Study the interactions & conflicts within groups to determine how society functions.
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Transcript of Study the interactions & conflicts within groups to determine how society functions.
Study the interactions & conflicts within groups to determine how society functions.
The study of society and social behaviour.
Fundamental Questions:1. What function does society
serve in the lives of individuals?2. What role do social institutions
have in society?3. How do individuals learn & adapt
to the specific rules & modes of behaviour that govern the group?
Fundamental Beliefs: The groups to which an
individual belongs will determine the roles & expectations that he/she will value and emulate in his/her private life.
The study of:Social lifeSocial changeSocial causes & consequences of
human behaviourThe structure of social groups,
organizations, & how people interact within these contexts
Sociologists determineWhether changes in society are
predictable or unpredictableWhether they are gradual or
suddenWhether changes occur
spontaneously or follow a specific course
NormsThe expectations of appropriate
conduct that serve as a basis of all social interactions
Example:All Catholic Priests are expected to be celibate
Norms are important if society is to maintain social order & stability
Norms
The Roles we PlayWe all play certain roles in society
(this is referred to as our status)Status is the term used to describe
our position with an institution
Example: Cardinal Ambrozic SecondaryMany roles (teachers, students, guidance counsellors, VP, principal, superintendent, custodian, secretaries)
RolesWe don’t have consistent
roles
Example-Ms. Lindsay – the roles she plays
everyday:Mother-wife-teacher-coach-parishioner
HierarchyRanking system used in any
environment based on authority of power
Each position or role requires a certain type of expertise which is valued by society
Can you put the positions at Ambrozic in order of hierarchy?
DevianceAny behaviour that is different from the
societal normA behaviour is deviant because we, as
a society, do not accept it
“We must not say that an action shocks the common conscience because it is criminal, but rather that it is criminal because it shocks the common conscience”
Emile Durkheim
RehabilitationIs to re-educate or re-socialize
someone back to society’s acceptable values & norms
In this area, sociology has formed a strong link with the justice system
Schools of Thought1. Structural FunctionalismSociety’s function is to provide
stability & equilibrium to its members
Not concerned with social change, but change needs to take place when something no longer meets the needs of its members
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) Social change is
inevitable and follows logical & predictable paths
Society becomes more complex as it becomes more diverse
2. Marxism
Economic power and material wealth create a situation of natural competition between different classes in society
This power is the basis for most relationships in society
Karl Marx (1818-1883) Economic power led
to political power Critical capitalism,
he called it the "dictatorship of the bourgeoisie", believing it to be run by the wealthy classes purely for their own benefit
3. Feminist Theory Focus on sex and gender issues Inequalities in society stem from a value
system & decision-making process that favours men and excludes women
Examples: Liberal feminists – want equality Radical feminists – natural child bearing
role has lead to their oppression
Dorothy Smith (1926- ) Liberal Feminist The symbols, the vocabulary, the codes of our
culture reflect the standpoint of the male. Our laws and our legal system are patriarchal All mainstream religions have been concocted
and perpetuated by male authority figures, Our language is premised on the male
standpoint (ie. Mail”man”, police”man”)