SOC 1100 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Auguste Comte, Generic Point, Social Forces
15 Oct 2016
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Chapter 1: The Sociological Perspective
What is the sociological perspective?
The sociological perspective reveals the power of society to shape individual lives.
• What we commonly think of as personal choice- whether or not to go to
college, how many children we will have, even the decision to en our own
lives- is affected by social forces.
• Peter Berger described the sociological perspective as seeing the general in
the particular
• C. Wright Mills called this point of view the sociological imagination,
claiming it transforms personal troubles into public issues.
• The experience of being an outsider or of living through a social crisis can
encourage people to use the sociological perspective.
Sociology: the systematic study of human society.
Sociological perspective: the special point of view of sociology that sees general
patterns of society in the lives of particular people.
The Importance of a Global Perspective
Where we live- in a high-income country like Canada, a middle-income country like
Brazil, or a low-income country such as Mali- shapes the lives we lead.
Societies throughout the world are increasingly interconnected.
• New technology allows people around the world to share popular trends.
• Immigration around the world increases the racial and ethnic diversity of
Canada.
• Trade across national boundaries has created a global economy.
Many social problems that we face in Canada are far more serious in other
countries.
Learning about life in other societies helps us learn more about ourselves.
Global perspective: the study of the larger world and our society’s place in it.
High-income countries: nations with the highest overall standards of living.
Middle-income countries: nations with a standard of living about average for the
world as a whole.
Low-income countries: nations with a low standard of living in which most people
are poor.
Applying the Sociological Perspective
Research by sociologists plays an important role in shaping public policy.
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On a personal level, using the sociological perspective helps us see the opportunities
and limits in our lives and empowers us to be active citizens.
A background in sociology is excellent preparation for success in many different
careers.
The Origins of Sociology
Rapid social change in the 18th and 19th centuries made people more aware of their
surroundings and helped trigger the development of sociology:
• The rise of an industrial economy moved work from homes to factories,
weakening the traditions that had guided community life for centuries.
• The explosive growth of cities created many social problems, such as crime
and homelessness.
• Political change based on ideas of individual liberty and individual rights
encouraged people to question the structure of society.
Auguste Comte named sociology in 1838 to describe a new way of looking at society.
• Early philosophers had tried to describe the ideal society.
• Comte wanted to understand society as it really is by using positivism, a way
of understanding based on science.
• Karl Marx and many later sociologists used sociology to try to make society
better.
Canadian sociology arose from different traditions than did American sociology. It
reflects a country with two major cultures and linguistic communities and includes a
unique francophone component.
Women made important contributions to the social sciences as early as the 1500s-
predating the men who are considered the founders of sociology.
Positivism: a way of understanding based on science.
Sociological Theory
A theory states how facts are related, weaving observations into insight and
understanding. Sociologists use three major theoretical approaches to describe the
operation of society.
Macro level
The structural-functional approach explores how social structures- patterns of
behaviour, such as religious rituals or family life- work together to help society
operate.
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Sociological perspective: the special point of view of sociology that sees general patterns of society in the lives of particular people. Where we live- in a high-income country like canada, a middle-income country like. Brazil, or a low-income country such as mali- shapes the lives we lead. Societies throughout the world are increasingly interconnected: new technology allows people around the world to share popular trends. Immigration around the world increases the racial and ethnic diversity of. Canada: trade across national boundaries has created a global economy. Many social problems that we face in canada are far more serious in other countries. Learning about life in other societies helps us learn more about ourselves. Global perspective: the study of the larger world and our society"s place in it. High-income countries: nations with the highest overall standards of living. Middle-income countries: nations with a standard of living about average for the world as a whole.
