SOCIOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
Augusto Comte (1798-1857)
● science whose object is society:
➔ rigorous, systematic student
➔ natural sciences vs. social sciences
➔ the subject matter is very diverse: religion, gender and racial stratification,
social processes (revolution, group formation…), social institutions
(corporations, family…), etc.
➔ social forces mold us
Molded by society: the stranger
´ξένος (xénos) = stranger, guest
● “an adult individual of our time and civilization who tries to permanently be accepted
or at least tolerated by the group he approaches” (immigrant, student, freshman,
rookie…)
Thinking as usual
Recipes, schemes of interpretation and assumptions:
➢ social life will continue to be the same as it has been so far.
➢ we may rely on the knowledge handed down to us.
➢ ordinarily, it is sufficient to know something about the general type of situation.
➢ recipes and schemes are not a private affair.
Crisis
“natural conception of the word” is not natural.
● two stages of knowledge, passive and active, like in language
➔ individuals, not performers of typical functions: pseudo-intimacy,
pseudo-anonimity and pseudo-typicality
● stranger´s “objectivity” and doubtful loyalty
The sociological perspective
“seeing the general in the particular” (P. berger)
● new eyes: look for the general patterns in our individual actions
“suicide” (Durkheim)
● men, protestants, wealthy people, unmarried people
● social integration
➔ strong social ties vs. individualistic life
➔ social causes of experiences of “inner loneliness” and “anxiety”
● division of labor and happiness
, 1. Origins of sociology (19th century)
Striking changes:
● industrial revolution: labor force working in factories
● urban growth: new, impersonal social world
● political change: french and american revolutions, decline of the idea that social order
is ruled by God.
Other factors: positivism
● three stages of society: theological, metaphysical and scientific
● positive facts, not speculations
● search for invariant laws
2. Concerns
Classical problems: origin and formation of capitalism, experience and social consequences
of urbanization, modernity and social progress…
Beyond the classical problems: totalitarianism, identity politics, environmental crisis…
3. Empirical research
Limitations:
● complexity of human behavior, interference with the observed subjects, change in
social patterns, difficulty to stay neutral and also to enter the “worlds” of meaning.
Looking for cause and effect: beware of spurious correlations
Surveys, participant observations, existing sources… quantitative vs. qualitative methods
4. Three major approaches
Structural-functional approach
● society as a complex, interconnected system
➔ many interrelated parts working together to promote solidarity and stability
➔ like a human body (pathologies, disruptions of society's operations)
➔ social structure as a relatively stable pattern of social behavior: keeps society
going.
● social functions of institutions (consequences)
➔ ´Merton: manifest (recognized and intended) and latent (unrecognized and
unintended)
But, what about inequality and conflict?
INTRODUCTION
Augusto Comte (1798-1857)
● science whose object is society:
➔ rigorous, systematic student
➔ natural sciences vs. social sciences
➔ the subject matter is very diverse: religion, gender and racial stratification,
social processes (revolution, group formation…), social institutions
(corporations, family…), etc.
➔ social forces mold us
Molded by society: the stranger
´ξένος (xénos) = stranger, guest
● “an adult individual of our time and civilization who tries to permanently be accepted
or at least tolerated by the group he approaches” (immigrant, student, freshman,
rookie…)
Thinking as usual
Recipes, schemes of interpretation and assumptions:
➢ social life will continue to be the same as it has been so far.
➢ we may rely on the knowledge handed down to us.
➢ ordinarily, it is sufficient to know something about the general type of situation.
➢ recipes and schemes are not a private affair.
Crisis
“natural conception of the word” is not natural.
● two stages of knowledge, passive and active, like in language
➔ individuals, not performers of typical functions: pseudo-intimacy,
pseudo-anonimity and pseudo-typicality
● stranger´s “objectivity” and doubtful loyalty
The sociological perspective
“seeing the general in the particular” (P. berger)
● new eyes: look for the general patterns in our individual actions
“suicide” (Durkheim)
● men, protestants, wealthy people, unmarried people
● social integration
➔ strong social ties vs. individualistic life
➔ social causes of experiences of “inner loneliness” and “anxiety”
● division of labor and happiness
, 1. Origins of sociology (19th century)
Striking changes:
● industrial revolution: labor force working in factories
● urban growth: new, impersonal social world
● political change: french and american revolutions, decline of the idea that social order
is ruled by God.
Other factors: positivism
● three stages of society: theological, metaphysical and scientific
● positive facts, not speculations
● search for invariant laws
2. Concerns
Classical problems: origin and formation of capitalism, experience and social consequences
of urbanization, modernity and social progress…
Beyond the classical problems: totalitarianism, identity politics, environmental crisis…
3. Empirical research
Limitations:
● complexity of human behavior, interference with the observed subjects, change in
social patterns, difficulty to stay neutral and also to enter the “worlds” of meaning.
Looking for cause and effect: beware of spurious correlations
Surveys, participant observations, existing sources… quantitative vs. qualitative methods
4. Three major approaches
Structural-functional approach
● society as a complex, interconnected system
➔ many interrelated parts working together to promote solidarity and stability
➔ like a human body (pathologies, disruptions of society's operations)
➔ social structure as a relatively stable pattern of social behavior: keeps society
going.
● social functions of institutions (consequences)
➔ ´Merton: manifest (recognized and intended) and latent (unrecognized and
unintended)
But, what about inequality and conflict?
