CAPE® SOCIOLOGY
UNIT 1
INTRODUCTION
LESSON 1
Directed by
REMONE L. FOSTER, LL.B
ABOUT CAPE® SOCIOLOGY UNIT 1
• CAPE ® Sociology Unit 1 is divided into three (3) Modules:
Module 1: The Sociological Perspective
Module 2: Social Institutions: Family, Religion and Education
Module 3: Social Stratification (Social Mobility)
• Assessment:
Paper 01 – 45 Multiple Choice Questions – 15 questions per Module (90 mins) – 30%
Paper 02 – 3 Compulsory Essay Questions – 1 Question per Module (2½ hours) – 50%
School Based Assessment (Internal Assessment) – 20%
(Another lesson will focus exclusively on answering MCQs and writing responses to EQs)
What the Examiners want?
Knowledge – Have knowledge or understanding of the various concepts and theories
Synthesis and Evaluation – present this knowledge in a coherent and logical manner
Applicability – apply the concepts and theories to various sociological issues
RECOMMENDED LIST
Essential
• CAPE® Sociology Syllabus – download the latest version of the syllabus
Textbooks
• Sociology for Caribbean Students – Nasser Mustapha - Preferred
• Sociology for CAPE® Examination – Jennifer Mohammad
Study Guides specifically for Exam Preparation
• Foster’s CAPE® Sociology Multiple Choice Questions & Answers
• Foster’s CAPE® Sociology Essay Questions & Answers – available Jan. 2021
When in Doubt:
• Google
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to answer the following
questions:
• What is Sociology?
• Who are the founding fathers of Sociology?
• How did Sociology develop to become a discipline?
• Discuss the factors that led to the development of Sociology in the
Caribbean?
• Identify a few prominent Caribbean Sociologists.
• Differentiate Sociology from other social disciplines.
• Recognize key concepts in Sociology.
WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?
• Sociology is the systematic study of society (Macionis and Plummer, 2005).
• It is the study of human society and social interactions and is, therefore, concerned with the
interactions of humans and the meaning they attach to these interactions.
• The founding father of sociology is the French philosopher, Auguste Comte (1798-1857) and he
was the first to use the term “sociology” in 1838.
• Comte referred to sociology as the scientific study of society and argued that all societies develop
and progress through three (3) stages: religious, metaphysical (being philosophical), and scientific.
• Sociology is an important social discipline because:
(a) it allows for the investigation of the influence of social forces on human behaviours;
(b) it helps the individual to understand human society and how social systems, structures and
institutions works;
(c) it looks beyond common sense to understand human actions and interactions;
(d) it allows for critical thinking about social issues and problems;
DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIOLOGY
AS A DISCIPLINE
• Sociology is considered one of the main social disciplines.
• A social discipline is a branch of social science that deals with human
behavior. Other examples of social discipline are anthropology,
psychology, political science, economics and history.
• Sociology tends to overlap with these social disciplines because they
all deal, in some way, with human actions, behaviours and
interactions. Additionally, they all want to explain why society
operates the way it does.
FACTORS THAT LED TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF
SOCIOLOGY AS A DISCIPLINE
• Sociology developed in response to the changes occurring in European society in the late 18 th
Century and early 19th Century (1800s).
• The factors that led to the development of sociology as a discipline were:
(a) The French Revolution (1789-1799) (the changes in European concept of liberty)
(b) The Enlightenment (led to new ideas of government, constitutions, removal of the monarchies)
(c) The Industrial Revolution
• Had the greatest effect on the development of sociology
• Led to massive relocation of people from country sides to cities (urbanization)
• Led to changes in the consumption patterns of European people
• Led to the development of factories, banks, ports etc
• Led to new social problems – unemployment, migration, poverty etc.
(d) Secularization in Europe
• Moving away from the Roman Catholic Church
• Adopting scientific methods and explanations
(e) The forefathers of the discipline
FOREFATHERS OF SOCIOLOGY
• Although Auguste Comte is considered the “founding father” of Sociology,
he is not among the three major founding fathers. These three are:
(i) Emile Durkheim (1858-1917);
(ii) Karl Marx (1818-1883); and
(iii) Max Weber (1864-1920).
However, Auguste Comte is important to consider for his role in the
development of sociology as a discipline. These being:
• coined the term of sociology;
• developed positivism (the belief that sociology can be studied as a science);
• paved the way for the functionalist perspective – which was eventually developed by
Durkheim
EMILE
DURKHEIM
CONTRIBUTIONS BY DURKHEIM
• Developed the consensus perspective (functionalism) – This is the position that everything exists in society
for the purpose of benefiting society – will expand on functionalism in Lesson 2
• Relied heavily on Auguste Comte work on positivism because he also believed that society can be
scientifically studied
• Became the first sociologists to employ science in the study of society
• Used science to study Suicide – He examined official statistics and made comparative studies of suicide
statistics from various studies – concluded that people commit suicide due to various social factors.\
• Employs the Macro approach in the study of society – This is the position that people are powerless and are
shaped by the social institutions and forces around them – people are just puppets of society – will expand on
marco approach in Lesson 2
KARL MARX
• father of Marxism - conflict perspective – The
position that capitalist society is shaped by class
struggles between the ruling class and the working
class – will expand in Lesson 2
• Developed the concept of bourgeoisie (the capitalists
or ruling class) and the proletariat (the working class)
• consider the economic changes in society – caused by
the Industrial Revolution and how it developed the
capitalist class
• Expands on the problems caused by capitalism;
• Used the macro approach
MAX
WEBER
CONTRIBUTIONS OF MAX WEBER
• Relied on the economic views of Marx but developed the Interactionism perspective – the
position that society is determine by human interactions and interpretations.
• Did not agree with positivism - believed that society cannot truly be scientifically studies
• Formed the view that interaction and meaning attached to things of importance
• Used the micro approach, i.e. people have the ability to shape society – did not agree that
social institutions shape people. Instead, it is people who shape social institutions – will
expand in Lesson 2
• Focused a great deal on social change – In his book, the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit
of Capitalism, he argued that society underwent a revolutionary transformation moving
from ancient slavery to capitalism. He accounted this change to changing values and the
spread of Protestantism – gives a religious undertone.
Development of Sociology in the Caribbean
The development of sociology in the Caribbean was influenced by
• The history of the region (such legacies as slavery, emancipation, indentureship,
colonialism and independence have shaped the social institutions and structures of the
region)
• The influence of major sociological perspectives such as functionalism, Marxism and
interactionism have assisted Caribbean sociologists to better understand social changes in
the region. Caribbean sociologist draw reference from these theories to develop an
understanding of Caribbean society. For example, M.G. Smith (1965) relied heavily on
the Conflict perspective to develop the plural society thesis. Also, Kamau Braithwaite
(1971) relied heavily on the consensus perspective to develop the Creole society thesis.
• The economic changes of the Caribbean (the move from an agricultural economy to a
manufacturing one – led to changes in stratification, mobility and the occupational
changes)
• Political reforms in the region (pre and post independence era)
• the work of pioneers in the field
MAJOR CARIBBEAN THEORISTS
• M.G. Smith – the Plural Society Thesis
• Kamau Braithwaite – The Creole Society Thesis
• Edith Clarke – The Development of Afro-Caribbean families
• Lloyd Braithwaite – the Stratification System in the Caribbean
• Dereck Gordon – Social Stratification and Social Mobility in Jamaica
• Carl Stone – The Class Society
• Raymond Smith – The impact of Plantation Slavery on Families
These are just a few Caribbean sociologists and you will learn their
various contributions to Caribbean sociology over time.
IMPORTANT CONCEPTS
Sociological Imagination
• Coined by the American sociologist C. Wright Mills
• It is the ability to shift from one perspective to another
• The ability to see things socially and how they interact and influence each
other.
• The ability to see the relationship between individual experiences and the
larger society.
Sociological perspective
• Coined by Sociologist Peter Berger
• Invites sociologists to look at familiar surroundings in a fresh way
• Emphasizes that our social backgrounds influence our attitudes, behaviors, and
life chances.
PRACTICE MCQs
The concept of Sociology was first used by
(A)Emile Durkheim
(B) Auguste Comte
(C) Max Weber
(D)Karl Marx
Which of the following contributed to the development of Sociology as
a discipline?
I. The Haitian Revolution
II. The French Revolution
III. The American Revolution
IV. The Russian Revolution
(A)I and II only
(B) II only
(C) II and III only
(D)I, II, III and IV
The idea that society can be studied scientifically was first posited by
(A) Emile Durkheim
(B) Auguste Comte
(C) Herbert Spencer
(D) Max Weber
The first sociologists to develop, apply and carry out a scienfic study on a
social issue was
(A) Emile Durkheim
(B) Auguste Comte
(C) Herbert Spencer
(D) Max Weber
All of the following persons contributed to the development of
sociology in the Caribbean EXCEPT
(A)Anthony Giddens
(B) M.G. Smith
(C) Rex Nettleford
(D)R.T. Smith
ESSAY QUESTIONS
• Assess the various factors that led to the development of Sociology as
a discipline. [25 marks]
• It is mainly the historical experiences of Caribbean people that shaped
the development of sociology in the region. [25 marks]
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