Ethan Kupferberg Soc 101 Class 3 9 3 19 A Micro level Face to face interactions and behavior gestures languages codes of dress social psychology B Meso level Group to group interaction Interaction between groups and institutions community groups trade unions professional societies lobbyists C Macro level Large scale interactions and processes typically Diversity is a central theme studied by sociologists Diversity is an important issue in any society particularly in the united states Racial and ethnic minority groups currently compromise 27 of those in this country This percent continues to steadily increase Diversity is a broad concept that includes studying differences in opportunities available to various groups in society The shaping of social institutions by different social factors The formation of group and individual identity The process of social change Sociology developed in the middle of the nineteenth century when European social observers began to use scientific methods to test their ideas The idea that studying society scientifically emerged over time and was influenced by 1 European Enlightenment 17 18th centuries In which traditional modes of thinking and explanation based upon superstition privilege and religious edicts were rejected Major premises of the medieval world view were questioned That the physical and social world was ultimately mysterious That man recognizes and acknowledges that there was much he could never know That faith in God was essential to make sense of the world By questioning these premises enlightenment thinkers were also challenging the dominant social political and religious order that was based upon privileges rather than merit The world is knowable and understandable through systematic observation Man is increasingly viewed as the author of his own story passive 2 Age of Revolution Upset political systems based on feudalism and the absolute of monarchs Ushered in social upheaval that raised questions about the nature of man and the underlying causes of social behavior and social order Chaos condition context The concept of rationality was embraced That man could control his destiny effect change and engage on reasoned thinking 3 The onset of Imperialism As the Europeans conquered other nations they met different cultures and began to ask why cultures varied As Europeans encountered and subjugated peoples in different parts of the world there was considerable interest in A explaining and rambling the similarities and differences between themselves and others B rationalizing and justifying European dominance over others so called primitives 4 Discoveries in the natural sciences caused a revolution in the ways of thinking in humanities and philosophy Belief that the same RATIONALITY that Newton and others had brought to physics and other sciences could be used to solve basic problems of humanity Through the application of the scientific method using objective systematic observations to test theories Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries the disciples of sociology grew in response to the considerable social changes related to the growth of factory based industrial economy the industrial Revolution Social problems such as migration of peasants to the city overcrowding of cities the conditions of factory labor social deviance Auguste Comte 1798 1857 Coined the term sociology believed that society could be studied scientifically This approach is known as positivism reliance of empirical facts Intellectual background of positivism Efforts in the rehabilitation of social order after the French revolution 1789 There are two paths 1 Return to traditional society political romantics 2 New values of modernity and dream of future of the scientific industrial society positivists According to Comte the history of mankind develops in three stages 1 Theological stages 2 Metaphysical stage rejecting theological transitional 3 Positivists stage Based on scientific understanding of human nature Herbert Spencer and Social Darwinism 1820 1903 1 Survival of the fittest Spencer claimed that social adjustment was a process of social evolution survival of the fittest mis adaptation of the work of Darwin Spencer s phrase survival of the fittest predated Darwin publication if the Origin of Species 1859 Emphasizes the individual struggle for existence Both individuals and entire societies compete and adapt to social changes brought on by technology innovations Some win others become extinct Used example of factory innovation over small crafts workshops Craft guilds disappeared in the 19th century since they could not adjust to environment changes favorable to factory production Antigovernment individualism Spencer argued for minimal state intervention and regulation in addressing social problems Government regulation and social reforms should not interfere with man s continued adaptation to society For Spencer intervention was viewed as tragically misguided mistake Feeding or housing the poor simply permitted them to survive and to transmit their unfitness to their children who in turn would pass it on to their children In essence those who could not adopt to society s changing conditions for one reason or another were unfit and should be left to perish Criticism of Spencer Fallacy of adopting biological evolution for explaining social change Humans unlike plants and other animals actively create and alter their environments 4 Spencer s intellectual goals To naturalize inequality To render illegitimate claims against institutional racism classism and sexism To justify imperialistic expansion Additional 19th century sociologists Toennies and Simmel Spencer was unwilling to imagine sociology as a moral enterprise that is scientific observation for the purpose of understanding society and improving it Most other 19th century theorists however were critical of the social changes of the time and were interested in the betterment of society Ferdinand Toennies 1855 1936 Argued that social problems stemmed from social adjustment to new environments and conditions Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft Before and after Gemeinschaft dense familiar and personal social ties that emphasized a close circle of family and friends found in rural villages and towns