Sociology Class 1B

WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?- Research into how/why things change?- Better know ourselves as a society- To prevent/predict future sociological issues/events- To figure out how we can best change societyDefinitions- The systematic study of human society (Society: The Basics)- The study of the structure, development, ineratction, and collective behavior of organized groups of human beings (Merriam-Webster)- Sociology emerged as a field of study in th elate 19th century as a way to understand the transition from traditional to modern society (University of Calgary)- Emile Durkeim, Max Weber, Georg Simmel, Robert E. Park are considered the fathers of sociologyAREAS OF STUDY- Families- Ethnic Relations- Schooling- Social status and class bureaucracy- Religious movements- Deviance- Elderly- Social Change- Study how social structures, social processes and cultural products constrain and enable human behavior- Micro: Study issues of peoples self-identity, trust, and risk; does so through narratives and life stories and face-to-face interaction in day to day life.- Macro: Look at institutions and the relationship between social processes and individual lives (University of Calgary)TOOLS OF STUDY- Observational techniques (watching news, online activity, general "distance" observation)- Surveys and interviews- Statistical Analysis- Controlled experimentsASSIGNMENT:Post on Populi or Facebook: take notice in your interactions with people in general settings. Do you see any patterns with the way people act, talk or dress. WHY SOCIOLOGY?- Connecting the past, present and future- Sociology increases our understanding of our own society- Helps us know when/how to challenge old ideas about how society should work- Knowing about how the past shapes the current, helps us how our current society will shape future generations- Understanding sociology helps us understand why structured inequalities, discrimination, and persistent poverty are so difficult to eliminate- Gives us an understanding of how to build a better society- We have a voice in a changing societySOCIOLOGY IS.....- Historical: we will look at contemporary social occurrences, their origins, and the processes that brought them about- Comparative: we will learn to understand or society by comparing different groups o fpeople and engaging in the comparative study of social instityutions- Reflexive: we will grasp the critical nature of sociology and its practival relevance for producing change by recognizing that  in human society, knowledge has practival consequesnces

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