INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

Course Lecturer:Philipe Ojp Ombugu

pombugu@spu.ac.ke /pombugu@gmail.com

SOCIOLOGY

The term sociology is derived from the

Latin word societas meaning society
and
Greek word Logos meaning study

WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY

Sociology is the systematic study of human society.

( J.J Macionis)
The scientific study of human life, social groups, and
societies.
(Giddens 2009)

SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

The special point of view of sociology sees the

general patterns of society in the lives of particular
people

SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
Access the truth of common sense
To see the opportunities and constraints in our life
To be active participants in our society
To live in a diverse world

WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY
How

humans interact with each other?

How human behavior is shaped by
social structures (groups, communities,
organizations)
social categories (age, sex, class, etc.)
social institutions (politics, religion, education, etc.)

ORIGINS OF SOCIOLOGY

August Comte is thought of as the "Father of Sociology"

as he coined the term sociology in 1838 .
There are five major founders of sociology:
August Comte
Herbert Spencer
Karl Marx
Emile Durkheim
Max Weber

ORIGINS OF SOCIOLOGY
Social forces
French Revolution
A new industrial Economy
Growth of cities

THEORETICAL APPROACHES/PERSPECTIVES
1.
2.
3.

The structural-functional approach

The social-conflict approach
The symbolic-interaction approach

THEORETICAL APPROACHES/PERSPECTIVES
The structural-functional approach
(August comte, Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim)
Social structure
Social functions
1. Manifest function
2. Latent function
Social dysfunction

THEORETICAL APPROACHES/PERSPECTIVES
How is society held together?
What are the major parts of the society?
How are these parts linked ?
What does each part do to help the society work?

THEORETICAL APPROACHES/PERSPECTIVES
The social-conflict approach
(Karl Marx)
Conflict between dominant(rich) and
disadvantaged(poor)
Social change that would reduce inequality
Feminism and Gender conflict
Race conflict

THEORETICAL APPROACHES/PERSPECTIVES
How does society divide a population?
How do advantaged people protect their privileges?
How do disadvantage people challenge the system
seeking change?

THEORETICAL APPROACHES/PERSPECTIVES
The symbolic-interaction approach
(Max Weber)
Human beings live in a world of symbols

How do people experience society?

How do behavior and meaning change from person
to person and from one situation to another
situation?

SOCIOLOGY AND OTHER SOCIAL SCIENCES

The natural sciences
The intellectual and academic disciplines to explain the
events in our natural environment.
The social sciences
Examine human relationship by understanding social
world through controlled and repeated observation

SOCIOLOGY AND OTHER SOCIAL SCIENCES

Political science Sociology
Economics and sociology
Anthropology and sociology
Psychology and sociology

Economist

ELEPHANT STORY

SUBJECT MATTER OF SOCIOLOGY

At a personal level
Love, racial prejudice, gender identity, deviant behavior
and religious experience
At a societal level
Existence of poverty and wealth, the creation of law, the
administration of justice, prejudice and discrimination,
business enterprises and entrepreneurship, schools and
education
At the global level
such things as population growth and migration,
economic development and globalization, war and peace,
and policies to support the protection of the environment.