Transcript Sociology: Then and Now

List three (3) possible
explanations for this local issue.
FOCUS:
How did the field of sociology
develop?
Who are the early Sociologists?
How are these theories different?
What are some CURRENT theories?
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Industrial Revolution
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Rural
Economy
Changes to
Industrial
Economy
Growth of
Cities
Housing shortages, crime, poverty, different lifestyles
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Interactions used to be based on personal relationships
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Impersonal nature of cities –relationships now based
on work
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How did Sociology Develop?
• Relationships no longer
personal, less helpful,
more anonymous
• People became
frustrated, many were
poor and some were
wealthy
• Political revolutions
developed in this time
period.
• Many also questioned
religious and traditional
explanations of life
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Do Now:
Do you
believe there
is any truth
to this
cartoon?
Explain why
or why not?
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Early Sociology
I was born in
January actually, I
don’t know why
my mom named
me Auguste
Auguste Comte
• 1st to apply research to
study social life
• Focused on Social Order
and Social Change
• Society changes through
social dynamics – the
processes of social order
and social change.
I don’t know
where my hair
stops and my
beard begins?
Herbert Spencer
• Influenced by Charles
Darwin
• Social change and unrest
were natural and led to
stability and perfection
• Believed that no steps
should be taken to correct
problems – best aspects of
society would survive over
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time.
Early Sociology
It is me, Karl. I started
Communism.
Yeah…yeah…I know. It
didn’t work out well.
Karl Marx
• Society structured by
economy
• Two classes: proletariat
(workers) and bourgeoisie
(capitalists)
• Imbalance would lead to
revolution and be primary
cause of social change
• CONFLICT THEORY
Emile Durkheim
• Saw society as interdependent
parts that maintains the system
throughout time
• Viewed these parts as functions
• FUNCTIONALISM
• Believed shared beliefs/values
held society together
• Sociologists should study
features that are observable
and can be tested.
• Suicide Study (handout)
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Verstehen!
Max Weber
• More interested in separate
groups in society
• Focus: effect of SOCIETY on
the INDIVIDUAL
• Should go beyond study of
observations – but uncover
feelings and thoughts of
individuals
• Principle of VERSTEHEN –
understanding meanings
individuals attach to their
actions
Early Sociologists
NO! I am not sneezing!
• See situations through the
eyes of others
• IDEAL TYPE: the essential
characteristics of a feature of
society
• Example: Construct an ideal
school, American, Work
attitude, etc.
• By examining many different
examples of each ideal type
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What are some Current Sociology
Theories?
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Current Perspectives
Functionalist Perspective
• Comte, Spencer, Durkheim
• Society a set of interrelated
parts that work together to
produce a stable society
• Consensus
• Often study: family, education,
crime, etc.
• Not all elements run smoothly
• DYSFUNCTION: negative
consequence for the lack of
stability in society
• Crime – disrupts – not
stabilizes
• There are positive functions
and negative functions
• Each can be either
• MANIFEST or LATENT
• Manifest: intended
consequence
• Latent: unintended
consequence
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Example:
A Manifest function
of a car is to provide
transportation
A Latent function
of a car is to gain
social standing
through a display
of wealth
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Can you list things in society that have
both Manifest and Latent Functions?
In a group of three….brainstorm items, institutions,
etc. that have both Manifest and Latent Functions
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Current Perspectives
Conflict Perspective
• Karl Marx
• People in society who
possess more power in
society control others with
less power
• Study various groups:
women and men, race,
family, employers and
employees, etc.
Competition over scarce
resources (power, wealth)
Group gains control of it –
establish rules and procedures
to keep it
Protect their interests at
expense of other groups
Leads to social conflict – social
change – inevitable in society
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Can you list groups
in society that
illustrate Conflict
Perspective?
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Current Perspectives
Interactionist Perspective
• Functionalists and Conflict
Theorists focus on society in
general or groups
• Interactionists focus on
individuals and their
interaction with each other
• Role of symbols in life
• Symbol: anything that
represents something else
Example: objects, words,
gestures
American flag, salute, a high
five, slang
How people use symbols is
symbolic interaction
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Interactionist Activity
Express the word you were given
without talking
How and when did the field of sociology start?
Who are the early Sociologists?
What is manifest? Latent?
What was Durkheim known for?
What is Functionalism?
What did Comte believe?
What did Weber believe?
What did Spencer believe
What did Marx believe?
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What is Conflict
Perspective?
What is Interactionist
Perspective?
Give an example of a
symbol?
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Homework Assignment: Test Grade
You are a sociologist studying an
issue of your choice.
Find an article about your issue and
in a five (5) paragraph essay look at it
from a :
Functionalist Perspective
Conflict Perspective
Interactionist Perspective
Due: