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Module 1: understanding sociology Lecture 1A Definition of sociology -

Systematic study of social behaviour of individuals and the behaviour of groups and organizations Sociological perspective: a view of society based on the dynamic relationships between individuals and the larger social network in which we all live Understanding human and group behaviour by focusing on two aspects : 1) people live in social groups and social organizations or “social structure”. (2) phenomenon of “culture” Culture and social structures explain the repetitive patterns of the behaviour of individuals Different: personalities, biologies, self-concepts but SAME behaviour in the social structure Behave differently at different places cause of different norms, rules and cultures Sociology employs scientific method

Charles Wright Mills and the Sociological imagination -

American sociologist Suggested that people who do not, or cannot, recognize the social origins and character of their problems may be unable to respond to them. Failing to appreciate how individuals challenges are influenced by larger social forces diminishes a person ability to understand and resolve them Individual and the social are linked and must understand both Personal troubles: individual challenges Social issues: larger social factors Quality of mind: ability to view personal circumstance within a social context. To improve the quality of mind-> Sociological imagination: ability to understand the dynamic relationship between individual lives and the larger society. Suggested that people who judge other without understanding all of the issues involved may lack quality of mind.-> Cheerful robots: unable or unwilling to see the social world as it truly exists.

Peter Berger: seeing the general in the particular -

Seeing the general in the particular is the ability to look at unique events and recognize it bigger. Must employ the sociological perspective, to appreciate an individual circumstance and broaden your perspective to the larger social patters. Sociologists need to tune their sociological perspective by thinking about what is familiar and seeing it as strange Agency: the assumption that individuals have the ability to alter their socially constructed lives Structure: opportunities and constraints that exist within a network f roles, relationships and patterns that are stable

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Classic structure VS agency debate in social theory ; whether or not individuals behave autonomously or are the expressive agents of the social structure

Gender -

Patriarchy: men control the political and economic resourced of society.

Socioeconomic status -

(SES): combination of variables ( education level, income) used to rank people into a hierarchical structure. Ascribed structure: advantages and disadvantages at birth. Achieved status: status a person has been able to gain through personal attributes and qualities ( grades)

Family structure -

Childrens well being appears to be almost always associated with the household income of their families Higher income= better physical, social/emotional, cognitive, and behavioural well-being

The origins of sociology -

The sophists were the first thinkers to focus their efforts on the human being Socrates and Plate(student) challenged the virtue of being paid for ones knowledge and advocated the necessity of deeper reflection on the human social condition Plato’s the republic: asks what social justice is and what the characteristics of a just individual are. Ibn Khaldun ( 1332-1406) is the first social philosopher working from the sociological perspective 1838: term sociology was coined by Auguste Comte( father of sociology)

Three revolutions: scientific -

Galileo,Newton and Copernicus began to gain wider acceptance Auguste Comte believed that techniques used in the hard sciences to explain the physical world should be applied to the social worl. To understand inner workings of society, one needed to understand how human thinking has changed through time Comte is known for law of 3 stages: how advances of the mind created 3 different types of societies 1st stage: Theological stage ( ancestors to middle ages) -> world and human society as an expression of God’s will and views science as a means to discover god’s intentions. What they could see through the actions of spiritual or supernatural beings?

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2nd stage: metaphysical stage ->understanding of truth and the relationship between mind and matter. Period during which people began to question everything. People tried to experience and understand their world through abstractions such as emotion and beauty 3rd stage: positive stage -> world interpreted through scientific lens; that society would be guided by the rules of observations, experimentation and logic Sociologists today do not support Comte because the idea of three stages is difficult, as it assumes that human thinking is currently as good as it will ever get. The third idea was emerging during Comte’s lifetime is self-serving Comte’s commitment is a positivistic approach. Positivism: theoretical approach that considers all understanding to be based on science. Approaches through 3 primary assumptions 1) There exists an objective and knowable reality: can be understood through observations, experimentation and logic. Reality is objective and beyond individual interpretation or manipulation 2) Since all sciences explore the same, singular reality, over time all sciences will become more alike: discipline and scientific boundaries will fall away as we progress and realize that all science is investigating the same reality. Future will only have on science 3) There is no room in science for value judgments: no good or bad science. Anti positivism: considers knowledge and understanding to be the result of human subjectivity. assumptions: 1) while hard science may be useful for exploring the physical word, the social world cannot be understood solely through number and formulas 2) all sciences will not merge over time and no single methodological approach can reach a complete understanding of our world: need to understand the validate emotions, values and human subjectivity 3) science cannot be separated from our values: Values: cultural assessments that identify something as right, desirable and moral. We choose to study is also a social expression. Quantitative sociology: the study of behaviours that can be measured ( income levels) Qualitative sociology: the study of no measurable, subjective behaviours (effects of divorce)

Three revolutions: Political -

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Machiavelli’s suggests that human behaviour is motivated by self interest and insatiable desire for material gain. This was a controversial time because those who has ascended to power were considered to have done and should be followed. Anyone can be a prince, nobility and power were not a birthright and that one could take power if and when the opportunity presented itself , challenged the establishment of the time John Locke: ideas are not innate and that all knowledge is the result of experience. Belief that people are born as blank slates. Only way to increase our knowledge is to gather more information about the material world through science.

Three revolutions: industrial -

Replaced agricultures as our dominant means of supporting ourselves and families

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Changed every aspect: family structures, how people made a living, peoples thoughts dreams and aspirations. Social change occurring at the time. Moving from an agricultural and rural economy to a capitalist and urban.

Macro sociology -

Study of large scale social organizations and large social categories Studies social processes and patterns in whole societies Perceives social change as slow and persistent Marx, Durkheim, Weber Karl marx: insight into the nature of human relationships. People were forced into competition with others because of the material changes brought about by wealth Max Weber: analysis of how the social world is becoming increasingly rationalized over time.

Microsociology -

Study of processes and patterns of face-to-face interaction between people Studies interpersonal interactions and negotiations that produce stable and continuing.long lasting patters Perceives change as rapid and subtle Mead, Cooley, Blumer Mead: indivudla minf and self as rising out of the social process of communication. Becomes ourelves through social interactions Cooley: people define themselves Symbolic interactions: a perspective asserting that people and societies are defined and created through the interactions of individuals

Four defining features -

Political Geographical and regionalism Canadianization movement Radical nature...