SOC 1100 Lecture Notes PDF

SOC 1100 The Study of Society What is sociology? ► The sociological perspective and social imagination ► Classical and contemporary theories in sociology; a basic overview...

SOC 1100 The Study of Society What is sociology? ► The sociological perspective and social imagination ► Classical and contemporary theories in sociology; a basic overview Assigned Readings 1. Giddens, Anthony, and et al. (2018), Introduction to Sociology (11th Edition), pgs. 3-20. 2. Haralambos, M., Holborn, M., & Heald, R. (2013). Sociology Themes and Perspectives (8th ed.). Pgs. 2-19. Andrew Hicks Department of Sociology Faculty of Social Sciences University of Guyana What is sociology?  The systematic study of human society.  The scientific study of human society and social interactions.  Sociology is the methodological study of social relationships. What is sociology?  The systematic study of the ways in which people are affected by, and affect, the social structures and social processes that are associated with the groups, organizations, cultures, societies, and world in which they exist.  Sociology is the scientific study of social behavior and human groups.  Sociology is the systematic study of the relationship between the individual and society and the consequences of difference.  What is sociology?  “Sociology is the scientific study of human society and social interactions.”  What makes sociology “scientific?” Levels of Understanding Drug Use Personal experience Awareness of friends Systematic study with drug use and associates’ patterns of a random of drug use sample of drug users Purpose of Sociology C. Wright Mills ◼ “the sociological imagination”  allows sociologists to locate personal troubles of individuals within a framework of larger social issues ▪ e.g. Divorce Purpose of Sociology  When we engaged the sociological perspective, we are better able to see the general in the particular (Peter Berger, 1959/1963/2000). ◼ Possible to identify general patterns in the behaviour of particular groups people … Purpose of Sociology  The recognition of causality….  People are split into different categories ◼ men vs. women ◼ rich vs. poor  The categories to which we belong shape our experiences …