Sociology Chapter 1 PDF

**Sociology** **Chapter 1** Sociology: systematic, sceptical and critical study of the social way of thinking, consciousness - Seeing the strange in the familiar - Seeing the general in the particular - Sets out to shape the patterns/processes by which society shapes what we do Power...

**Sociology** **Chapter 1** Sociology: systematic, sceptical and critical study of the social way of thinking, consciousness - Seeing the strange in the familiar - Seeing the general in the particular - Sets out to shape the patterns/processes by which society shapes what we do Power of sociology: demonstrating how strong social forces that organise society are + demonstrating this in time and space, often the *opposite of common sense* Individuals: unique, but society: in categories (e.g. men/women, kids/adults) As society changes, so change meanings attached to society Layers of reality 1. Cosmic: way we think about humanly constructed life 2. World and Globe: interconnectedness of the social/cultural across the world 3. Social/Cultural: communities, societies, institutions with definite structures/symbolic meanings 4. Interactional: experience of the world in face-to-face presence 5. Individual: inner world of human subjectivity/biological workings Much of social life is shaped by factors outside of our control Social integration: How people bond, tie and connect into society Social minorities tend to think more about sociology than majorities (e.g. people being discriminated) Sociologists are: 1. Researchers: document the nature of social times we live in 2. Theorists: aim to foster deeper understanding of what is going on and provide a way for passing on sociological knowledge 3. Critics/Change agents: question and interrogate the taken-for-granted society and connect it to possible other societies 4. Educators/Teachers: writing, teaching, providing gained information that helps planning future pathways society 5. Artists: generating new ideas 6. Policy shapers: advising governments 7. Commentators/Public intellectuals: providing social diagnosis in daily life 8. Dialogists: creating organised dialogues across different voices to be heard in society 9. Critical citizens in society: Helping create social awareness and social thinking Most valuable Benefits of Sociological Perspective: 1. It challenges familiar understandings of ourselves/others 2. It enables us to asses opportunities/constraints that characterise our lives 3. It helps us to be active participants in society 4. It helps us to recognise human differences/suffering and the challenges of living in a diverse world Problems of Sociological Perspective: 1. The subject of study is a changing world 2. Sociologists are part of what they study Biases, ethnocentrism 3. Sociological knowledge becomes part of society (work feeds back on itself: recursive) Beginning of sociology: Enlightenment Auguste Comte introduces term 'sociology' in 1839, a scientific approach to society - Theological stage: God's will - Metaphysical stage: society as a natural phenomenon - Scientific stage - Positivism: understanding the world based on science Changes that lead to sociology: 1. Modern Capitalism: Industrialization lead to poverty, change in social order 2. Growth of cities: Urban growth 3. Political change: Democracy, individual liberty and individual rights 4. Eclipse of community: Less collectivity Born in Industrial Revolution, but moved fast in Cyber Revolution: 1. The Digital Age: computerisation of life 2. The Cyborg Age: people are getting more used to living with new technologies 3. The Network Society: development of new ways of communicating 4. The Virtual Age: mediated nature of reality - Sociology is changing its nature: - New topics - New methods **Chapter 2** Theory: statement of why/how specific facts are related makes it different from e.g. journalism Theoretical perspective: a basic image that guides thinking/research Classical perspectives: 1. Functionalist perspective: society as a complex system whose parts work together and interconnect (Durkheim) a. Lives are guided by social structure (stable patterns of behaviour) b. Interdependence c. Manifest/latent functions of social patterns d. Social dysfunctions: social patterns' undesirable consequences for the operation of society e. Critical aspect: presence of social order makes functionalism seem conservative 2. Conflict perspective: society as an arena of differences and inequalities that generate conflict and change (Marx) f. Highlights division instead of solidarity g. Ongoing differences differences/conflicts between categories of people h. Inequality and the conflict it generates are rooted in society i. Hard to believe that science can be objective 3. Social Action perspective: society as a product of everyday interactions of people doing thing together (Weber) j. Macro-level orientation: society as a whole k. Social exchange analysis: social interaction is a negotiation in which individuals are guided by what they stand to gain and lose from others. l. Tends to overlook the widespread effects of cultures Not all of sociology comes from just one perspective, there are different standpoints, cultures, points of view and voices. Criticisms on classical sociology: 1. Mainly for heterosexual, white, privileged men biased 2. Terms that are important to certain groups are often overlooked 3. When these terms are included, they are often presented in a distorted fashion 4. Essentialism: not all individuals in a category are the same Provisional world: a world that is altogether less sure of itself Changes New approach: postmodernism Global perspective: study of the larger world and each society's place in it. Why? 1. Societies all over the world are increasingly interconnected (Globalisation). 2. Enables us to see that many problems we face here are far worse somewhere else. 3. It is a great way to learn more about ourselves. Globalisation: 1. Shifts borders of economic transactions 2. Expands communications into global networks 3. Fosters a new, widespread global culture 4. Develops new forms of international governance 5. Creates a growing awareness of shared common world problems 6. Fosters a growing sense of risk (World Risk Society) 7. Leads to emergence of 'transnational global actors' who 'network' (Global Citizens) - Sociology consists of many positions: multi-paradigmatic