What is Sociology Critical Distance Introduced by Simmel another theorist who helped shape the sociological perspective Simmel was interested in the role of strangers in social groups Simmel suggests the sociological perspective requires a combination of nearness and Most sociologist acquire critical distance through a willingness to question the forces that distance shape social behavior Strangers posses a critical distance They are both inside a social group and also have an outside perspective This allows the stranger to see the social structure of the group better than people that are already imbedded in it One must have enough critical distance to avoid being taken in by the group definition of the situation but be near enough to have an understanding of the group s experience This will provide a Sociological Perspective Sociologists take advantage of their critical distance by questioning the social forces that can create issues that will lead to troubles in people s lives Diversity Diversity a broad concept that includes studying group differences in society s opportunities the shaping of social institutions by different social factors the formation of group and individual identity and the process of social change Understanding diversity means recognizing this diversity and making it central to sociological analysis Viewed as one of the central themes of sociology Sociologists usually look at differences amongst groups the differences of treatment towards groups and how these things are significant in society Particularly compelling in a society as diverse as the United States Diversity shapes the opportunities one has Includes the study of different cultural orientations Understanding diversity is crucial to understanding society because fundamental patterns of social change and the social structure find themselves being patterned by diverse group experiences Globalization The social and economic system of any one society is increasingly intertwined with those of other nations it is an important aspect of sociology Coupled with the increased ease in traveling and telecommunicating meaning a global perspective is necessary to understand change both in the United States and in other parts of the world No society can be understood apart from the global context The global context now influences the development of all societies This aspect is understanding different cultures and understanding societies can help you see patterns in your own society Now that we have access to something as broad as the world wide web the world is a much smaller place and we are able to reach societies that we wouldn t have been able to reached before This doesn t apply to everyone but it is important to those who it does apply to Sociological Theory The Age of Enlightenment or Age of Reason Observation replaced a belief in the supernatural Auguste Comte the founding father of sociology He believed that society could be studied scientifically This approach is known as positivism Theorists felt at this time that there was more than one way to explain natural stuff Just as science discovered nature sociology could discover the law of human nature and that this could help solve society s problems Emile Durkheim focused on the forces that hold society together in moral cohesion When he began studying hatred was brewing among Anti Semitism and ill feelings among other religions People come to believe what society expects them to believe Micro level theory Saw society as an integrated whole with each part of society contributing to the overall stability of the system The study of suicide act When he lived suicide was believed to be a private matter and a personal He believed it could be explained from a sociological viewpoint by linking suicide to social integration whether or not the person felt socially integrated if they felt they were a meaningful part in the society It varied according to the clear norms and customs of society People are glued together by their belief system specifically religion People were even bound by their hatred for Jews The rituals of religion and community it built could make you feel like a part of society and give you a sense of belonging Karl Marx He saw social class as a fundamental dimension of society that shapes social behavior Marx used a class analysis to explain capitalism Felt that the unequal distribution of wealth power and other limited resources in society was a result of natural law caused by social forces specifically the exploitation of one social class by another He argued that capitalism was an economic system based on the pursuit of profit He argued that the ruling class didn t have the power because they were the fittest but because they owned and controlled the means of production Haves and Have Nots Haves would use deception fraud and violence to control the means of production and stay above the Have Nots Sees the system as unfair and believes the entire system is based off of workers getting less than what they give Max Weber was concerned with ideas and how they shaped society Weber was greatly influenced by Marx s work and built upon it Whereas Marx saw society only through a 3D economic perspective Weber saw a complete sociological analysis as something that would recognize the interplay between economic political cultural institutions This is called a multiple causality analysis These three spheres of society are potential sources or causes that predict a particular outcome W E B Du Bois not as popular Was deeply troubled by the racial divisiveness in society Co founder of the NAACP Applied his research to help African Americans achieve social equality Ida B Wells Barnett crusaded against lynching and for women s rights Often wrote under a fake name because she was an African American Woman and at the time was not seen as credible Sociological Theory Functionalism Durkheim emphasizes the stability and integration in to explain society through cultural political and economic factors All parts of society must be stable in order for it to function sees society as organized around the unequal distribution of resources and held Conflict theory Marx together through power and coercion Symbolic interaction theory emphasizes the role of individuals in giving meaning to social behavior thereby creating society looks at symbols and how particular meanings are given to symbols and how those meanings are developed through social interaction