2.1 Observing Social Behaviour
- Thinking sociologically entails looking for _____ in how people do things in relation to others. What example
- Sociology is _____ from other social sciences, and from merely ______ things that happen in the world
– Sociologists want to be able to explain events in the social world in terms of factors aside from…
- Thinking sociologically entails looking for patterns in how people do things in relation to others – Coffee shop example, drive through vs walk in
- Sociology is different from other social sciences, and from merely documenting things that happen in the world
– Sociologists want to be able to explain events in the social world in terms of factors aside from anyone individual.
2.2 Social Theory: The Paradox of Sociology
One of the most interesting and challenging things about learning to think like a sociologist is the _____ ____
– things that we want to observe, explain, and understand can’t normally be…
- ____ ____ is used:
– to help identify the historical and societal forces influencing what
– to offer the kinds of questions to ask in a study of social behaviour and provides specialized language (a _______)
One of the most interesting and challenging things about learning to think like a sociologist is the sociological paradox
– things that we want to observe, explain, and understand can’t normally be directly
observed
- Sociological theory is used:
– to help identify the historical and societal forces influencing our daily lives
– to offer the kinds of questions to ask in a study of social behaviour and provides specialized language (a metalanguage), metalanguage is specialized language to talk about society to help us ask deeper questions ex: “social class”
2.2 Social Theory: The Paradox of Sociology
- what is functionalism
- what is conflict theory
- what is symbolic interactionism
- holds society together (equilibrium, everyone buys in)
- power and equality (competition for limited resources, where groups struggle for power, leading to inequality)
- everyday meaning making (how people create meaning through everyday interactions using shared symbols, like language)
2.2 Social Theory: The Paradox of Sociology
From Theory to Levels of Analysis
- Sociological theories give us ____ ___ on society
- Levels of analysis help us decide where to focus that lens, what are the 3
- The same social phenomenon can be understood at…
- Different theories often emphasize _____ _____ of analysis
- Sociological theories give us different lenses on society (like different questions, social forces and problems)
– i.e., Micro, Meso, and Macro structures
- The same social phenomenon can be understood at multiple levels (individuals and groups but no single level gives full picture)
- Different theories often emphasize different levels of analysis (help us where to focus attention), theories tell us what we ought to be
2.2 Social Theory: The Paradox of Sociology
Three Levels of Analysis
* Micro – what is
* Meso – what is
* Macro – what is
Think: ____ → ______ → _____
Example: Educational Inequality
* Micro: examples
* Meso: examples
* Macro: examples
- Micro – Individuals and everyday interaction
- Meso – Groups, organizations, and institutions
- Macro – Society-wide structures and systems
Think: Close-up → middle range → big picture
- Micro: Student experiences, expectations, stress, identity
- Meso: School policies, tracking, access to resources
- Macro: Class structure, funding systems, inequality
2.2 Social Theory: The Paradox of Sociology
FIRST: Structural Functionalism: Seeing Society as a System
- Society = a complex system of ___ ___
- Social institutions = _______, examples
- Each structure performs functions, how so
- Focus on _______, not individual intentions
- What is change like
- Society = a complex system of interdependent parts
- Social institutions = structures, examples
– Family, education, economy, religion, government, law - Each structure performs functions
– Contribute to order, stability, and survival - Focus on patterns, not individual intentions
- Change is usually slow and adaptive, not sudden (all parts matter, interrelated)
Key Thinkers & Core Concepts
* Émile Durkheim - what are
– Social facts
– Social solidarity
- Talcott Parsons
– System needs
– Equilibrium - what are Manifest functions, example
- what is Latent functions, example
- Institutions both ____ and ____ behaviour
– Social facts, norms, laws, and social structures that exist outside individuals but exert coercive power over them, shaping behavior, thoughts, and feelings
– Social solidarity, the feeling of unity and connection, binding people in a society or group, based on shared values or beliefs allowing for cooperation and stability
- society has system/functional needs that need to be met
- social equilibrium means society is remained at balance as people bought in/reinforce unity
– Intended, visible outcomes, getting a job or a degree
– Unintended, hidden consequences, meeting friends along the way
* Institutions both enable and constrain behaviour
Émile Durkhiem and Talcott Parsons strength/weakness in thinking
Strengths:
– Explains social ___ and ____
– Highlights institutional _____
– Useful for understanding ___ and ___
- Limitations:
– Assumes systems are ____ or ___
– _____ on power, conflict, inequality
– Struggles to explain ____ social change
Strengths:
– Explains social order and cooperation
– Highlights institutional interdependence
– Useful for understanding routine and stability
- Limitations:
– Assumes systems are necessary or beneficial
– Weak on power, conflict, inequality
– Struggles to explain rapid social change
Symbolic Interactionism: Meaning in Everyday Life
- Focus on _____-level social interaction
- Society is created through _____ ____
- Meaning emerges through _____, not structure alone
- Symbols: examples
- people create meaning from objective evidence to “___ ___”, example
- Focus on micro-level social interaction
- Society is created through shared meanings
- Meaning emerges through interaction, not structure alone
- Symbols: language, gestures, labels, signs
- people create meaning from objective evidence to “shape reality”, social media
Key Thinkers & Core Concepts
* George Herbert Mead – Meaning, language, mind
- Herbert Blumer – Interpretation
- Self as social – “I” and “Me”
- Role-taking and socialization
- Labels shape ______
- George Herbert Mead – Meaning, language, mind
- not born with self but shared by reality and immediate interactions
- Herbert Blumer – Interpretation
- people don’t respond to situations, they interpret things in real time and past experiences shape reactions
- Self as social – “I” and “Me”
- “I” spontaneous and less order following
- ” Me” internalized societal voice, expectations
- Role-taking and socialization, society shapes us inside and out
- Labels shape behaviour
Strengths, Limits, and Why It Matters - George Herbert Mead and Herbert Blumer
* Strengths:
– Explains what 3 things
– Highlights everyday production of….
- Limitations:
– _____ focus on power and structure
– Harder to explain large-scale _____ alone - Complements _____ theories
- Shows how inequality is ____ and _____
- Strengths:
– Explains meaning, identity, and interaction
– Highlights everyday production of social life - Limitations:
– Less focus on power and structure
– Harder to explain large-scale inequality alone - Complements macro theories
- Shows how inequality is experienced and reproduced
Conflict-oriented Paradigms - conflict exists in all large societies due to class division and is the motor of major socio-historical change
- Conflict theory is based on the four C’s
1. _____: exists in all large societies
2. _____: has existed in every society
3. ___: functions can be contested by asking “What group does this function best serve?”
4. ____: society either will or should be changed
- Conflict theory is based on the four C’s
1. Conflict: exists in all large societies (and inequality)
2. Class: has existed in every society (are real)
3. Contestation: functions can be contested by asking “What group does this function best serve?” (reinforces, structural inequality)
4. Change: society either will or should be changed (severity, inequality)
Conflict Theory: Society as Unequal and Contested (who benefits)
- Society is structured by _____
- Groups compete over what 3 things
- Social order reflects _____, not consensus
- Institutions benefit some groups…
- Social change emerges through ____ and ___
- Society is structured by inequality
- Groups compete over resources, power, and status
- Social order reflects dominance, not consensus
- Institutions benefit some groups more than others
- Social change emerges through conflict and struggle (people in power gain more)
Key Thinkers & Core Ideas
- Karl Marx – Class conflict and Ownership vs. labour
- P and D
- Ideology & “___ ___”
- Institutions reproduce ___
- ___ drives social change
- Karl Marx
– Class conflict, struggles between economic classes and who benefits
– Ownership vs. labour, few that benefit vs most who don’t - Power and domination
- Ideology & “common sense”
- Institutions reproduce inequality
- Conflict drives social change
Strengths, Limits, and Why Conflict Theory Matters - Karl Marx
* Strengths:
– Explains _____ and ____
– Highlights who benefits from social ______
– Connects institutions to ____ interests
- Limitations:
– Underplays social ____ and ____
– Can over-emphasize ____ factors
Foundation of:
- feminism
- critical race perspectives
- political economy
- Strengths:
– Explains inequality and power
– Highlights who benefits from social arrangements
– Connects institutions to economic interests - Limitations:
– Underplays social cohesion and cooperation
– Can over-emphasize economic factors
Intersectionality
* intersectionality is forms of inequality operating layer upon layer to differentially distribute ____ for and ____ against a group
- what is another word for intersectionality
- Do social conflicts overlap?
- intersectionality is forms of inequality operating layer upon layer to differentially distribute advantages for and discrimination against a group
- accumulative disadvantage
- Yes
Professional Sociology
- Research designed to generate highly specific information, often with the aim of applying it to a particular…..
- Written in highly _____ and _____ language
- Audience→ _____ and ________ readers
- Research designed to generate highly specific information, often with the aim of applying it to a particular problem or intellectual question
- Written in highly technical and specialized language
- Audience→ academic and professional readers →sociology departments, scholarly journals, professional associations, conferences
Critical Sociology
- The “_____ of professional sociology”
- Aims to make sure that professional sociologists do not become so lost in esoteric debates that they lose sight of the goals of….
- bring about meaningful _____ change
– Audience→ academic and professional _____
- The “conscience of professional sociology”
- Aims to make sure that professional sociologists do not become so lost in esoteric debates that they lose sight of the goals of sociological inquiry
- bring about meaningful social change
– Audience→ academic and professional readers
Policy Sociology
* Generates sociological data to be used in the development of social what
- The three main areas served by this type of sociology are ____, ____, and ____ welfare (however, these are not the only ones)
- Audience→ gov… and cor….
- Generates sociological data to be used in the development of social policies, laws, rules or plans
- The three main areas served by this type of sociology are education, health, and social welfare (however, these are not the only ones)
- Audience→ governments and corporations
Public Sociology
* The role of public sociologists is to make sociology accessible to the public through the use of what language
- Audience→ those outside of what establishments
- The role of public sociologists is to make sociology accessible to the public through the use of jargon- free language
- Audience→ those outside of the discipline and the political establishment
