SOC 1001 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: The Sociological Imagination, Harriet Martineau, Georg Simmel
Document Summary
The sociology of sociology: aguste comte- secular basis for morality does exist (no need to reference higher powers) Metaphysical stage- enlightenment thinker, humankind"s behavior governed by natural, biological instincts. Develop a social physics of sorts in order to identify the scientific laws that govern human behavior: harriet martineau- early feminist, classical sociological theory. Karl marx-primarily the conflicts between classes that drove social change throughout history: max weber. Anomie: a sense of aimlessness or despair that arises when we can no longer reasonably expect life to be predictable; too little social regulation, normlessness. Du bois- questioned essentialist notions of race, ethnicity, and self. Functionalism: the theory that various social institutions and processes in society exist to serve some important (or necessary) function to keep society running. Conflict theory: the idea that conflict between competing interests is the basic, animating force of social change and society in general.
