SOCA01H3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: George Herbert Mead, Arlie Russell Hochschild, Georg Simmel
Document Summary
Into sociology: lecture 1 sociology is the systematic study of human action in context. I cannot have one meaning, rather it is dynamic, ever growing and changing discipline full of interesting possibilities. Characteristics: not only create opportunities for us to think and act, but also set limits our thoughts and action. Sociologists study social pattern and variation and interested in what account for pattern of regularity. Into sociology: 2 meanings: into as in entering inside the discipline of sociology and into as in being interested in sociology. Agency: ability to make choices: ex who to date, what to wear etc. Structure: how our social location enable or constraint the types of opportunities we do have and strongly influences the choices that we make. Ex playing game: the players make different choices while playing with different choices (agency) but rules tell what they can and cannot do (structure) .