Respond to the question below after reading chapter one: How would you describe or define the nature (key attributes) of sociology as an academic discipline? (i.e. nature, approaches, potential applic
ESSENTIALS OF SOCIOLOGY, 7 TH EDITION CHAPTER 1: SOCIOLOGY: THEORY AND METHOD 1 Please revie w the ent ire chapter to gain a more comprehensive view and un ders tanding of the subject matter . Do n ot rely solely on the ch apter summar y. CHAPTER SUMMARY What Is the "Sociological Imagination"? • Sociology is the systematic study of human societies, with special emphasis on modern, industrialized systems. Sociologists attempt to understand the far -reaching changes that have occurred in human societies over the past two to three centuries. Social scientists recognize that these seemingly “ personal ” troubles , if occurring in patterned ways to large numbers of individuals, reflect important “ public issues ” or consequences of social structu res to make the process of structuration . • Major social changes have also occurred in the most intimate and personal characteristics of people's lives, or at the "micro" level. The development of romantic love as a basis for marriage is an example of this. • The pr actice of sociology involves developing a sociological imagination - the ability to think imaginatively and to detach oneself from preconceived ideas about social relationships. What Theories Do Sociologists Use? • Sociologists use a wide range of theo retic al approaches. Theoretical disputes are difficult to resolve even in the natural sciences, and in sociology we face special difficulties because of the complex problems involved in subjecting our own behavior to study. • Important figures in the early d evelo pment of sociological theory include Auguste Comte (1798 –1857), Herbert Spencer (1820 -1903), Émile Durkheim (1858 –1917), Karl Marx (1818 –1883), and Max Weber (1864 –1920). Many of their ideas remain influential in sociology today. The work of sociologi sts H arriet Martineau (1802 -1876), and W. E. B. Du Bois (1868 -1963) – though unacknowledged during their lifetimes – deserves a place alongside the classical sociologists. • The main theoretical approaches in sociology are symbolic interactionism , functiona lism , Marxism , feminism and feminism theory , and postmodernism . These theories complement each other, yet major contrasts exist between them; these differences influence the ways in which theoretical issues are handled by the adherents of the different app roach es. • The study of face -to -face interaction is usually called microsociology . By contrast, macrosociology involves the study of larger groups, institutions, and social systems. Micro and macro analyses are interrelated and complement one other. What Kin ds o f Questions Can Sociologists Answer? • Sociologists investigate social life by posing clearly defined questions and investigating the answers via systematic research. These questions may be factual , comparative , developmental , or theoretical . ESSENTIALS OF SOCIOLOGY, 7 TH EDITION CHAPTER 1: SOCIOLOGY: THEORY AND METHOD 2 What Are th e Steps of the Research Process? • All research begins with a research problem that interests or puzzles the investigator.Research problems may be suggested by gaps in the existing literature, theoretical debates, or practical issues in the social world. • The oretically, there are seven distinctive steps in the development of research strategies — although researchers rarely follow these exact steps in this exact order. The steps are: defining the research problem, reviewing the evidence, making the problem pre cise, creating a design, carrying out research, interpreting the results, and reporting the findings. What Research Methods Do Sociologists Use? • Sociologists have a range of methods at their disposal, both qualitative and quantitative . • In fieldwork, or eth nography , the researcher spends lengthy periods of time with a group or community being studied. Survey research involves sending or administering questionnaires to samples of a larger population. Documentary research uses printed materials from archives o r other resources, as a source for information. Other research methods include experiments, life histories, historical analysis, and comparative research. • Each research method has strengths and limitations. For this reason, researchers will often combine t wo or more methods in their work, where each method is used to check or supplement the material obtained from the others. This process is called triangulation . What Ethical Dilemmas Do Sociologists Face? • Sociological research often poses ethical dilemmas. These may arise either where researchers deceive the subjects of the research, or where the publication of research findings might adversely affect the feelings or lives of those studied. • Informed consent and debriefing are two strategies used to uphold re search ethics. Although there is no entirely satisfactory way to resolve ethical issues, all researchers must be sensitive to the dilemmas they pose. How Does the Sociological Imagination Affect Your Life? • Adopting a sociological imagination can affect bo th individuals and society. Individuals are better able to control their circumstances if they understand why something is happening. We can better understand and interact with our fellow actors if we are aware of cultural similarities and differences. • Und erstanding the consequences (intended and unintended) of policy initiatives can promote effective program change.
