1.introduction To Sociology

INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
What is Sociology?
Sociology is the scientific and systematic study of groups and group

interactions, societies and social interactions, from small and personal
groups to very large groups.
A group of people who live in a defined geographic area, who interact with
one another, and who share a common culture is what sociologists call
a society.
In simple words sociology is the study of society.
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Sociologists study all aspects and levels of society.
Sociologists working from the micro-level study small groups and
individual interactions, while those using macro-level analysis look at
trends among and between large groups and societies.

Difference Between Society and Culture
Society Culture
• a group of people who live within a • is common way of life shared by a

shared geographical area or community. society or a group.
• It consists of the social structures, • It refers to the shared beliefs, customs,
institutions, norms, values, and traditions, language, arts, and practices
relationships that shape human of a particular group of people.
behaviour and interactions.
How Sociologists View Society?
All sociologists are interested in the experiences of individuals and
how those experiences are shaped by interactions with social groups
and society.
Cultural patterns, social forces and influences put pressure on
people to select one choice over another.
Sociologists try to identify these general patterns by examining the
behavior of large groups of people living in the same society and
experiencing the same societal pressures.
Sociology as a Social Science
Sociology may be generally defined as a social science that studies such
kinds of phenomena as:
The structure and function of society as a system;
The nature, complexity and contents of human social behavior
The fundamentals of human social life
Interaction of human beings with their external environment

Brief Historical Overview
August Comte, French Social Philosopher (1798- 1857)
Coined the term sociology
He was first to regard himself as “sociologist”
He believed that a theoretical science of society and the systematic

investigation of human behavior were needed to improve society.
Comte defined sociology as the study of social dynamic and social static
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Karl Marx (German, 1818-1883)
He introduced key terms in sociology such as social class, social class
conflict, social oppression, alienation etc.
He argued people should make active efforts to bring societal reforms.
He introduced “social conflict theory”
He believed that societies are divided into two main groups: the rich
(bourgeoisie) and the poor (proletariat).
He thought that these groups are always in conflict because the rich
want to keep their wealth and power, while the poor want a fair share of
resources.
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Harriet Martineau, British Sociologist, 1802-1876
She was an active advocate of the eradication of slavery and she

wrote on many social issues.
She helped popularize the ideas and writings of Comte by translating
them into English
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• Herbert Spencer, British Social Philosopher, (1820-1903)
He was famous for the organic analogy of human society.
He viewed society as an organic system, having its own structure and
functioning in ways similar to the biological system.
Spencer's ideas of the evolution of human society from the lowest
("barbarism") to highest form ("civilized") according to fixed laws
were famous. It was called "Social Darwinism", which is analogous
to the biological evolutionary model.
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Emile Durkheim, French Sociologist, (1858-1917)
He defined sociology as the study of social facts.
According to him, there are social facts, which are distinct from biological
and psychological facts.
By social facts, he meant the patterns of behavior that characterize a social
group in a given society. And these facts should be studied objectively.
He applied statistical methods to the study of social phenomena.
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Max Weber, German Sociologist (1864-1920)
He defined sociology as the scientific study of human social action.
He argues that we cannot understand human behavior by just looking
at statistics. Every activity and behavior of people needs to be
interpreted.
He argued that a sociologist must aim at what are called subjective
meanings, the ways in which people interpret their own behavior or
the meanings people attach their own behavior
Pioneering founders of Sociology Major Contribution
August Comte Social Static , Social Dynamic
Karl Marx Class Conflict, Alienation etc.
Emile Durkheim Social Facts
Max Weber Social Action, Subjective Meaning
Herbert Spencer Social Darwinism
Harriet Martineau Active advocate of abolition of slavery and gender

issues
LECTURE O2
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
Branches of Sociology
Micro-Sociology Macro-Sociology
• It examines small-scale • Macro-sociology studies the
interactions and processes within large-scale aspects of society
human social groups, such as such as social institutions, social
face-to-face interactions. structures etc.
• Example: Studying how • Example: Analyzing the impact
individuals communicate and of economic policies on
negotiate within a family during unemployment rates across a
mealtime conversations. nation over several decades.
Relationship of Sociology with Other Social Sciences
Anthropolog Political
Economics
y Science
Psychology History Geography
Cultural
Studies
Anthropology
 Sociology and anthropology both
study human societies and cultures.
 While sociology focuses more on

modern societies, institutions, and
social structures, anthropology tends
to have a broader scope,
encompassing the study of cultures,
languages, archaeology, and physical
anthropology.
Political Science
Sociology and political science
overlap in their study of power,
authority, and governance within
societies.
Political science focuses more on
formal structures of government,
political behaviour, and institutions,
while sociology may examine these
aspects within a broader social
context, including how power
dynamics intersect with other social
factors.
Economics
 Sociology and economics both study
aspects of human behaviour, but
from different perspectives.
 Economics primarily focuses on the
production, distribution, and
consumption of goods and services
within societies, often using
quantitative methods.
 Sociology may study economic
behaviour within a broader social
context, examining how social
factors influence economic decisions
and outcomes
Psychology
Sociology and psychology
both study human behaviour,
but sociology tends to focus
more on group behaviour,
social institutions, and social
structures, while psychology
focuses on individual
behaviour, cognition, and
mental processes
History
 Sociology and history both study
societies and social change, but
from different perspectives.
 History examines past events,
developments, and contexts to
understand how societies have
evolved over time.
 Sociology may use historical
analysis to understand social
phenomena and patterns, but it
also examines contemporary
society and social dynamics.
Geography
 Sociology and geography
intersect in the study of
human geography, which
examines people, cultures,
and social phenomena.
 Sociology may use
geographic methods to
study issues such as
urbanization, migration,
and environmental justice.
Cultural Studies
 Sociology and cultural studies
both examine culture, identity,
and social meaning, but from
different perspectives.
 Cultural studies may focus more
on popular culture, media, and
cultural representations
 While sociology may examine
these aspects within a broader
social context, including how
culture shapes social structures
and inequalities.
Scope of Sociology
• The scope of sociology is extremely wide ranging, from the analysis
of passing encounter between individuals on the street up to the
investigation of global social processes.
• Sociologists are keen to understand, explain, and analyze the effect of
social world, social environment and social interaction on our
behavior, worldviews, lifestyle, personality, attitudes, decisions, etc.,
as creative, rational, intelligent members of society; and how we as
such create the social reality.
Think Tank
Imagine a personal problem you're facing. Now, try to connect that
problem to larger social issues or patterns. For example, if you're
struggling to find a job, consider how economic conditions, education
systems, or social networks might be contributing to your situation

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INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

Sociology is the scientific and systematic study of groups and group

Sociologists study all aspects and levels of society.

Sociologists working from the micro-level study small groups and

individual interactions, while those using macro-level analysis look at

trends among and between large groups and societies.

• a group of people who live within a • is common way of life shared by a

The structure and function of society as a system;

The nature, complexity and contents of human social behavior

The fundamentals of human social life

Interaction of human beings with their external environment

Coined the term sociology

He was first to regard himself as “sociologist”

He believed that a theoretical science of society and the systematic

She was an active advocate of the eradication of slavery and she

He defined sociology as the study of social facts.

August Comte Social Static , Social Dynamic

Karl Marx Class Conflict, Alienation etc.

Emile Durkheim Social Facts

Max Weber Social Action, Subjective Meaning

Herbert Spencer Social Darwinism

Harriet Martineau Active advocate of abolition of slavery and gender

Psychology History Geography

 While sociology focuses more on

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