Sociology 1021E Lecture Notes - Complex Number, Minority Group, Bourgeoisie
14 Dec 2011
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Document Summary
The systematic study of social behaviour in human societies. Goals of sociology: describe the social world, explain how and why, critique existing social arrangements. Emergence of sociology: 1838 auguste comte, a new way of looking at the world = sociology, understand rapid social change, industrialization 17th to 19th centuries, positivism . Have you ever had the experience of a family member or friend committing or attempting to commit suicide: yes, no. Theoretical paradigms: structural functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interatctionism, feminism. Structural functionalism: a macro-level orientation, broad patterns shape society as a whole, structures are stable patterns of social behaviour, institutions are subsystems" of enduring patterns of social relationships. Which of the following is a structure": religion, gender, education, family, the normal state of the system is equilibrium, changes in one structure or institution provoke changes in others. Change is disruptive: there is a widespread consensus about societal values.
