Sociology

Introduction

Sociology is the scientific study of society, including patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and culture. It is a social science that uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about social order, acceptance, and change or social evolution. Sociology is also defined as the general science of society.

History of Sociology

The term sociology was first used by Frenchman Auguste Comte in the 1830s when he proposed a synthetic science uniting all knowledge about human activity. In the academic world, sociology is considered one of the social sciences.

Theoretical Perspectives

Sociology is traditionally divided into two major perspectives: structural and interactionist. Structural sociology is concerned with overall patterns, while interactionist sociology focuses on daily interactions and how these produce larger social patterns.

Structural Sociology

Structural sociology, also known as functionalism, views society as a complex system whose parts work together to promote solidarity and stability. It asserts that our lives are guided by social structures, which are relatively stable patterns of social behavior.

Interactionist Sociology

Interactionist sociology, also known as symbolic interactionism, focuses on the individual and the role they play in shaping society. Interactionists focus on the subjective aspects of social life, rather than on objective, macro-structural aspects of social systems.

Research Methods

Sociologists use a variety of research methods, including qualitative and quantitative techniques. Qualitative methods aim to understand the meaning and interpretation of social life, while quantitative methods seek to establish causal relationships and test theories using statistical analysis.

Major Themes in Sociology

Sociology covers a wide range of topics, from the analysis of short contacts between anonymous individuals on the street to the study of global social processes. Major themes include social stratification, class, race, gender, social mobility, religion, secularization, law, and deviance.

Social Stratification

Social stratification refers to a society’s categorization of its people into rankings of socioeconomic tiers based on factors like wealth, income, race, education, and power. It is a trait of society, not simply a reflection of individual differences.

Class, Race, and Gender

Class, race, and gender are often seen as the "big three" divisions in society. Class refers to the economic level of a person, race refers to their ethnic background, and gender refers to their biological and social construction as male or female.

Social Mobility

Social mobility refers to the ability to change positions within a society’s stratification system. It is often used to describe changes in wealth, but it can also be used to describe general social status or power.

Religion and Secularization

Religion is a major topic in sociology, with a focus on how religious beliefs and practices shape other social institutions and how they are in turn shaped by these institutions. Secularization refers to the historical process in which religion loses social and cultural significance.

Law and Deviance

The study of law and deviance involves understanding the creation and enforcement of laws, as well as the behaviors that do not conform to societal norms and expectations.