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The document provides an overview of sociology, defining it as the science of society and human interactions, with contributions from various scholars. It discusses the nature, subject matter, and scope of sociology, emphasizing its empirical and rational approaches, as well as its focus on social institutions and processes. Additionally, it highlights the sociological and global perspectives that help understand individual behaviors within societal contexts and the interconnectedness of societies worldwide.

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12 views

Class 2

The document provides an overview of sociology, defining it as the science of society and human interactions, with contributions from various scholars. It discusses the nature, subject matter, and scope of sociology, emphasizing its empirical and rational approaches, as well as its focus on social institutions and processes. Additionally, it highlights the sociological and global perspectives that help understand individual behaviors within societal contexts and the interconnectedness of societies worldwide.

Uploaded by

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Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
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•Definition of Sociology

• Nature of Sociology
• Subject Matter and Scope of Sociology
• The Sociological Perspective
• The Global Perspective
Definition of sociology
„Sociology‟ which had once been treated as social
philosophy, or the philosophy of history, emerged
as an independent social science in the 19th
century.
Auguste Comte, a Frenchman, is traditionally
considered to be the father of sociology as he
Coined the term sociology in 1838.

Sociology” is composed of two words: „socius‟


means companion or associate; and „logos‟
meaning science or study. the etymological
meaning of “sociology” is thus the science of
society.
2
For our purpose of study a few definitions
may be cited here.
Auguste Comte, the founding father of sociology,
defines sociology as the science of social phenomena
“subject to natural and invariable laws, the discovery
of which is the object of investigation”
Kingsley Devis says that “sociology is a general
science of society”
Harry M. Johnson opines that “sociology is the
science that deals with social groups”
Emile Durkheim defines sociology as the “science of
social institution”
Small defines sociology as “the science of social relations”

3
Marshal Jones defines sociology as “the study of
man-in-relation-to-man.”
Ogburn and Nimkoff defines sociology as “the
scientific study of social life.”
Franklion Henry Giddings defines sociology as “the
science of social phenomena”
Henry Fairchild defines sociology as “the study of man
and his human environment in their relations to each
other.”
Max Weber defines sociology as “the science which
attempts the interpretative understanding of social
action in order thereby to arrive at a casual explanation
of its course and effects.”
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Alex Inkeles says, “sociology is the study of systems of
social action and of their interrelations.”
Kimball Young and Raymond w. Mack define sociology
as “the scientific study of the social aspects of human
life.”
Morris Ginsberg: of the various definitions of sociology
the one given by morris ginsberg seems to be more
satisfactory and comprehensive. he defines sociology in
the following way: “in the broadest sense, sociology is
the study of human interactions and inter-relations, their
conditions and consequences.”

5
Nature of sociology
Sociology, as a branch of knowledge, has its own
unique characteristics. It is not a natural science. As
a social science, it deals with social universe.
Sociology concentrates its attention on man, his
social behavior, social activities and social life.
Sociology holds its aim as the acquisition of
knowledge. Therefore, sociologists do not
recommend policies but their acquired knowledge is
of great help to the policy makers.
Sociology is a categorical and not a normative
discipline.
Sociology is a value free science. it is ethically
neutral.
Nature of sociology

Sociology tries to find out the general laws or principals


about human interaction and association. It is concerned
with human interaction and human life in general. It does
not study each and every event in society; rather it
makes generalizations on the basis of the study of some
selected events.
Sociology is both a rational and an empirical science.
The empiricist collects facts; the rationalist co-ordinates
and arranges them. Theories and facts are required in
the construction of knowledge. In sociological enquiry
both are significant.
Nature of sociology

Sociology does not investigate economic, religious,


political, legal, moral or any other special kind of
phenomena in relation to human life and activities as
such. it only studies human activities in a general way.
Sociology is both a rational and an empirical science.
The empiricist collects facts; the rationalist co-ordinates
and arranges them. Theories and facts are required in
the construction of knowledge. In sociological enquiry
both are significant.
Sociological theories avail themselves of both empirical
and rational resources. As Immanuel Kant said, “theories
without facts are empty and facts without theories are
blind.” sociology is not an exception.
Subject Matter and Scope of Sociology

Ever since the beginning of sociology, sociologists have


shown a great concern in man and in the dynamics of
society. Primarily sociology seeks to find explanations for
three basic questions: how and why societies emerge?
how and why societies persist? how and why societies
change? Sociologists have developed different
approaches from time to time in their attempts to answer
these questions.

Still it is possible to identify some topics which constitute


the subject matter of sociology on which there is little
disagreement among the sociologists.
Subject Matter and Scope of Sociology
First, the major concern of sociology is sociological
analysis of human society and culture with a sociological
perspective.
Second, sociology has given sufficient attention to the
study of primary units of social life.
Third, sociology has been concerned with the
development, structure and function of a wide variety of
social institutions like family, kinship, religion, economy,
politics, law, education and so forth.
Fourth, no sociologists can afford to ignore the
fundamental social processes such as co-operation and
conflict, accommodation and assimilation, social control
and deviance, socialization and communication, social
differentiation and stratification.
Subject Matter and Scope of Sociology
Fifth, sociology has placed high premium on the method
of research. Contemporary sociology has tended to
become more and more rational and empirical rather than
philosophical and idealistic.
Sixth, sociologists are concerned with the task of
“formulating concepts, propositions and theories.
Finally, in the present era of exposition of knowledge
sociologists have ventured to make specialization also.
Sociology of knowledge, sociology of history, sociology of
literature, sociology of culture, sociology of religion,
sociology of family etc., represents such specialized
fields.
The field of sociological enquiry is so vast that any
student of sociology equipped with genius and rich
sociological imagination can add new dimensions to the
discipline of sociology as a whole.
The Sociological Perspective
Understanding society is a difficult task. The Sociological
Perspective provides sociologists the wisdom to to
understand and predict the behavior of individuals, groups,
or categories of people. Peter Berger (1963) described the
sociological perspective as

 seeing the general in the particular meaning to identify


general patterns in the behavior of particular individuals.

 seeing the strange in the familiar meaning to give up


the familiar idea that human behavior is simply a matter of
what people decide to do in favor of the initially strange
notion that society guides our thoughts and deeds.

• individuality and the social context meaning that


general social patterns and complex social forces influence
individuals in society.
The Global Perspective
The global perspective, is the study of the larger
world and our society‟s place in it. This perspective
extends our understanding of the sociological
perspective by understanding the facts that

• Societies the world over are increasingly


interconnected.

• A global perspective enables us to see that many


human problems we face in our own country are far
more serious elsewhere.

• Thinking globally is an excellent way to learn more


about ourselves.

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