Week 1: intro to Soc Flashcards
What is Sociology?
Sociology studies social life and social relationships, ranging from small groups to broader societies.
What does Sociology examine?
examines patterns, trends, and processes across society.
what is key to sociology?
critical thinking, or analyzing and evaluating available information to form conclusions based on evidence.
Why is Sociology an “uncomfortable trade”?
Because it disrupts existing power relations and pushes for social change toward greater social equality.
What does “Committing Sociology” mean?
speaking truth to power: giving voice to vulnerable populations and working in and with communities to address social problems and push for change.
what does “truth to power” mean?
the obligation to recognize and act in situations where we must stand up for justice and defend the powerless.
Who was Auguste Comte?
the first to use the term “sociology”. Was the founder of Positivism.
What is Positivism?
A philosophical theory and approach to social science that sees social reality as comprising objective facts and views the research process as value-free. the Ultimate standard for the validity of knowledge is scientific objectivity.
What does “value-free” mean?
The ability of researchers to keep their own personal biases and opinions out of the research that they are conducting.
What did early US-Canadian Sociology center around?
Empirical observation and methodological rigor
what is empirical observation?
The view is that sociology should be based on data gathered from observation rather than abstract object theory.
What is a methodology?
the study of research methods.
what is consensus-focused sociology/structural-functionalism?
A theory that sees society as a complex system of interrelated parts that work together to promote stability and interdependence.
how did C. Wright Mills challenge consensus Sociology?
His call to cultivate a sociological imagination
what is Sociological imagination?
calls us to look at the connections between private troubles and public issues
what is public sociology?
calls us to bring sociology into public discussion and debate.
what is professional sociology?
the main activities that sociologists do in universities and colleges such as research, teaching, presenting, and publishing research.
What is critical sociology?
debating social issues
what is policy sociology:
putting sociological knowledge to use in planning courses of action followed by the government or other institutions.
what is public sociology?
sharing knowledge and debates beyond academia
what are the 4 domains of sociology?
professional, critical, policy, and public
what do critical approaches to sociology acknowledge?
that values impact research at different stages
who was Max Weber?
founder of sociology, recognized the challenge of having value-free sociology when the social world we study is filled with values, ideologies, meanings and ethical issues.
what do many sociologists suggest?
because what we study is value-laden, we must acknowledge the values that underpin our research and influence how it is shared.
