Module 1 - Introduction PDF

WELCOME! 1 SOCI 201 - Introduction to Sociology Dr. Gbenga Adejare Department of Sociology Faculty of Art What Do Sociologists Do? Sociologists interrogate social patterns: They recognize that our personal experiences are...

WELCOME! 1 SOCI 201 - Introduction to Sociology Dr. Gbenga Adejare Department of Sociology Faculty of Art What Do Sociologists Do? Sociologists interrogate social patterns: They recognize that our personal experiences are affected by our social location (sex, age, class, ethnicity, “race,” religion, and sexual orientation). They investigate and challenge the social patterns that other people perceive, for example, that all male nurses are gay (e.g., Meet the Parents movie). Sociology and Issues Sociologists discuss social issues Sociological research enables us to discuss social issues, such as the legalization of marijuana, in an informed and critical manner It helps us understand how socializing influences shape our opinions It allows us to challenge perceptions such as stereotypes What is Sociology Sociology is difficult to define. It is more productive to explain what sociology does than what it is. Sociology involves looking for and looking at social patterns in Social variables, such as age, gender, “race,” ethnicity, religion, ability, and sexual orientations. Social institutions such as education, religion, and the family Social interactions. Sociology and Related Disciplines Sociology as a social science… Sociology has a lot in common with other social sciences such as anthropology, economics, history, psychology, philosophy and political science It adopts methods used in social sciences Sociology and Related Disciplines Cont’d Why Study Sociology? Studying sociology helps you gain a greater understanding of: The social world (i.e. social practices, attitudes, institutions) Yourself (how you relate to pattern of social behaviour) Others in multicultural and diverse social world across Canada, and the world at large. Worlds of nations and their social institutions  The Sociological Imagination C. Wright Mills coined the term sociological imagination. Society, not the individual is the primary focus The sociological imagination allows us to understand individuals’ circumstances as shaped by social forces The sociological imagination helps us to understand the connections between the political and the personal. In many ways, these are interlinked Source: Canadian Dimension  Origins of Sociology Abd al-Rahman Ibn Khaldun(1332– 1406), a North-African born Southern Arabian scholar. He was the first scholar to carry out a systematic study of sociological subjects due to his experience as a refugee in Spain Source: Britannica (Britannica, 2023) In his book An Introduction to History, he developed a systematic approach to studying various types of societies and their histories, cultures, and economies Khaldûn discovered that as societies become more affluent, they also become more soft and senile and fall into demise The Development of Sociology in Europe Sociology emerged as an area of academic interest in France, Germany, and Britain during the 19th century It developed as a response to dramatic social changes such as: Industrialization (that took place within an estimated period of 1760 to 1840) The French Revolution of late 18th century The American Revolution (1765 – 1791) Urbanization Demographic surge – increase in population Max Weber: A Founder of Modern Sociology German sociologist Weber explored how a set of values embodied in early Protestantism, specifically the Protestant (work) ethic led to the development of modern capitalism However, there is no sociological evidence that capitalism developed primarily in Protestant countries or that other religions do not display a similar work ethic Latin American scholars argue that capitalism is rooted in colonialism and colonial exploitation The Spread of Sociology to North America Sociology emerged in North America during the late 19th/early 20th century North American sociologists sought to understand rapid social changes linked to European immigration The University of Chicago’s sociology department founded in 1892 is the first sociology department in North America In the 1920s and 1930s, the “Chicago School” produced several prominent sociologists, such as Robert Park, Ernest Burgess, Everett C. Hughes, George Herbert Mead, Edwin Sutherland, and Jane Addams. The Development of Canadian Sociology, cont’d In Canada, the first sociology department was founded in 1922 by Carl Addington Dawson at McGill University At the same time, the sociological tradition of political economy emerged at the University of Toronto, Harold Innis was a pioneer in this field Samuels Delbert Clark made significant contributions to the development of sociology in Canada, he is considered a “sociological historian” Social Class and Ethnicity: John Porter John Porter (1921–1979) Examined the relationship between social class and ethnicity Coined the term vertical mosaic to describe hierarchical stratification of racial, ethnic, and religious groups due to systemic discrimination Porter found that Anglo-Saxon Protestants occupied the top of the hierarchy, followed by French-Canadians while racially marginalized groups concentrate at the bottom of the hierarchy Early Women Sociologists and the Writing of gender in Canada Annie Marie MacLean (1870–1934) First Canadian woman to obtain a PhD in sociology (University of Chicago) She pioneered the sociological study of working women Aileen Ross (1902–1995) First woman hired as a sociologist at a Canadian university (University of Toronto) She completed the first study of homeless women in Canada Helen C. Abell (1917–2005) Founder of rural sociology in Canada The Growth of Sociology in Canada Sociology did not become a significant area of study in Canada until the 1960s and 1970s Most sociologists during this period were hired from the United States and Britain and sociology textbooks lacked Canadian perspectives This led to a push to Canadianize sociology textbooks Today most introductory sociology textbooks are Canadian in origin; however, there is still an underrepresentation of Indigenous sociologists in these books Different Kinds of Sociology Sociology as a discipline did not develop uniformly, but diversified into different schools, for example: Sociology by Approach is the traditional way of representing different kinds of sociology used by sociologists to pursue their inquiries: Structural functionalism Conflict theory Symbolic interaction Feminist theory Postmodern theory Different Kinds of Sociology, cont’d Macrosociology Focuses on the “big picture” of society and its institutions E.g., structural functionalism, conflict theory, feminist theory, postmodern theory Microsociology Focuses on the plans, motivations, and actions of individuals and small groups E.g., symbolic interactionism Structural Functionalism Key representatives: Émile Durkheim, Robert Merton, and Talcott Parsons Uses an organic or biological analogy for society Identifies the various structures of society (e.g., the family), and describes the functions the structure performs to maintain the entire social system and produce social cohesion Focuses on explaining social forms and their contributions to social cohesion over conflict and social change This approach has fallen out of favour amongst most practising sociologists for many reasons. One is that it has failed to capture or explain how conflicts can be addressed. Durkheim and Social Facts Émile Durkheim (1858–1917) One of the founders of sociology, coined the term social fact. Simply put, social facts are social, meaning: Social facts are patterned ways of acting, thinking, and feeling that exist outside of any one individual but exert social control over people Social facts allow sociologists to examine larger social forms rather than focusing on individuals Source: Twitter Images Durkheim and Social Facts, cont’d Every social fact has three essential characteristics: 1. It was developed prior to and separate from you as an individual 2. It can be seen as a characteristic of a particular group 3. It exerts a constraining or coercing force that pushes individuals into acting in a particular way  Merton’s Manifest and Latent Functions Robert K. Merton (1910–2003) was a major contributor to functionalist thinking, he identified three types of functions: Manifest Functions: intended and readily recognized E.g., Religion fulfills spiritual and emotional needs Latent Functions: unintended and unrecognized E.g., Religion creates a support network Source: Revise Sociology Latent Dysfunctions: unintended and produce socially negative consequences E.g., Religion provides justification for judging outsiders negatively  Conflict Theory Is based on the idea that conflict exists in all large societies due to class division and is the motor of major socio-historical change Conflict theory is based on the four C’s Conflict: exists in all large societies Class: has existed in every society Contestation: functions can be contested by asking “What group does this function best serve?” Change: society either will or should be changed  Conflict Theory, cont’d Karl Marx (1818–1883) is a major figure in the early history of sociology. He believed that: Society is a hierarchy and each group’s position in the hierarchy is determined by the group’s role in production of wealth Marx saw conflict between the bourgeoisie (the capitalists) and the proletariat (the workers), which would initiate a socialist revolution that would produce an egalitarian (classless) society Marx’s insights about class conflict and capitalist Marxists Internet Archive production are still valid and conflict theory found new applications in feminist sociology, queer theory, anti- colonialism, and other critical sociology approaches Symbolic Interactionism Herbert Blumer (1900–1987) Coined the term symbolic interaction Individuals and groups create and maintain social systems through interaction George Herbert Mead (1863–1931) Examined socialization, the development of the (social) self, and social roles in the context of human interaction Symbolic Interactionism, cont’d Erving Goffman (1922–1982) Canadian sociologist Coined the term total institution (e.g., prisons, boarding schools, concentration camps), which seeks to regulate, control, and manipulate its residents Source: Google Images Symbolic Interactionism, cont’d The symbolic interactionist approach looks at the meaning (the symbolic part) of the daily social interactions of individuals Focuses on individuals and small groups and their everyday practices and interactions rather than larger social structures (macrosociology versus microsociology) Symbolic Interactionism: Thomas Theorem Thomas and Thomas in their work on the child in America (1928, p. 572) developed the well-known symbolic interactionist theorem, “if men define Thomas Theorem. situations as real, they are real in their The theorem emphasizes the consequences” subjectivity of human interpretations and the objectivity of the consequences of such interpretations Dorothy Smith: Standpoint Theory Standpoint theory both qualifies for interpretive theory and feminist theory It was developed out of Dorothy’s experience of discrimination in the academic community It challenges objective analysis things Knowledge is always developed from a particular standpoint or lived experience The everyday experiences and the female standpoint were largely ignored in (sociological) knowledge developed from the male standpoint  Feminist Theory Rooted in conflict theory Feminist theories address issues of systematic discrimination against women Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797) is arguably one of the first feminist analysts in western Europe Harriet Martineau (1802–1876) is one of the first sociologists to systematically examine women’s roles in society  Feminist Theory, cont’d Feminism “Waves” First wave: campaign for civil and political rights rights to vote and hold political office (1900) Second wave: focus on public and private rights fight for equality in the home and in the workplace (1960s) Third wave: inclusion of LGBTI and racialized individuals (1980s) Today the feminist movement is drawing attention to issues such as sexual harassment and violence, online bullying and shaming and media representations of women Postmodern Theory Postmodern theory seeks to include a diversity of voices, especially those that are often drowned out by powerful voice of dominant groups (white, heterosexual, middle and upper-class men) Postmodern theorists advocate for meta-narratives (multiple stories) constructed by people that represent/symbolize their social realities.  Postmodern Theory, cont’d Michel Foucault (1926–1984) Discourses: distinct ways of speaking about some element of reality Totalitarian: describes a set of beliefs or ideas that dominates (“totally”) all others Totalitarian discourse: refers to any universal claim about how Source: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy knowledge or understanding is achieved. Sociology by Audience Sociology as a discipline can also be categorized based on the audience for whom the work is intended: Professional sociology Critical sociology Policy sociology Public sociology (Michael Burawoy 2004) Professional Sociology Research designed to generate highly specific information, often with the aim of applying it to a particular problem or intellectual question Written in highly technical and specialized language Audience: academic and professional readers Critical Sociology Considered by Michael Burawoy (2004) to be the “conscience of professional sociology” Aims to make sure that professional sociologists do not become so lost in esoteric debates that they lose sight of the goals of sociological inquiry (bring about meaningful social change) Example: Michel Foucault and Dorothy Smith Audience: academic and professional readers Policy Sociology Generates sociological data to be used in the development of social policies, laws, rules or plans The three main areas served by this type of sociology are education, health, and social welfare (however, these are not the only ones) Audience: governments and corporations Public Sociology, cont’d The role of public sociologists is to make sociology accessible to the public through the use of jargon-free language Example: C. Wright Mills Audience: those outside of the discipline and the political establishment Conclusion The field of sociology Sociology is hard to is broad – it covers all define – the main aspects of human focus is group life. interactions Sociology is distinct Everyone can benefit but interconnects from sociological with other fields of knowledge. study.  Optional Introductory Reflection Reflect on an issue that is personally important to you (e.g., corruption, bullying, lack of employment) and highlight on how this “personal” issue becomes a social problem by examining the structural and social forces in our society.