SOCA01H3 Lecture Notes - Orthodox Marxism, Symbolic Interactionism, Naimans
Document Summary
Sociologists analyze two levels of social structure that frame and influence human agency. Micro structures: (b/w friends, family, colleagues) patterns of intimate social relations formed during face-to- face interactions. Macro structure: overarching patterns of social relations in whole societies. Other sociologist also consider mesostructures and global structures. Sociological imagination shows connection b/w personal troubles and public issues. Social problems can only be addressed if this connection is understood. Naiman"s view on mills theory: personal troubles should be connected to issues of distal power. Theory: tentative explanation of some aspect of social life stating how and why specific facts are connected (explains by what causes and process is ) Research: process of carefully observing social reality to test validity of theory. Values: ideas about desirability/worth of attributes, people, objects and processes. Value-free sociology is impossible but a sociologist biases must be declared and minimized by thorough research method (naiman)
