Understanding Human Society: A Sociological Perspective
Sociology is a branch of the social sciences that uses systematic methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop and refine a body of knowledge about human social structure and activity.
Historical Roots of Sociology
Sociology has its roots in significant social changes:
- The Industrial Revolution.
- The creation of empires.
- The Age of Enlightenment and scientific reasoning.
Early practitioners developed the discipline as an attempt to understand these social changes.
The Scope of Sociology
Sociology is a broad discipline in terms of both methodology and subject matter. Its traditional focuses have included social relations, social stratification, social interaction, family, culture, gender, tourism, law, deviance, health disparities, and economic activity. Its approaches have included both qualitative and quantitative research techniques.
Sociology: Understanding the Social World
Sociology is an attempt to understand the social world by situating social events in their corresponding environment (social structure, culture, history) and trying to understand social phenomena by collecting and analyzing empirical data.
Sociology: Focus and Purpose
Sociology takes care of changes in human societies during the last two centuries. It is the systematic study of social human life, groups of people, and societies. The main purpose is to gain knowledge about ourselves, the society where we live, and other societies.
Key Sociological Thinkers and Historical Context
Main authors include: Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, George Simmel, Mead, Schutz, and Parsons in the USA. Political revolutions such as the French Revolution, the Industrial Revolution and capitalism, the appearance of socialism, urban planning development (from fields to factories), changes in religion, and scientific development have all influenced the field.
The Impact of the Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution brought some rather severe social conditions, which included deplorable city living conditions, crowding, crime, extensive poverty, inadequate water and sewage, early death, frequent accidents, and high illness rates. These new social problems required a new science that was unique from any scientific disciplines of the day.
Sociology: A Modern Perspective
Sociology is the systematic study of human social life, social groups, and societies. It focuses on the modern world, particularly the significant changes that have occurred in human societies over the last two centuries. The objective is to gain knowledge about ourselves, about the society we live in, and about other societies, as time goes by and in different places.