Overview of Sociology
• “The systematic
study of human
social life, groups
and societies”
(HSP textbook)
• Covers almost
anything that
involves people
For Example:
MACRO SOCIOLOGY (BIG STUFF)
MICRO SOCIOLOGY (SMALL STUFF)
POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES
ORIGINS OF SOCIOLOGY
ECONOMICS
AGENTS OF SOCIALIZATION
CRIME & JUSTICE
THEORIES OF SOCIALIZATION
GOVERNMENT
EUTHANASIA
MILITARY
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
HEALTH CARE
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
EDUCATION
LEGALIZATION / DECRIMINALIZATION OF
DRUGS
RELIGION
GERENTOLOGY
DEMOGRAPHICS
THE ROLE OF THE MEDIA
GLOBALIZATION
FACTORS AFFECTING GROUP BEHAVIOUR
(PRIMARY & SECONDARY)
PREDJUDICE & DISCRIMINATION
Macrosociology
Macrosociology studies large-scale social
structures in order to determine how they affect
the lives of groups and individuals.
Political Ideologies- Communism vs Capitalism, etc
Microsociology
Microsociology studies face-to-face and smallgroup interactions in order to understand how
they affect the larger patterns and institutions of
society.
Situational determinants- how crowds influence
individual behaviour
Example of Sociological Macro-analysis
•
Sociologist Christine Williams
from U of Texas took a macrolevel approach to studying
women in male-dominated
occupations and men in
female-dominated
occupations.
•
Women in male-dominated
positions faced limits on their
advancement (the glass
ceiling), while men in femaledominated positions
experienced rapid rates of
advancement (the glass
escalator).
Example of Sociological Micro-analysis
•
Pam Fishman of UCSB took a
micro-level approach to
studying issues of power in
male–female relationships.
•
She found that in
conversation, women ask
nearly three times as many
questions as men do
The Origins of Sociology
• Industrial revolution
• Late 1800’s
• Urbanization
• Population intensification =
Societal problems
• “Can’t we all just get along”
• Sociology is political…
Schools of thought in Sociology (5)
1. Structural-Functionalism: Societies need
certain things to function (education,
reproduction, socializing, certain goods).
Societies set up structures to perform these
needed functions.
2. Neo-Marxism: Economic power = political
power. To understand society look at the
economy and the great differences in power
created by $$$.
3. Symbolic Interactionism: Structures in society
don’t need to be studied, it is all individual.
We need to look at the individual mind and
motivations to understand society.
Schools of thought in Sociology Con’t
4. Feminist Theory: The key to understanding society is
studying gender inequality. Most structures in society
are sexist and need to be reformed. Historically
women’s work has been undervalued.
5. Inclusionism: You cannot study society by looking
through the eyes of the majority (ie. white males in
N.Am.). You have to recognize the experiences of all
ethnic minorities in order to understand societies.
Sociology
Groups
Institutions
Functionalist Theory on Institutions:
- Institutions serve the basic needs of a society & contribute to
the common good
- Like parts of a body (heart, lungs, stomach…) each part
contributes to healthy functioning of others & overall health
Conflict Theory on Institutions:
- Over time institutions have come to serve the needs of the
few-the wealthy of course
- Wealthy control major corporations, they finance political
parties in order to get their interests into law…