INTRODUCTION OF SOCIOLOGY

Sociology=socius(latin)+logos(Greek).
socius indicates society.
Logos indicates science.
Etymologically, sociology is the science of
society.
Contd

Focus on action ,interaction ,relationship,

interrelationship and social processes by which
human activities take place.
Holistic science of human society.
Auguste Comte=father of sociology(first person to use
the term sociology in 1838)
Emile Durkhiem ,Herbert Spencer ,Max Weber ,Karl
Marx(founding fathers).
It has long history but short life.
Contd
At first, the teaching of sociology as separate
discipline was started in USA in 1870.
England(1907),India(1919),Nepal(1981).
Youngest social science.
F.H. Giddings ,Sociology is the scientific study of
society.
Kingsley Davis ,sociology is a general science of
society.
NATURE OF SOCIOLOGY
Whether sociology is the science or not?
Sociology is not science because it can not be tested in
lab. Its subject matter are not observable. It can not
predict.
Sociology is science :
Though sociology is not experimented in lab it is
experimented in society.
All natural science don’t employ laboratory
experimentation(Astronomy)
Contd.
Try to find out cause-effect relationship like natural
science.
Make prediction by framing social norms, values and
culture.
According to Harry m. Johnson ,the following are the four
ground to prove sociology as a science.
Empirical.(observation and reason)
Theoretical.(logical framework)
Non ethical.(value free)
Cumulative.(dynamic)
Thus sociology is a science or scientific discipline.
Contd.

According to Robert Bierstedt ,the following are the

principal nature of sociology.
Sociology is a social science but not a natural science.
Sociology is a categorical or positive science but not a
normative science.
Sociology is a pure or theoretical science but not an
applied science.
Contd.
Sociology is an abstract science but not a concrete
science.
Sociology is a generalizing science but not a
particularizing science.
Sociology is both empirical and rational science.
Scope(subject matters)of sociology
Scope indicates the area covered by something.
The area of study or field of inquiry or boundary or
subject matters of sociology is called scope of
sociology.
Difficult to determine the boundary of sociology due
to its complex and flexible subject matter.
In the narrowest view, It has limited scope and deals
with those social problems which are not dealt by
other social sciences.
Contd.
In the broadest view , the whole life of men in society is the
scope of sociology.
Specifically , there are two school of thought regarding to the
scope of sociology.
The specialist or formalistic school : German sociologist
George Simmel leads this school with the help of Max Weber,
Small , Tonni , Ross etc.
They claimed that sociology is the pure and independent
social science. It should study certain aspect of human
relationship.
it should study only the forms of social relationship but not
their context
Contd.
Each social science studies certain aspect of society
but not whole.
criticism:
It has narrowed the scope of sociology.
It is impracticable for the establishment of sociology
as an independent discipline because by its nature it is
multidimensional.
Social forms cannot be separated from its context.
It cannot study the social relationship without the
help of other social sciences.
contd
The synthetic school
Prominent thinkers-Durkheim ,Hob
House ,Ginsberg , Sorokin etc.
Want to make sociology as a synthesis of social
sciences.
Want to make sociology as a general social science.
Develop sociology as a encyclopedic character.
 sociology should study social life as a whole because
the study of one aspect is not sufficient to understand
the entire phenomena.
contd
By considering the views of two school ,we can
summarize the subject matters of sociology as follows:
Sociological analysis-Human society and
culture(meaning ,nature, evolution),historical
transformation of society and culture with its factors
and forces.
Primary unit of social life-social action ,social
relationship ,individual personality ,social
group ,communities ,association ,organization ,society
contd
Basic social institution-
family ,marriage ,kinship ,political system ,education
system ,legal system etc
Fundamental social processes-
cooperation ,competition ,accommodation ,assimilati
on ,conflict, social control, social change ,social
integration ,social stratification etc
Methods of social research-
observation ,questionnaire ,field study ,case
study ,social report etc
Sociological concepts ,propositions and theories
Relationship of sociology with other
discipline
The social life of men has various aspect
i.e.economic,cultural,political,religious,psychological,manag
erial etc.
To understand various aspect of social life , there is necessary
to get the help of other social sciences like Economics,
Political Science, Anthropology , Psychology , Business
Administration etc.
They borrow their subject matter from each other to
understand the social reality.
As a young social science ,sociology has borrowed many
things from other sciences and provide its useful sociological
knowledge to other social sciences.
Contd.
Being a multidimensional discipline ,sociology has close
relationship with other social sciences.
Sociology and business administration
Sociology is the scientific study of society . business
administration is the scientific study about business-
administration related issues.BA deals with business
related behavior and relationship .sociology deals with
social behavior .
Every society is influenced by business process and
business activities are largely determined by social
environment.
Contd
Social relationship and business relationship are
complementary with each other .Business system is
embedded in the social system as a part of it .
The subject matter of these two discipline are
somehow common.
Both are social sciences.
Both use the same research methodology for the
investigation of their subject matter.
Business process is a part of social change and society
is the determinant of business process.
contd
Although they are related to each other , there are
certain differences between them.
Sociology Business Administration

Science of society . Science of business activities.

General social science. Specific social science.

Younger. Older.

Wide scope . Narrow scope.

Abstract in nature. Concrete in nature.

Focus on all kind of social relationship. Focus on business relationship

Study man as a social man. Study man as a business man

Emergence of sociology
Sociology has a long history but short life.
It is one of the youngest as well as one of the oldest
social sciences.
Youngest in terms of its establishment as an
independent social science in the middle of 19th
century.
Oldest in terms of the inquiry of social phenomena
since the dawn of human civilization.
contd
Factors contributing to the emergence of sociology
1 Industrial revolution
 change in mode of production.
 social change in massive scale.
 change the direction of social civilization.
 destruction of medieval social system.
 development of cities.
separate science of society (sociology)was needed to
understand the nature ,problem and solution of social
transformation.
contd
2 Inspiration from the growth of natural sciences.
Rapid growth of natural science in 19th century.
Popularity of the methods of natural science.
 It is possible to understand the social world
through scientific procedure and method.
3 influence of colonization .
Exposure of diverse nature of societies and
culture.
Create challenge for social scientists to
investigate new social issues
contd
Contribution of Founding Fathers for the
Establishment of Sociology.
Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
 French philosopher.
 invented the term sociology.
Distinguish the subject matter of sociology.
 Emphasis on positive approach, objectivity and
scientific attitude to investigate social issues.
Published famous books ‘positive philosophy’
‘positive polity’
contd
Herbert Spencer (1820-1903)
 English scholar
Continuator of comte’s approach.
Contribute to develop functionalist perspective.
 develop and apply evolutionary theory to study
society.
Introduce d sociology in England.
 published book to enrich literature of sociology like
1)social statics 2)the study of sociology 4)the
principle of sociology 5)first principle . 5)principles of
ethics
contd
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)
 French sociologist.
Introduced various field of sociology such as General
sociology ,sociology of religion ,sociology of law and
moral.
 Emphasis to comparative sociology.
Published famous book to enrich sociological
literature 1) Suicide(egoistic,altruistic,anomic) ,2)The
division of labor in society 3)The elementary form of
religious life
contd
Max Weber (1864-1920)
German sociologist.
Used a multidimensional approach to analyze society.
Stressed to maintain objectivity in value judgment.
Laid the foundation of German sociological society
Published various book such as ‘The
City’ ,‘Bureaucracy’ , ‘Economics and Society’ ‘The
Spirit of Capitalism’ etc.
contd
Karl Marx
German scholar
Architect of socialism and the champion of communism.
Good organizer ,committed revolutionary and an
effective writer.
Pioneer sociologist (he never called himself a sociologist
but his work is very rich in sociological insight)
Developed conflict theory.
Emphasis on economic base of society.
Developed the theory of social change.
contd
Published various famous books such as ‘Manifesto of
Communist Party’ , ‘ The Holy Family’ ‘The German
Ideology’ , ‘Das Kapital’(The Capital) etc.
Methods of Sociology
 Method is a system of rules ,principles ,and procedures
that guides scientific investigation.
Being a scientific discipline , sociology has various methods
to analyze its subject matter. sociological methods help to
understand the complex and multi dimensional social life.
1 The Comparative Method
 Explain differences and similarities between societies or
group in a society.
 Applicable in micro to macro level.
 help to analyze various aspect by comparing different
entities.
contd
2 The Historical Method
It studies events ,processes and institutions of past
civilization to find out origin , nature and impact.
Help to understand past form of present situation.
3 The Statistical Method
 method of collecting ,compiling ,analyzing and
interpreting numerical information about social fact.
Useful to study migration birth, death, economic
condition ,public opinion etc
contd
4 The Case Study Method
 it is a holistic treatment of a unit (may be
individual ,family ,community, nation etc.
 It is useful for the in-depth, insightful and integrated study of any
social unit.
5 The Functional Method
 It is a method of analysis and interpretation than as a method of
investigation.
 It analyze social phenomena according to its functional point of
view.
 It assumes that social system is made up of interrelated and
interdependent parts . each part has function to maintain system.
Contd.

6 The Scientific Method

 it is a method of investigation.
It follows following step
Formulation of problem
Formulation of objectives.
Data collection
Data analysis
Generalization.
contd
7 Other Methods
Observation method
Interview method
Questionnaire method
Limitation of Sociological Methods
Abstract nature Problem to generalize
Unpredictable Ambiguity of cause & effect
Complexity Difficulty in lab test
Lack of Objectivity