Scope of Sociology
Scope of Sociology
Scope of Sociology
out a definite field for sociology. According to him the aim of sociology
is to interpret or understand social behavior. But social behavior does
not cover the whole field of human relations. Indeed not all human
interactions are social. Sociology is concerned with the analysis and
classification of types of social relationships.
2. Synthetic School of Sociology
Major concerns of Sociology:Ever since the beginning of sociology, sociologists have shown a great
concern in man and the dynamic of society. The emphasis has been
oscillating between man and society. "Sometimes the emphasis was on man
in society, at other times, it was on man in society. But at no stage of its
development, man as an individual was its focus of attention. On the
contrary, sociology concentrated heavily on society and its major units and
their dynamics. It has been striving to analyze the dynamics of the society in
terms of organized patterns of social relations. It may be said that sociology
seeks to find explanations for three basic questions:
1. How and why societies emerge?
2. How and why societies persist?
3. How and why societies change?
An all-embracive and expanding science like sociology is growing at a fast
rate no doubt. It is quite natural that sociologists have developed different
approaches from the time to time in their attempts to enrich its study. Still it
is possible to identify some which constitute the subject matter of sociology
on which there is little disagreement among the sociologists. Such topics and
areas broadly constitute the field of sociology. A general outline of the fields
of sociology on which there is considerable agreement among sociologists
could be given here.
1. The major concern of sociology is sociological analysis. It means the
sociologist seeks to provide an analysis of human society and culture
with a sociological perspective. He evinces his interest in the evolution
of society and tries to reconstruct the major stages in the evolutionary
process. An attempt is also made "to analyze the factors and forces
underlying historical transformations of society". Due importance is
given to the scientific method that is adopted in the sociological
analysis.
2. Sociology has given sufficient attention to the study of primary units
of social life. In this area, it is concerned with social acts and social
relationships, individual personality, groups of all varieties,
communities (urban, rural, and tribal), associations, organizations and
populations.
3. Sociology has been concerned with the development, structure and
function of a wide variety of basic social institutions such as the family
and kinship, property and religion, economic, political, legal,
educational and scientific, recreational and welfare, aesthetic and
expressive institutions.
4. No sociologist can afford to ignore the fundamental social processes
that play a vital role. The social process such as co-operation and
competition, accommodation and assimilation, social conflict including
war and revolution; communication including opinion formation
expression and change; social differentiation and stratification,
socialization and indoctrination, social control and deviance including
crime, suicide, social integration and social change assume
prominence in sociological studies.
5. Sociology has placed high premium on the method of research also.
Contemporary sociology has tended to become more and more rational
and empirical rather than philosophical and idealistic. Sociologists have
sought the application of scientific method in social researches. Like a
natural scientist, a sociologist senses a problem for investigation. He
then tries to formulate it into a researchable proposition. After
collecting the data he tries to establish connections between them. He
finally arrives at meaningful concepts, propositions and generalizations