lesson 1, 2 and 3 Flashcards
Comte
Positivist, need to use positivist to find answers to the new problems brought by the industrial revolution , first defined sociology. Use of positivist science to find social laws
what brought the birth of sociology ?
- Main events for emergence of sociology French revolution and Industrial evolution
Main ideas of Durkheim
Study of social facts and institutions that influence human behavior. Society works like a body. Anomie – disconnection. Functionalism. Preoccupied with cohesion, or solidarity.
* Nature of solidarity changed with the increasing
division of labor
* Too much social change would lead to anomie
Emphasis on balance or homeostasis
He argues that if before industrial revolution people found cohesion in the fact that everyone did the same set of jobs, but now during the times of industrial revolution and with the division of labour nature of cohesion changed and now we must find cohesion in the fact that we need each other to do diffirent types of jobs ( Organic solidarity , solidarity trough differences )
what is functionalism ?
Functionalism tries to understand the complex system of the society and specific functions of different parts of the society , analyze the social patterns while not breaking anything. Society works like a body. Main focus on social cohesion. Maintaining of stability and equilibrium. Disruptions to one part of society can affect the whole system.
Ideas of Marx
- Marx talks about the different interests between the social classes ( its all about the base of the society) , contrary to functionalism he encourages radical changes ( revolution)
- Marx states to that society is not as well structured as functionalists state he states that the society is all about the conflict between the classes
He talks about conflict theory, he interprets the history from a materialist point of view, states that the ideas useful to those in power are what is dominant in society. Marx things that capitalistic system inevitably leads to exploitation and inequality
Ideas of Weber
Ideas and rationality shape society , focuses not only on the economic relation like Marx but rather trying to understand personal perspectives ( much more Hermeneutic)
,,Understanding,,
Weber in is interested how people create meaning in their lives and how ideas shape peoples life.
Interactionist.
* Actor centered approach, social action theory, interactionism
* Explaining rise of capitalism through ideas: Protestant ethic
* Focus on micro-level interaction and meaning-making through use of language and symbols
Herbert Spencer
Social Darwinism- Survival of the fittest. Society
The idea that individuals, groups, or societies compete for resources, and those who are most “fit” will naturally rise to positions of power and success.
Inequalities in wealth, status, or power are viewed as a natural result of competition, reflecting the “fitness” of individuals or groups.
It was used to explain the success of industrialists and capitalist elites as the result of their superior abilities.
Conversely, it often implied that poverty or failure was due to personal or racial inferiority.
* Emphasis on functional differentiation
* Self-regulation society
Functionalism: Talcott Parsons
- Central concern: what keeps societies
together: - the internalization of social rules through
socialization (micro-level) - At the societal (macro-) level, different sub-
systems cooperate to fulfill societal needs
what is internalization of social rules
The internalization of social rules through socialization at the micro-level refers to the process by which individuals learn, adopt, and integrate the norms, values, and behaviors of their society or social group into their own belief systems. This happens primarily through interaction with others in close, personal contexts like families, peer groups, and educational environments.
Robert Merton
Crime is realizing goals promoted by society
through ‘alternative’ available means. Blame
society as well as individuals
* Distinguish between manifest functions, latent
functions, and dysfunctions
what is the diffidence between manifest functions, latent functions, and dysfunctions ?
Manifest Functions:
Definition: These are the intended and explicitly recognized consequences of a social action or institution. They are the primary, obvious purposes for which something is designed.
Example:
Education: The manifest function of schools is to provide knowledge and skills necessary for jobs and social participation.
Laws: The manifest function of traffic laws is to regulate road safety.
Latent Functions:
Definition: These are the unintended and often hidden consequences of a social action or institution. They may not be immediately obvious but still have significant effects.
Example:
Education: Schools also serve as a place for socialization, creating friendships and peer networks (latent function).
Laws: Traffic laws indirectly provide employment opportunities for law enforcement officers (latent function).
Dysfunctions:
Definition: Dysfunctions are the negative consequences or disruptions of a social action or institution that may undermine its intended purpose or harm societal stability.
Example:
Education: Overemphasis on grades may lead to stress and cheating among students (dysfunction).
Laws: Strict traffic laws could cause resentment or lead to conflicts between citizens and authorities (dysfunction).
George Herbert Mead
Key Idea: The self is not innate but develops through social interaction
The “I” and the “Me”:
The "I": The spontaneous, creative, and impulsive aspect of the self. The "Me": The reflective, socialized aspect that considers societal norms and expectations.
Mind as a Social Phenomenon:
Key Idea: The mind arises from social processes and interaction. Thought, according to Mead, is a form of internalized conversation that relies on the use of symbols and language learned in social contexts.
Symbolic Interactionism:
Although Mead did not explicitly use the term, his work laid the foundation for symbolic interactionism. This perspective emphasizes:
The importance of symbols in social life.
The role of interaction in constructing meaning.
How individuals shape and are shaped by society.
Symbolic Interactionism:
Although Mead did not explicitly use the term, his work laid the foundation for symbolic interactionism. This perspective emphasizes:
The importance of symbols in social life.
The role of interaction in constructing meaning.
How individuals shape and are shaped by society.
By imagining how others see us , self develops
What is phenomenology ?
aproach that focuses on understanding the world as it presents itself to actors, how do they make sense of their life world
It is a philosophical and methodological approach that focuses on the direct study and description of human experiences as they are lived, without preconceived theories or assumptions about their causes or nature. It seeks to understand phenomena (events, objects, or experiences) as they appear in consciousness, emphasizing subjective perception and meaning.
- Typification is important is: how do we classify people/ expiriences in daily life ( shes smart, he looks untrutworthhy, they are scary)
Ethnomethodology
Ethnomethodology is a sociological perspective and methodology developed by Harold Garfinkel in the 1960s. It focuses on the everyday methods and practices people use to make sense of, create, and sustain their social reality. Instead of studying broad social structures or systems, ethnomethodology examines how people produce and maintain social order through their interactions.
Ethnomethodology provides a unique lens to understand how social order is not just given but actively constructed by individuals. It highlights the intricate, often unnoticed processes that make social life possible, enriching our understanding of human behavior.
what is intersectionality?
Intersectionality is a framework for understanding how different aspects of a person’s identity—such as race, gender, class, sexuality, ability, and more—intersect and interact to create unique experiences of discrimination, privilege, and oppression. Coined by legal scholar Kimberlé Crenshaw in 1989, the term emphasizes that these overlapping identities cannot be understood in isolation because they collectively shape an individual’s social reality.
feminist sociology
- Intersectionality at play
Feminist sociology is a branch of sociology that examines how gender shapes social structures, relationships, and power dynamics. It focuses on the experiences of women and other marginalized genders, critiques systems of patriarchy and inequality, and advocates for social change to achieve gender equity. Feminist sociology is both a theoretical framework and a methodological approach that prioritizes lived experiences and challenges traditional, male-dominated perspectives in sociology.
Key Principles
Structuralism
- Structuralism assumes the existence of relatively fixed social structures
Structuralism is an intellectual movement and theoretical framework that seeks to understand human culture, society, and behavior by examining the underlying structures that shape them. It originated in the early 20th century and has been influential across disciplines like linguistics, anthropology, psychology, and sociology.
At its core, structuralism focuses on the relationships between elements within a system, rather than the elements themselves. It emphasizes that meaning is derived from these relationships and the rules governing them.
Poststructuralism
claims that such structures are less fixed determining than structuralist thought claimed
Studies how meanings change historically
Giddens
- Giddens- institutions exist as long as we support them ( structuration theory)
- Giddens: structuration theory, People make and remake social structure by either complying with existing structures or by challenging them. Social structures can only exist as long as actors act in accordance with them, making continuity the result of such a process rather than an indication that ‘nothing has happened’. But people can also stop accepting certain structures or authorities
Hunters and gatherers
- little complexity, primitive weapons, little groups, nomadic, family centered, little social inequality
- Bigger groups are hard to sustain
Pastoral/Horicultural
- Temporary settlement, having cattle, primitive hand tools , small settlements , family centered, increasing social inequality , more task differentiation
Agrarian society
More complex technology: use animal power, later water and wind power
* More complex society with bigger population
* Birth of first cities
* No longer family center, increased job and functional differentiation, birth of government
* No way back( too many people)
Traditional civilizations : Chinese empire, Aztecs, Maya, Romans
- Larger cities
- Writing
- Conquest
- High level of inequality/ hierarchy
Industrial revolution
- Complex technology
- More complex populous society types
- Massive rural exodus
- Functional differentiation
- Industrialization requested transportation and communication in long distances
- Increased standartialisation in society
- Europe central
