individual societal components, and distinguished between manifest functions (intended actions) and latent functions (unintended outcomes).
Karl Marx
- Analyzed social class struggles and introduced concepts such as false consciousness, socialism, and class consciousness.
Harriet Martineau
- Focused on gender inequality and championed the equality of women in society.
W.E.B. Du Bois
- Examined racial inequality, arguing that slavery and capitalism contribute to persistent inequalities.
Jane Addams
- Addressed poverty through community work, advocating for a sociologist's genuine perspective in engagement with society.
John Bellamy Foster
- Analyzed the negative impacts of capitalism, arguing that capitalist interests hinder societal progress unless beneficial to the capitalists.

Functionalism
- Key figures include Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons, and Robert Merton.
Conflict Theory
- Key figures include Karl Marx, Harriet Martineau, W.E.B. Du Bois, Jane Addams, and John Bellamy Foster.
Symbolic Interactionism
- Key figures include George Herbert Mead, Herbert Blumer, Ervin Goffman, and Howard Becker.

George Herbert Mead
- Explored how societal symbols reveal cultural values, emphasizing interpretation through group perspectives.
Herbert Blumer
- Focused on the meaning of symbols, asserting their significance in generational transmission and understanding.
Ervin Goffman
- Investigated social interactions, emphasizing the concept of "dramaturgy," comparing life to a theatrical performance.
Howard Becker
- Studied social labeling and its effects, highlighting how labels can dictate an individual's future based on societal definitions.

Max Weber
- Addressed economic, political, and cultural conflicts linked to social positions, asserting that sociology should strive for value-free analysis.