Summary chapter 1
Sociology
= the systematic, sceptical and critical study of the social
= seeing the general in the particular
The architecture of social life: layers of reality
- Cosmic
= vast level of reality and we do not often look at it, but it is important to be aware of
it
- World and globe
= the interconnectedness of the social and cultural across the world
- Social and cultural
= communities, societies, institutions and nation states that have an existence
indepently of us and that have definite structures and symbolic meanings over us and
above us
- Interactional
= the experience of the world in the immediate face-to-face presence and awareness
of others
- Individual
= the inner world
society guides our thoughts and deeds
Social integration
= how they bonded, connected and tied into society
Anomic suicide
= common at times of massive social change and social breakdown
Altruistic suicide
= too much integration
Egoistic suicide
= too little integration
Fatalistic suicide
= too much
Tasks of sociologists:
- Researchers
- Theorist
- Crtitic
- Educator and teacher
- Artists
- Policy shapers
= advising governments and groups of the nature of the social world
, - Commentators and public intellectuals
= providing a social diagnosis of the ills of our time
- Dialogists
- Critical citizen in society
= can all help create a widespread social awareness and what might be called social
thinking
Benefits of the sociological perspective
1. It becomes a way of thinking, a form of consciousness that challenges familiar
understandings of ourselves and of others
we may realise that ideas we have taken for granted are not always true
2. It enables us to assess both the opportunities and the constraints that characterise
our lives
helps us to understand what we are likely and unlikely to accomplish for ourselves
and how we can pursue our goals most effectively
3. It helps us to be active participants in our society
4. It enables us to recognise human differences and human suffering and to confront
challenges of living in a diverse world
Some opening problems with the sociological perspective
1. Sociology is part of a changing world
2. Sociologists are part of what they study
3. Sociological knowledge becomes part of society
The ideas of the world view of the enlightenment
1. Rationality and reason
2. Empiricism (facts and observation)
3. Science
4. Universalism
5. Progress
6. Individualism
7. Toleration
8. Freedom
9. Human nature was uniform
10. Secularism (church)
Positivism
= a means to understand the world based on science
Four changes
1. A new industrial economy: the growth of modern capitalism
2. The growth of cities
3. Political change: control and democracy
individual liberty
individual rights
4. The loss of gemeinschaft: the eclipse of community
gemeinschaft (family)
, gesellschaft (kinship and neighbourhood)
The broad social change
- The digital age (analogue to digital)
- The cyborg age (people are adapted and compelled to live with all manner of
technologies)
- The information age
- The network society
- The virtual age (reality is less direct and mediated through some technology)
Sociology is changing its nature
1. New topics
2. New methods
Summary chapter 2
Theory
= statement how and why specific facts are related
Theoretical perspective
= a basic image that guides thinking and research
Different perspectives
1. Functionalism
= framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts
work together and interconnect often to promote solidarity and stability
social structure
= meaning relatively stable patterns of social behaviour
social function
manifest function
= recognised and intended consequences of any social pattern
latent functions
= consequences that are largely unrecognised and unintended
social dysfunctions
= any social pattern’s undesirable consequences for the operation of society
2. Conflict
= a framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of differences and
inequalities that generate conflict and change
3. Social action
Macro-level orientation
= a focus on broad social structures that characterise society as a whole
Micro-level orientation
= a focus on the emerging meanings of social interaction in specific situations
, Symbolic interactionism
= a theoretical framework that envisages society as the product of the everyday
interactions of people doing things together
Criticism of sociology
1. That sociology mainly have been by men for men and about men
2. That areas of significance to other groups
3. Often been presented in a disorted fashion
Essentialism
= the belief in essences that are similar (pure core)
Feminism
= equality of sexes
Anti-racism
= equality of ethnicities
Queer theory
= equality of sexualities
Post-colonialism and multiculturalism
= equality of cultures
Postmodernism
= recognition of differences
Globalisation
= interconnections across cultures
Global perspective
= the study of the larger world and each society’s place in it
Global perspective enhance sociology
1. Societies the world over are increasingly interconnected
Globalisation
= the increasing interconnectedness of societies
2. A global perspective enables us to see that many human problems we face in Europe
are far more serious elsewhere
3. Thinking globally is also an excellent way to learn more about ourselves
Globalisation:
1. Shifts the borders of economic transactions
2. Expands communications into global networks
3. Fosters a new, widespread ‘global culture’
4. Develops new forms of international governance
5. Creates a growing awareness of shared common world problems
Sociology
= the systematic, sceptical and critical study of the social
= seeing the general in the particular
The architecture of social life: layers of reality
- Cosmic
= vast level of reality and we do not often look at it, but it is important to be aware of
it
- World and globe
= the interconnectedness of the social and cultural across the world
- Social and cultural
= communities, societies, institutions and nation states that have an existence
indepently of us and that have definite structures and symbolic meanings over us and
above us
- Interactional
= the experience of the world in the immediate face-to-face presence and awareness
of others
- Individual
= the inner world
society guides our thoughts and deeds
Social integration
= how they bonded, connected and tied into society
Anomic suicide
= common at times of massive social change and social breakdown
Altruistic suicide
= too much integration
Egoistic suicide
= too little integration
Fatalistic suicide
= too much
Tasks of sociologists:
- Researchers
- Theorist
- Crtitic
- Educator and teacher
- Artists
- Policy shapers
= advising governments and groups of the nature of the social world
, - Commentators and public intellectuals
= providing a social diagnosis of the ills of our time
- Dialogists
- Critical citizen in society
= can all help create a widespread social awareness and what might be called social
thinking
Benefits of the sociological perspective
1. It becomes a way of thinking, a form of consciousness that challenges familiar
understandings of ourselves and of others
we may realise that ideas we have taken for granted are not always true
2. It enables us to assess both the opportunities and the constraints that characterise
our lives
helps us to understand what we are likely and unlikely to accomplish for ourselves
and how we can pursue our goals most effectively
3. It helps us to be active participants in our society
4. It enables us to recognise human differences and human suffering and to confront
challenges of living in a diverse world
Some opening problems with the sociological perspective
1. Sociology is part of a changing world
2. Sociologists are part of what they study
3. Sociological knowledge becomes part of society
The ideas of the world view of the enlightenment
1. Rationality and reason
2. Empiricism (facts and observation)
3. Science
4. Universalism
5. Progress
6. Individualism
7. Toleration
8. Freedom
9. Human nature was uniform
10. Secularism (church)
Positivism
= a means to understand the world based on science
Four changes
1. A new industrial economy: the growth of modern capitalism
2. The growth of cities
3. Political change: control and democracy
individual liberty
individual rights
4. The loss of gemeinschaft: the eclipse of community
gemeinschaft (family)
, gesellschaft (kinship and neighbourhood)
The broad social change
- The digital age (analogue to digital)
- The cyborg age (people are adapted and compelled to live with all manner of
technologies)
- The information age
- The network society
- The virtual age (reality is less direct and mediated through some technology)
Sociology is changing its nature
1. New topics
2. New methods
Summary chapter 2
Theory
= statement how and why specific facts are related
Theoretical perspective
= a basic image that guides thinking and research
Different perspectives
1. Functionalism
= framework for building theory that sees society as a complex system whose parts
work together and interconnect often to promote solidarity and stability
social structure
= meaning relatively stable patterns of social behaviour
social function
manifest function
= recognised and intended consequences of any social pattern
latent functions
= consequences that are largely unrecognised and unintended
social dysfunctions
= any social pattern’s undesirable consequences for the operation of society
2. Conflict
= a framework for building theory that sees society as an arena of differences and
inequalities that generate conflict and change
3. Social action
Macro-level orientation
= a focus on broad social structures that characterise society as a whole
Micro-level orientation
= a focus on the emerging meanings of social interaction in specific situations
, Symbolic interactionism
= a theoretical framework that envisages society as the product of the everyday
interactions of people doing things together
Criticism of sociology
1. That sociology mainly have been by men for men and about men
2. That areas of significance to other groups
3. Often been presented in a disorted fashion
Essentialism
= the belief in essences that are similar (pure core)
Feminism
= equality of sexes
Anti-racism
= equality of ethnicities
Queer theory
= equality of sexualities
Post-colonialism and multiculturalism
= equality of cultures
Postmodernism
= recognition of differences
Globalisation
= interconnections across cultures
Global perspective
= the study of the larger world and each society’s place in it
Global perspective enhance sociology
1. Societies the world over are increasingly interconnected
Globalisation
= the increasing interconnectedness of societies
2. A global perspective enables us to see that many human problems we face in Europe
are far more serious elsewhere
3. Thinking globally is also an excellent way to learn more about ourselves
Globalisation:
1. Shifts the borders of economic transactions
2. Expands communications into global networks
3. Fosters a new, widespread ‘global culture’
4. Develops new forms of international governance
5. Creates a growing awareness of shared common world problems
