Summary
Lecture 1
Why a course in sociology ? ● Understand what sociology entails.
● Develop a sociological view
● Learn to look at contemporary society with this sociological view
Differences with ● A) Type of problem
psychology → Psychology states the problem at the individual level.
→ Sociology states problems at societal level.
● B) Type of explanation
→ Psychology gives individual explanation ( Psyche)
→ Sociology gives a social explanation
Emile Durkheim ● Says we want to belong to a group. Types of suicide , the most individual act
imaginable, but he see’s it by being strongly influenced by society ( integration
and regulation).
● Margaret thatcher: ‘ there is no such thing as society: there are individual men
and women , and there are families.’ believed in independent responsibility.
( even though most people seem to do the same kind of things which suggest
societal behaviors).
,Sociology ● Tries to explore the systematic human society.
● Explores human patterns of thinking, feeling and social action.
● Tries to see the particular in the general
● Pro’s and con’s of sociology:
→ Debunking: not everything we think is true. Sociologists like to look at
all kinds of standard ideas of how we do things and ask ourselves is that
normal.
→ Understanding: better understanding of the situation we’re in ( and
why).
→ Empowering: shows disadvantage for certain groups. Which can be
mobilising( e.i cause change).
→ Recognition: recognising behaviors.
→ Changes: everything always changes.
→ Distance and closeness: sociologists are people too and need to keep a
distance in order to get an objective view.
→ Sociology is everything you see around you in society.
Durkheim : the individual ● Man is double, you have the individual being and a social being. In so far as he
in mass society belongs to society, the individual transcends himself. The things you are a part
of continue to exist without you.
1
,What is sociology ? ● Interaction between people.
● Analyse and study society, the way people live together and everything that
happens in society raise questions for sociologists.
● Looking for the general elements in social behavior
→ Categorize individuals ( based on general elements of behavior)
→ Looking for similarities and differences between these categories.
→ Solving riddles or dilemma’s. For example: Why collective goods when
everybody strives for their own pleasures.
→ Improve society and social interaction : Malleable society- e.i the fact that
we are capable of using rules, regulations and laws to make society the way
we want to. By understanding problems we might be able to help them.
● Conclusion: there are many definitions for sociology but the most
straightforward one is the “ science of society “ - a) science B. Society
( societal problems).
Social problems vs ● The most famous distinction is by C. W Mills in ‘ The sociological imagination’
personal troubles ( C. W . when 3 out of 300 are unemployed= personal, But if 100/300 unemployed=
Mills) societal. This can still seem vague to some, it could still be a lot of personal
troubles.
● Examples of social/ society problems : delinquency, terrorism,migration, self-
enrichment, poverty, divorce extreme-right voting.
● Sociological problems: logical and objective. ( not every sociological problem
Sociological vs Social has to be a social problem)
problems ● Social problems: problems relating to the issue of valuation: “it is bad that
people ..” or issue of action- something should be done.
→ A social problem usually becomes a sociological problem)
2
, ● Sociologists say what everybody already knows, in such a way that nobody
Sociology= common sense understands it anymore.
● Sociology vs common sense: zygmunt bauman differentiates between the two
● Zygmun bauman: sociology vs common sense
→ 1. Responsible speech ( rules of responsible arguments) if we say
something as an academic it has to be a responsible argument.
→ 2. Size of field: transcending your own social world. I.e not just
discussing matters that affect you.
→ 3. Making sense: explaining and interpreting human behavior by looking
at the different figurations and institutions which people are embedded in.
→ 4. Defamiliarize: the ability to discuss/question the familiar and the
obvious.
Sociology in human ● Human life and language is constantly changing. Same behavior has a different
language perspective.
Sociology: 3 levels ● Micro: Family and friends.
● Meso: Office and university.
● Macro: Government and country.
● And there are interactions between the three levels.
Key questions of 1. Social inequality: to what extent are scarce resources unequally distributed.
sociology 2. Social cohesion: to what extent do members of society live peacefully
together?
3. Rationalization ( or culture): to what extent is a society rationalized?
3
Lecture 1
Why a course in sociology ? ● Understand what sociology entails.
● Develop a sociological view
● Learn to look at contemporary society with this sociological view
Differences with ● A) Type of problem
psychology → Psychology states the problem at the individual level.
→ Sociology states problems at societal level.
● B) Type of explanation
→ Psychology gives individual explanation ( Psyche)
→ Sociology gives a social explanation
Emile Durkheim ● Says we want to belong to a group. Types of suicide , the most individual act
imaginable, but he see’s it by being strongly influenced by society ( integration
and regulation).
● Margaret thatcher: ‘ there is no such thing as society: there are individual men
and women , and there are families.’ believed in independent responsibility.
( even though most people seem to do the same kind of things which suggest
societal behaviors).
,Sociology ● Tries to explore the systematic human society.
● Explores human patterns of thinking, feeling and social action.
● Tries to see the particular in the general
● Pro’s and con’s of sociology:
→ Debunking: not everything we think is true. Sociologists like to look at
all kinds of standard ideas of how we do things and ask ourselves is that
normal.
→ Understanding: better understanding of the situation we’re in ( and
why).
→ Empowering: shows disadvantage for certain groups. Which can be
mobilising( e.i cause change).
→ Recognition: recognising behaviors.
→ Changes: everything always changes.
→ Distance and closeness: sociologists are people too and need to keep a
distance in order to get an objective view.
→ Sociology is everything you see around you in society.
Durkheim : the individual ● Man is double, you have the individual being and a social being. In so far as he
in mass society belongs to society, the individual transcends himself. The things you are a part
of continue to exist without you.
1
,What is sociology ? ● Interaction between people.
● Analyse and study society, the way people live together and everything that
happens in society raise questions for sociologists.
● Looking for the general elements in social behavior
→ Categorize individuals ( based on general elements of behavior)
→ Looking for similarities and differences between these categories.
→ Solving riddles or dilemma’s. For example: Why collective goods when
everybody strives for their own pleasures.
→ Improve society and social interaction : Malleable society- e.i the fact that
we are capable of using rules, regulations and laws to make society the way
we want to. By understanding problems we might be able to help them.
● Conclusion: there are many definitions for sociology but the most
straightforward one is the “ science of society “ - a) science B. Society
( societal problems).
Social problems vs ● The most famous distinction is by C. W Mills in ‘ The sociological imagination’
personal troubles ( C. W . when 3 out of 300 are unemployed= personal, But if 100/300 unemployed=
Mills) societal. This can still seem vague to some, it could still be a lot of personal
troubles.
● Examples of social/ society problems : delinquency, terrorism,migration, self-
enrichment, poverty, divorce extreme-right voting.
● Sociological problems: logical and objective. ( not every sociological problem
Sociological vs Social has to be a social problem)
problems ● Social problems: problems relating to the issue of valuation: “it is bad that
people ..” or issue of action- something should be done.
→ A social problem usually becomes a sociological problem)
2
, ● Sociologists say what everybody already knows, in such a way that nobody
Sociology= common sense understands it anymore.
● Sociology vs common sense: zygmunt bauman differentiates between the two
● Zygmun bauman: sociology vs common sense
→ 1. Responsible speech ( rules of responsible arguments) if we say
something as an academic it has to be a responsible argument.
→ 2. Size of field: transcending your own social world. I.e not just
discussing matters that affect you.
→ 3. Making sense: explaining and interpreting human behavior by looking
at the different figurations and institutions which people are embedded in.
→ 4. Defamiliarize: the ability to discuss/question the familiar and the
obvious.
Sociology in human ● Human life and language is constantly changing. Same behavior has a different
language perspective.
Sociology: 3 levels ● Micro: Family and friends.
● Meso: Office and university.
● Macro: Government and country.
● And there are interactions between the three levels.
Key questions of 1. Social inequality: to what extent are scarce resources unequally distributed.
sociology 2. Social cohesion: to what extent do members of society live peacefully
together?
3. Rationalization ( or culture): to what extent is a society rationalized?
3
