CHAPTER 1 Sociology and the Real World Theories Conflict Theory Weberian Theory Postmodern Theory 2
Karl Marx (1818-1883) Karl Marx was a German philosopher and political activist. His ideas have well known to the world as the basis of communism which is a political system adopted by China, North Korea, and Cuba Marx contributed significantly to sociology s conflict theory. Marx believed that capitalism was creating social inequality between the bourgeoisie, who owned the means of production (money, factories, natural resources, land), and the proletariat, who were the workers. According to Marx, this inequality leads to class conflict. He envisioned a classless society socialism in which each person contributed to and benefited from the public good.
Macrosociology: Conflict Theory/Perspective The ideology which is belief system permeated society arose from the values of the ruling class. False consciousness Class consciousness Dialectical model Thesis Antithesis Synthesis Social conflict is the basis of society and social change.
Critical Theory in U.S.A. W.E.B. Dubois (1868-1963) His focus on inequalities of race and ethnicity in U.S. The Civil Rights Movements of the 1960s
Feminist Theory looks at gender inequalities in society and the way that gender structures the social world, and considers remedies to these inequalities. Bell Hooks
Queer Theory Proposes that categories of sexual identity are social constructs and that no sexual category is fundamentally either deviant or normal.
Questions Who is the father of conflict theory? What are the key words for conflict theory? What is the level of analysis for conflict theory? Who is the conflict theory s scientist in U.S.? According to the feminist theory what is the inequality to cause conflicts in societies? According to the queer theory what is the inequality to cause conflicts in societies?
Questions Who is the father of conflict theory? Karl Marx; means of production What are the key words for conflict theory? Social inequality, haves vs. have-nots, social class, conflict, power What is the level of analysis for conflict theory? Macro Who is the conflict theory s scientist in U.S.? W.E.B. Dubois; racial inequality in the society According to the feminist theory what is the inequality to cause conflicts in societies? Gender inequality According to the queer theory what is the inequality to cause conflicts in societies? Different sexual preferences
Weberian Theory Max Weber (1864-1920) Max Weber was also interested in how society was becoming industrialized. He was concerned with the process of rationalization, applying economic logic to all human activity. Bureaucracies He believed that contemporary life was filled with disenchantment, the result of the dehumanizing features of modern societies. Iron Cage An empathic understanding (verstehen) of human action and meaningful thoughts Weberian Theory has been in between micro and macrosociology
Eurocentrism The privilege of Europe and Westeren Sociological Theories/perspectives over other cultures. Ibni Khaldun (1332-1406)/an Arab Muslim philosopher and politician
Questions According to Max Weber what is the name of process of human activity in the modern societies? What is the outcome of applying economic logic in human behavior? What is the Eurocentrism?
Questions According to Max Weber what is the name of process of human activity in the modern societies? Rationalization What is the outcome of applying economic logic in human behavior? Bureaucracy What is the Eurocentrism? The privilege of Europe and Western Sociological Theories/perspectives over other cultures.
Microsociology: Symbolic Interactionist Perspective/Theory sees interaction and meaning as central to society and assumes that meanings are not inherent but rather are created through interaction helps us explain both our individual personalities and the ways in which we are all linked together allows us to understand the processes by which social order and social change are constructed
George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) Pragmatism: Humans make practical adaptations to their environments. They do this through cognition, interpretation, and interaction. The Chicago School: in the 1920 s and 30s, university of Chicago centered on urban sociology and filed research methods Jane Addams (1860-1935) The Hull House The Nobel Peace Prize
Erving Goffman (1863-1931) Dramaturgy: to understand how individuals present themselves to others
Postmodernist Theory/Perspective Jacques Derrida Michel Foucault Jean Baudrillard (1930-2004) (1926-1984) (1929-2007) Postmodernism suggests that social reality is diverse, pluralistic, and constantly changing What is modernism? The power of science and technology to create progress, solve problems, and improve life Deconstruction: a type of critical postmodern analysis
Questions Who is the father of symbolic interactionist perspective? What are the key words for symbolic intereactionist theory? What is the level of analysis for symbolic intereactionist theory? What are the Jane Addams's contributions to the sociology? What is the study area of Erving Goffman? Who are the postmodern thinkers?
Questions Who is the father of symbolic interactionist perspective? George Herbert Mead What are the key words for symbolic intereactionist theory? Social meaning, face-to-face interaction, individual experience in social interactions, social construction of the social meanings What is the level of analysis for symbolic intereactionist theory? Micro What are the Jane Adam's contributions to the sociology? The Hull House The Nobel Peace Prize What is the study area of Erving Goffman? Dramaturgy Who are the postmodern thinkers? Derrida, Foucault, Baudrillard
Summary of Micro and Macro Sociological Theories/Perspectives