The Sociological Perspective

Chapter 1

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Sociology & the Other Sciences

The Natural SciencesBiologyGeologyChemistryPhysics

The Social SciencesPolitical

ScienceEconomicsAnthropologyPsychologySociology

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The Goals of Science

Why Something Happens

Making Generalizations

Making Predictions

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The Development of Sociology The Scientific Method Key Figures

Auguste Comte (1798-1857)• Positivism

Karl Marx (1818-1883)• Class conflict

Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)• Social integration & suicide

Max Weber (1864-1920)• Religion & capitalism

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The Role of Values in Research

“value-free”

“objectivity”

“replication”

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The Debate over Values

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Verstehen & Social Facts

Weber and Verstehen“to understand”subjective meanings

Durkheim and Social Facts“social facts”: patterns of behaviour

that characterize a social group.

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Sexism in Early Sociology

The “Four Ks”: Kirche, Kuchen, Kinder, und Kleider (church, cooking, children, and clothes)

Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)Society in AmericaTranslator of Comte

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Early Sociology in North America Canada

Quebec: European & French influence

English Canada• British tradition: University of Toronto• U. S. tradition: McGill University

United StatesUniversity of Chicago

• George Herbert Mead

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Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology

Symbolic Interactionism Functional Analysis (AKA

Functionalism & Structural Functionalism)

Conflict Theory Feminist Theory Postmodernism Queer Theory Critical Race Theory

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Symbolic Interactionism

Symbols (things to which we attach meaning) as the basis of social life

Key FiguresCharles Horton Cooley (1864-

1929)George Herbert Mead (1863-1931)

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Functional Analysis

Society is a whole unit, made up of interrelated parts that work together

Key FiguresAuguste Comte (1798-1857)Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)Robert Merton (1910-2003)

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Conflict Theory

Class Struggle as the basis of social lifeBourgeoisie & Proletariat

Key FiguresKarl Marx (1818-1883)Ralf Dahrendorf (1929 - )Lewis Coser (1913 - )

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Feminist Theories

Marxist Feminist TheoriesClass & economic position

Liberal Feminist TheoriesLegal restraints & customs

Radical Feminist TheoriesPatriarchy

Commonalities of Feminist Theories

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Postmodernism

Modernity: Max Weber (1864-1920)Change, collective action, &

progress Postmodernity: C. Wright Mills (1916-

1962)A rejection of modernity

Cultural Diversity Images & Symbols

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Queer Theory

Judith Butler: Gender TroubleFluidity of gender identities

Gayle Rubin: “Thinking Sex”Intolerance of sexual differencesFear of sex

Challenges All Notions of Fixed Identity

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Critical Race Theory

Derrick Bell Post–Civil Rights Era African –

American Legal Thought

A Multi-discipline Examination of: The social construction of race &

race identityThe reality of racial discrimination

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Levels of Analysis Macro-Level Analysis

Conflict theoryFunctionalist theory

Micro-Level AnalysisSymbolic interactionismQueer theory

Macro- & Micro-Level analysesFeminist theoryPostmodernism

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Applied & Clinical Sociology

The Three Phases of Research

1. Reform

2. Establish sociology as a respected field of knowledge

3. Merging sociological knowledge and practical work

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Comparing Basic & Applied Sociology