What is Sociology - 1169 Words

. Introduction Sociology is described by Layder (2006, p.1) as being â€Å"How the encounters of everyday life and individual behaviour influence, and are influenced by, the wider social environment in which we live† Bauman May (2001. p.1) describe a visual image of the output of sociology, as being a â€Å"collection of books in a library†. The discussion within this collection broadly follows main concepts and perspectives, with many authors, but also of key peer tested Authors. I will initially outline the main concepts and main perspectives from a selection of these authors, and aim to conclude, that is is the â€Å"sociological thinking† gained from â€Å"unpacking† this knowledge, that can be applied to Social Work today. â€Å"Social theory,†¦show more content†¦The comparison being to a machine working in harmony to maintain a state of balance. Conflict perspective The conflict perspective (Karl Marx. and latterly Wright-mills) views society as composed of different groups and interests, competing for power and resources. For example, feminist theory argues that we live in a patriarchal society that feminism â€Å"demands that existing economic, political, and social structures be changed† (Weir and Faulkner 2004, p.xii). Symbolic Interactionist Perspective Reflecting the micro-sociological perspective, Symbolic interactionism emphasizes that â€Å"human behaviour is influenced by definitions and meanings that are created and maintained through symbolic interaction with others†. Goffman (1959 p.26) statesâ€Å"†I assume that when an individual appears before others he will have motives for trying to control the impression they receive of the situation† Positivism Augustus Comte is regarded as the founder of this, however it is described as â€Å"a simple adherence to the traditions of all great scientific minds† Mill (2005 chptr 1) and a â€Å"doctrine that science (including the social sciences) can deal only with observable things and that phenomena, in any form, have to be studied in a scientific manner. It does not take account of the individuals interpretationShow MoreRelatedWhat Is Sociology?1062 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is sociology? We can start by saying that sociology is the systematic study of human society. Sociology should be more than you find in a good documentary on a social issue. It is certainly more than listings of facts and figures about society. Instead it becomes a form of consciousness a way of thinking, a critical way of seeing the social. Seeing the general in the particular. In his short book ‘Invitation to Sociology’(1963) characterized the sociological perspective as seeing the generalRead MoreWhat Is Sociology?507 Words   |  2 PagesIn this paper, I will describe sociology and the three main idea of sociology such as social forces, culture and social structure that I think will best explain the goals of sociology. Sociology is like the mother science which has amalgamated into it every aspect of human life. These different facets of social interactions have developed into different disciplines or subjects. Therefore, sociology is the foundation of the social sciences. All the human behavior and response are social and the subjectRead MoreWhat is Sociology? Essays665 Words   |  3 PagesWhat is Sociology? After reviewing the article titles given for this first assignment, I believe they indicate that Sociology, generally speaking, is not only a study of diversity or commonality in traits among people; it is also a science about factors in a person’s life and how these factors culminate responses. Interestingly enough, its topics of concern seem to be directly determined by current and common events of the world. Through the invention and expansion of new ideas, popular trendsRead MoreWhat Is the Importance of Studying Sociology?967 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is the importance of studying sociology? Of the various social sciences, sociology seems to be the youngest. It is gradually developing. Still it has remarkable progress. Its uses are recognized widely today. In modern times, there is a growing realization of the importance of the scientific study of social phenomena and the means of promoting what Prof. Giddings calls human adequacy (human welfare). The study of sociology has a great value especially in modern complex society. Some of theRead MoreWhat Does Sociology Mean?1585 Words   |  7 PagesTerm Paper What does sociology mean? According to Andersen, Taylor (2013, p. 4) â€Å"sociology is the study of human behavior in society†. In this paper, I will talk about some concept and topic such as inequality (social class, social mobility, gender, race and ethnicity), work, economy, marriage, and family. Inequality In my country Saudi Arabia, there is inequality, and it is affected peoples lives. I used to work for Saudi Airlines for five years. In that period, I experienced inequality suchRead MoreEssay about What Makes Sociology Different?856 Words   |  4 Pages Before commencing a discussion on analyzing the article â€Å"What makes sociology a different discipline† from the other sciences we should have the know-how about sociology. In the words of modern thinkers of sociology namely Karl Marx, Max Weber and Emile Durkheim â€Å"Social fact should be the subject matter for the study of social life and can provide explanations for human thinking and behavior (p19)†. What we infer from the above definition is that man is born as a social animal. Man cannot liveRead MoreWhat I Learned About Sex, Social Work And Sociology1347 Words   |  6 PagesEager to sign up for classes, I looked through the Degree Audit and noticed I needed a class to fit under sociology. When I realized Human Sexuality was crossed linked with psychology, social work and sociology, I immediately added the class to my course cart. I thought to myself, â€Å"A class about sex? Easy A.† Little did I know the great impact this course would have on me. H uman Sexuality has increased my general knowledge about the sex act itself, it has forced me to acknowledge different viewsRead MoreWhat did Georg Simmel seek to demonstrate through his â€Å"formal† sociology?1582 Words   |  7 PagesWhat did Georg Simmel seek to demonstrate through his â€Å"formal† sociology? Georg Simmel (1858 - 1918) was living in Berlin at a time when Sociology was beginning to form as a science, most notably with the work of Comte setting up the positivist methodology of studying society. In the intellectual world he was an outsider and struggled, becoming a full professor without a chair only in 1901. Through formal sociology Simmel was proposing an alternative way of thinking to his contemporaries.Read MoreWhat Was the main theme of max webers sociology? Analysis of the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalismand webers rationality theory.1738 Words   |  7 Pagesof the world, and to examine the different aspects of such a society. Weber argued that sociology was inevitably a subjective science that was dominated by the importance of the individual; this belief led him to employ very unique methods of analysis. In order to fully understand some of Webers key ideas, it is necessary to quickly look at his very unique methodology. Notably, Webers basic view of Sociology was quite different to his contemporaries, most distinctly to Emil Durkheim, as he didntRead MoreSociology Of Education As A Social Institution1489 Words   |  6 PagesSociology of education The sociology of education is a diverse and vibrant subfield that features theory and research focused on how education as a social institution is affected by and affects other social institutions and the social structure overall, and how various social forces shape the policies, practices, and outcomes of schooling (www.thoughtco.com). Sociology of education is the systematic study of educational system within the broader social context. At the heart of sociology is a special