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What is the Sociological Imagination?
The Sociological Imagination distinguishes between private troubles (individual) and public issues (societal). It encourages critical thinking about history, culture and society
What is Social Construction?
Social Construction refers to the idea that society and its norms are not fixed; they are created and change over time. Language plays a key role in shaping reality.
What are Social Structures and Systems?
Social life is organised into patterns that guide behaviour.
◦Functionalism: Society operates like a system where each part has a function.
◦Conflict Theory: Society is shaped by power struggles between different groups.
What is Culture in Sociology?
Culture includes beliefs, values, norms, customs, and language. It shapes identity and social behaviour.
Explain the Agency vs. Structure Debate.
This debate questions whether people are primarily shaped by society (structure) or whether they actively shape society (agency). Agency is the capacity of individuals to make choices within the constraints of society.
What are Socialisation and Identity?
Socialisation is learning societal norms from birth to adulthood. Identity is shaped by social influences such as family, media, and education.
Describe Sociology as a Science.
Sociology uses systematic research methods to understand society. It looks for patterns and causes of social behaviour.
Describe Sociology as Politics & Critical Theory.
Sociology examines power structures and inequalities. Feminist theory examines how gender shapes societal experiences.
What is Postmodernism in Sociology?
Postmodernism questions the idea of absolute truths. It argues that society is fragmented and identity is fluid
How did Sociology originate?
Sociology originated in 18th-century Europe as a response to industrialisation and urbanisation.
What was the Enlightenment’s impact on Sociology?
The Enlightenment (17th-18th Century) involved a shift from religious to scientific thinking. It promoted reason, citizenship, and democracy.
Name a major issue in Modern Sociology: Globalisation
Increased global connectivity in economy, culture, and politics.
Name a major issue in Modern Sociology: Colonialism & Postcolonialism
European expansion shaped modern societies. Postcolonialism examines ongoing effects of colonial rule.
Name a major issue in Modern Sociology: Digital Society & Surveillance
Technology shapes social interaction. Social media’s role in communication and self-image.
Who was Auguste Comte?
Auguste Comte (1798-1857) coined the term sociology in 1839. He advocated positivism, the idea that society should be studied using empirical data and scientific methods. He proposed that society evolves through theological, metaphysical, and scientific stages.
Who was Herbert Spencer?
Compared society to a biological organism. Coined “survival of the fittest”.
Who was Karl Marx?
Focused on class conflict and believed that history is shaped by economic forces. He saw society as divided between the bourgeoisie (capitalists) and the proletariat (workers). He argued that capitalism leads to alienation and eventual overthrow.
Who was Emile Durkheim?
Emphasised social facts and how they shape behaviour. He discussed solidarity (mechanical and organic) and introduced the concept of anomie.
Who was Max Weber?
Believed ideas and culture also drive social change. He discussed rationalisation and social stratification based on class, status, and party.
Who was Georg Simmel?
Focused on social interaction and urban life, introducing symbolic interactionism
Who was Harriet Martineau?
An early feminist sociologist who translated Comte’s work and studied women’s oppression and social inequalities.
What are some critiques of classical sociology?
Classical sociology has been criticised for being shaped by imperialism and Eurocentrism, and for excluding women. There are calls for a more inclusive sociological canon
What is the Structuralist View?
Humans act according to societal structures.
What is the Agency View?
Individuals shape and change societal structures.
