What is sociology

Dr. Chris McMillan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=play er_embedded&v=Ij91X-Mm1Ow

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To what extent is social behaviour natural or socially influenced?

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What are social structures and how do they influence our behaviour? ◦ Institutions, organisations, norms and patterns ◦ Social conflict, divisions and power

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What power do we have to influence these structures?

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What sociological approaches are there for understanding these questions?

◦ Human agency and power

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See the world, and your life, differently

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If humanity shapes the world, humanity can change it

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Become an active participant in society

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Recognise and challenge suffering

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Sociology studies our shared and social lives – But how?

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It is critical and sceptical: Sociology provides specific ways of critically analysing the world

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It tries to be systematic

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It might be scientific

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The ambition of founding sociologists such as Auguste Comte was to establish the discipline as a science by determining ‘social facts’ and ‘natural laws’ ◦ Durkheim: ‘study social facts as things’

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Sociology could become scientific through a methodological approach to social life: positivism

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Positivism is concerned with ‘observable phenomena’

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But do facts ‘speak for themselves’ or does human involvement in the study of humans influence the process?

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Science involves systematic and rigorous analysis that is logical and open to new ideas

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In this sense sociology is scientific, but in a different way – it is a social science

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Sociological research involves different methods to ‘natural science’

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There is considerable debate about these perspectives

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Sociologists don’t just describe society, they analyse and critique

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There are different perspectives, or theories, about how to analyse and critique society ◦ Research methods

◦ Theories

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Different methods applied to representing social life

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Quantitative methods for measuring social phenomena, such as surveys and statistical analysis

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Qualitative methods are more detailed and subjective, such as focus groups or participant observations

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Each of these methods relies on assumptions about the social world: social theories

Quantitative Research

Qualitative Research

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Everyone in the front half of the class come on to the stage

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Divide into those born before July and those after July

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Walk around the stage in these groups

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Everyone at the back observe the patterns develop

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What happened?

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Why?

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How could we investigate these observations in a reliable and valid way?

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What would we be interested in?

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Social theories are abstract and systematic ideas about how the social world operates ◦ We are all theorists!

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Classical sociology: Durkheim, Marx and Weber

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Modern sociology: Functionalism, conflict or critical theories, symbolic interactionism

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Society is made up of interconnected parts that each have a function in holding society together ◦ How does each part contribute to the whole?

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An organic and structure-based view of society – society as a system with needs

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Tends to naturalise inequalities by emphasising their function e.g. Unemployment

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Often accused of conservatism and ignoring the power of human action and resistance.

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Marxism is part of a range of ‘conflict theories’ that also emphasise the role of structure

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By contrast to functionalism, Marxists’ focus on divisions within society, specifically class conflict

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Marxism is also a theory of social change – of resistance and the potential for agency

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Common critiques of Marxism are that it is too focused on economic factors and ignored the functional and normative factors that make society cohesive

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Other conflict or critical theorists consider how society maintains its cohesion despite these divisions

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Focused more on individuality (agency) and the creation of culture through social practices

◦ A micro-sociological approach for understanding social norms and roles

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Meanings and culture are reproduced through understandings of ‘symbols’ that make sense of the world for us

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But does this ‘action theory’ ignore larger structural factors?

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How could we use these perspectives to understand our experiment?

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If you were to do sociological research on tube travel, how would you approach it?

WEEK II: UNDERSTANDING STRUCTURE AND AGENCY

WEEK III: MODERNITY AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIOLOGY

WEEK IV: CLASS AND ECONOMIC STRATIFICATION

WEEK V:SOCIAL CLASS AND CULTURAL IDENTITY

WEEK VI: SEX, GENDER AND SEXUALITY

WEEK VII: ASK WEEK

WEEK VIII: RACE AND ETHNICITY

WEEK IX: POWER, IDEOLOGY AND VIOLENCE

WEEK X: NATIONHOOD AND IDENTITY

WEEK XI: PLEASURE AND LEISURE IN THE AGE OF CONSUMPTION

WEEK XII: POSTMODERNITY, BELIEF AND KNOWLEDGE IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Dr. Chris McMillan Contact ◦ Room GB.152 ◦ Ext. 67541 

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chris.mcmillan@brunel.ac.uk Office Hours: Monday 15.00-16.00

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Develop a critical understanding of key sociological themes, issues and theories;

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Demonstrate a critical awareness of the role of social forces in influencing individual interactions;

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Demonstrate an ability to apply a critical sociological understanding to our own lived experiences;

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Be able to articulate these critical understandings in written academic arguments.

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Lectures - Friday 2-4pm, LC067

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Feedback

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Seminars

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Readings

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Assessments

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Attendance is compulsory…

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… but lecture theatres are not prisons!

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Participation is required: It is not a matter of recording what the lecturer is saying

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Ensure you have completed the readings beforehand

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This is your class – What do you think?

Talking?

Lateness?

Respect?

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Please ask questions at any time during the lectures

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Text system – Text 656277 and your message to 07624806527

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Make an appointment during my office hours

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Read your assessment feedback

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Sociology and communications society?

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Course representation?

◦ Or send an email

◦ Challenge this feedback!

Smaller discussion Week Topic groups based on assigned reading

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2  Run

The Sociological Imagination by a member of academic staff 4 Structure and Agency  You will be assigned to a seminar group soon 6 Class struggle and society 8 Attendance is vital

Divided societies

10

The Nation-State and Power

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Reading is the basis of your learning

YOU ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO PURCHASE ONE OF THESE TEXTBOOKS!

•Additional readings are provided where necessary

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Two essays ◦ One 1500 word essay worth 40% of the final grade. Due… ◦ One 2000 word essay worth 60% of the final grade. Due…

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We will discuss these in more detail closer to the submission date

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Universities have strong support systems

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Just ASK! ◦ Writing ◦ Research ◦ Study skills

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http://www.polleverywhere.com/free_text_polls/MjA5 ODYxNzUwMw

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Complete Chapter One of your textbook, if you haven’t already Read: ◦ Hays, Sharon (1994) Structure and Agency and the Sticky Problem of Culture. Sociological Theory. 12 (1), pp.57-72.

and ◦ Fulcher, and Scott (2011) Chapter 4. ◦ Giddens (2009) Sociology, Chapter 7. ◦ Macionis & Plummer(2012) Sociology, Part 2.  

Read: The Sociological Imagination (BBL) Attend: Your first seminar!