Dr. Chris McMillan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=play er_embedded&v=Ij91X-Mm1Ow
To what extent is social behaviour natural or socially influenced?
What are social structures and how do they influence our behaviour? ◦ Institutions, organisations, norms and patterns ◦ Social conflict, divisions and power
What power do we have to influence these structures?
What sociological approaches are there for understanding these questions?
◦ Human agency and power
See the world, and your life, differently
If humanity shapes the world, humanity can change it
Become an active participant in society
Recognise and challenge suffering
Sociology studies our shared and social lives – But how?
It is critical and sceptical: Sociology provides specific ways of critically analysing the world
It tries to be systematic
It might be scientific
The ambition of founding sociologists such as Auguste Comte was to establish the discipline as a science by determining ‘social facts’ and ‘natural laws’ ◦ Durkheim: ‘study social facts as things’
Sociology could become scientific through a methodological approach to social life: positivism
Positivism is concerned with ‘observable phenomena’
But do facts ‘speak for themselves’ or does human involvement in the study of humans influence the process?
Science involves systematic and rigorous analysis that is logical and open to new ideas
In this sense sociology is scientific, but in a different way – it is a social science
Sociological research involves different methods to ‘natural science’
There is considerable debate about these perspectives
Sociologists don’t just describe society, they analyse and critique
There are different perspectives, or theories, about how to analyse and critique society ◦ Research methods
◦ Theories
Different methods applied to representing social life
Quantitative methods for measuring social phenomena, such as surveys and statistical analysis
Qualitative methods are more detailed and subjective, such as focus groups or participant observations
Each of these methods relies on assumptions about the social world: social theories
Quantitative Research
Qualitative Research
Everyone in the front half of the class come on to the stage
Divide into those born before July and those after July
Walk around the stage in these groups
Everyone at the back observe the patterns develop
What happened?
Why?
How could we investigate these observations in a reliable and valid way?
What would we be interested in?
Social theories are abstract and systematic ideas about how the social world operates ◦ We are all theorists!
Classical sociology: Durkheim, Marx and Weber
Modern sociology: Functionalism, conflict or critical theories, symbolic interactionism
Society is made up of interconnected parts that each have a function in holding society together ◦ How does each part contribute to the whole?
An organic and structure-based view of society – society as a system with needs
Tends to naturalise inequalities by emphasising their function e.g. Unemployment
Often accused of conservatism and ignoring the power of human action and resistance.
Marxism is part of a range of ‘conflict theories’ that also emphasise the role of structure
By contrast to functionalism, Marxists’ focus on divisions within society, specifically class conflict
Marxism is also a theory of social change – of resistance and the potential for agency
Common critiques of Marxism are that it is too focused on economic factors and ignored the functional and normative factors that make society cohesive
Other conflict or critical theorists consider how society maintains its cohesion despite these divisions
Focused more on individuality (agency) and the creation of culture through social practices
◦ A micro-sociological approach for understanding social norms and roles
Meanings and culture are reproduced through understandings of ‘symbols’ that make sense of the world for us
But does this ‘action theory’ ignore larger structural factors?
How could we use these perspectives to understand our experiment?
ď ˝
If you were to do sociological research on tube travel, how would you approach it?
WEEK II: UNDERSTANDING STRUCTURE AND AGENCY
WEEK III: MODERNITY AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIOLOGY
WEEK IV: CLASS AND ECONOMIC STRATIFICATION
WEEK V:SOCIAL CLASS AND CULTURAL IDENTITY
WEEK VI: SEX, GENDER AND SEXUALITY
WEEK VII: ASK WEEK
WEEK VIII: RACE AND ETHNICITY
WEEK IX: POWER, IDEOLOGY AND VIOLENCE
WEEK X: NATIONHOOD AND IDENTITY
WEEK XI: PLEASURE AND LEISURE IN THE AGE OF CONSUMPTION
WEEK XII: POSTMODERNITY, BELIEF AND KNOWLEDGE IN THE 21ST CENTURY
Dr. Chris McMillan Contact ◦ Room GB.152 ◦ Ext. 67541
chris.mcmillan@brunel.ac.uk Office Hours: Monday 15.00-16.00
Develop a critical understanding of key sociological themes, issues and theories;
Demonstrate a critical awareness of the role of social forces in influencing individual interactions;
Demonstrate an ability to apply a critical sociological understanding to our own lived experiences;
Be able to articulate these critical understandings in written academic arguments.
Lectures - Friday 2-4pm, LC067
Feedback
Seminars
Readings
Assessments
Attendance is compulsory…
… but lecture theatres are not prisons!
Participation is required: It is not a matter of recording what the lecturer is saying
Ensure you have completed the readings beforehand
This is your class – What do you think?
Talking? Lateness? Respect?
Please ask questions at any time during the lectures
Text system – Text 656277 and your message to 07624806527
Make an appointment during my office hours
Read your assessment feedback
Sociology and communications society?
Course representation?
◦ Or send an email
◦ Challenge this feedback!
Smaller discussion Week Topic groups based on assigned reading
2 Run
The Sociological Imagination by a member of academic staff 4 Structure and Agency You will be assigned to a seminar group soon 6 Class struggle and society 8 Attendance is vital
Divided societies
10
The Nation-State and Power
•
Reading is the basis of your learning
YOU ARE ONLY REQUIRED TO PURCHASE ONE OF THESE TEXTBOOKS!
•Additional readings are provided where necessary
Two essays ◦ One 1500 word essay worth 40% of the final grade. Due… ◦ One 2000 word essay worth 60% of the final grade. Due…
We will discuss these in more detail closer to the submission date
Universities have strong support systems
Just ASK! ◦ Writing ◦ Research ◦ Study skills
ď ˝
http://www.polleverywhere.com/free_text_polls/MjA5 ODYxNzUwMw
Complete Chapter One of your textbook, if you haven’t already Read: ◦ Hays, Sharon (1994) Structure and Agency and the Sticky Problem of Culture. Sociological Theory. 12 (1), pp.57-72.
and ◦ Fulcher, and Scott (2011) Chapter 4. ◦ Giddens (2009) Sociology, Chapter 7. ◦ Macionis & Plummer(2012) Sociology, Part 2.
Read: The Sociological Imagination (BBL) Attend: Your first seminar!