Sociology Chapter 1 Ask Them First Explain How They Are

CHAPTER 1: THE SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

BRIEF CHAPTER OUTLINE

I. What Is Sociology?

II. The Sociological Perspective

A. Discovering Unsettling Facts

B. Debunking in Sociology

C. Establishing Critical Distance

III. The Significance of Diversity

A. Defining Diversity

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Illustrate what is meant by saying that human behavior is shaped by social structure.

2. Question individualistic explanations of human behavior.

KEY TERMS (listed in text)

conflict theory (22)

debunking (8)

diversity (12)

empirical (6)

The Enlightenment (15)

social institution (3)

social interaction (3)

social structure (3)

sociological imagination (5)

sociology (2)

KEY PEOPLE

Jane Addams (18)

Auguste Comte (15)

Alexis de Tocqueville (15)

Robert Merton (21)

C. Wright Mills (4)

Robert Park (18)

LECTURE OUTLINE

I. What Is Sociology?

II. The Sociological Perspective It is useful to see human behavior in societal context

because it reveals the underlying basis for many social issues, problems, and current

events.

1. Sociological inquiry emerges from the sociological imagination—the

ability to see the societal patterns that influence individual and group life.

A fundamental concept for organizing the sociological imagination is the

in the institutional arrangements and history of a society).

2. The task of sociology, according to C. Wright Mills, is to employ the

sociological perspective to understand how issues are shaped by social

structure (the organized pattern of social relationships and social

institutions that together constitute society).

A. Discovering Unsettling Facts – Acquiring a sociological perspective can be

unsettling because it exposes problems that are deeply embedded in society, but

it can also illuminate the fun and odd aspects of everyday life.

III. The Significance of Diversity

A. Defining Diversity

1. Diversity refers to the variety of group experiences that result from the

social structure of society.

B. Society in Global Perspective – Understanding diversity in the United States in

IV. The Development of Sociological Theory

A. The Influence of The Enlightenment – The Enlightenment was

characterized by faith in the ability of human reason to solve society’s

problems.

1. Auguste Comte first coined the term sociology as the scientific study of

society based on positivism (a system of thought in which scientific

B. Classical Sociological Theory – The giants of the European traditions were

Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx, and Max Weber.

1. Emile Durkheim viewed society as an entity larger than the sum of its

parts (society sui generis). His work focused on how public rituals and

C. Sociology in the United States – American sociology built on the European

tradition, but added unique features of U.S. culture.

1. American sociologists are less theoretical and more practical than European

sociologists.

2. Sociologists of the Chicago School were interested in how society shaped

V. Theoretical Frameworks in Sociology

1. Social theory is a tool that sociologists use to organize their empirical

observations, to produce logically related statements about observed

behavior, and to relate observed social facts to broad sociological

questions.

A. Functionalism interprets each part of society in terms of how it contributes

to the stability of the whole.

1. The functionalist framework emphasizes consensus and order and

views disorganization in the system, or dysfunction, as the

B. Conflict Theory emphasizes the role of coercion and power in producing

social order. Conflict theory focuses on the grounds of struggle in

C. Symbolic Interaction considers immediate social interaction to be the place

where “society” exists. It considers society to be socially constructed

1. Social Location. Conduct a survey of the class to determine the key factors that

define the students’ social locations. This could be done by having students list

socially defining characteristics under categories on a whiteboard or flip-chart

2. Debunking. Conduct a true-false questionnaire on common social myths and then lead

a discussion on how sociological research has examined and explained those social

3. Cultural Diversity. As a class discussion, show students the information regarding

4. Jane Addams. Have your students discuss the sociology of Jane Addams. In the

5. Theoretical Application. Divide the students into four different groups and assign

each group one of the major theoretical perspectives (functionalism, conflict

6. Troubles and Issues. Divide the class into groups of three or four and have them

choose a personal trouble that someone they know is going through. Then they should

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

1. See For Yourself Troubles and Issues. Assign an exercise on “Troubles and Issues”

2. Sociological Imagination. Assign students a “sociological imagination” exercise. Ask

them to select a personal problem they are currently grappling with, such as juggling

3. Diversity. Divide students into small groups to examine their own diversity using the

broad understanding of diversity presented in this chapter. Have them compare

4. Theoretical Perspectives. To ensure that students understand the major sociological

perspectives, present them with an issue of contemporary concern—like

5. Classic Sociologists. Using SocioWeb (http://www.socioweb.com), have students

6. Taking Action on Social Issues. Students often want to know how they can get

involved with improving social conditions. Have them visit the website

7. Researching Sociological Perspectives. Have the students write a report or answer a

take-home question on the first exam about the four major sociological perspectives (if

8. Globalization. Students can discuss the context of globalization by using the living

9. Symbolic Interaction. Have your students choose an event in the news that is

10. Theorists. The text does a good job of introducing students to the foundational

get even broader diversity.

VIDEO SUGGESTIONS (Videos with a * next to them have corresponding activities

below.)

• Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011, 121 min.)

In 1993, a horrific triple child murder was discovered in West Memphis, Arkansas, but the

• Inequality for All (2013, 89 min.)*

A documentary that follows former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich as he looks

• Freakonomics (2010, 85 min.)

A collection of documentaries that explores the hidden side of human nature through the

• The Human Scale (2012, 83 min.)

Half of the human population lives in urban areas. By 2050, this will increase to 80%. Life

in a megacity is both enchanting and problematic. Today we face peak oil, climate change,

• Craigslist Joe (2012, 90 min.)*

In a time when America’s economy was crumbling and sense of community was in

• Revenge of the Electric Car (2011, 90 min.)*

Director Chris Paine takes his film crew behind the closed doors of Nissan, GM, and the

VIDEO ACTIVITIES

Inequality for All

Have students watch the following YouTube video:

Craigslist Joe

Have students watch Craigslist Joe, write a report on how community was discovered

online, and answer the following questions:

1. Is there a cultural imperative to caring for one another? Why or why not?

INTERNET EXERCISES

1. Visit American Sociological Association (www.asanet.org) and investigate the ways

in which students can get involved in the ASA through the student forum, the honors

3. Briefly give one or two examples of types of sociological studies you could

develop by using this website.

4. Develop an online study club. You could invite faculty and authors to be part of the

club or to check in at will. Each month, select a social problem or social issue of the

5. The European University Institute Max Weber Programme allows students to see the

6. Jane Addams won a Nobel Peace Prize for her work applying sociology to solving

social problems. The website The Nobel Prize offers a good overview of her work and