Subject matter of sociology

•Human and entire dynamic  society is the major concern of sociology.

•Sociology seeks to find explanation of three basic questions

1.How and why sociology emerge?2.How and why societies persist (continue)?3.How and why societies change?

The general outline of the subject matter  sociology is given below

1.Sociological analysis is the major concern of sociology. Sociology tries to analyze human society and culture  with a sociological perspective. It tries to  dig about the evolution process of  society. It means it analyzes the historical setting of the society. 2.It spends more time to describe  the primary units of social life. It tries to explain social acts and social relationship. Similarly, it  is concerned with the individual personality, groups of all varieties, different communities, organizations etc.

3. It is concerned with the  development, structure and functions of the social institutions like family and kinship, religion, economic, political and other various kind of  institution.

4.  Another  key subject matter of the sociology is the  fundamental social process like co- operation, competition, accommodation (adjustment) , assimilation (adaptation) and different kinds of social conflicts. Similarly, it also talks about  social stratification, indoctrination (propaganda), social deviance like crime, suicide etc.

5. Sociology focuses on method of research as well. Rational and empirical  thinking is the notion of sociology.  Sociologists use scientific method to investigate  about the  social phenomenon.

6. Formulating concepts, propositions and  theories is the another crucial subject matter of the sociology. Concepts are abstracted from concrete experience  to represent a class of phenomena.  Social stratification, deviance, conformity (Traditional values) are the example of concepts.

• • A proposition or hypothesis seeks  to reflect  a relationship between different categories  of data or concept. An example of proposition:  Lower class youths are  more likely to commit  crimes than middle- class youths. The proposition is debatable. After studying scientifically it may be accepted or  rejected.

•Theories represents   systematically related propositions that explain phenomenon.

 In conclusion

•In present day there are  good number of  specialized fields of inquiry in this subject. For example: sociology of knowledge, sociology of history, sociology of literature, sociology of culture,, sociology of religion, sociology of family etc. 

Nature of Sociology

 According to Robert Bierstedt’s book “ The Social Order” following are the  characteristics of sociology

I.Sociology is an independent science

•It is not the branch of any other  social science.

•It has its field of study, boundary and method

II.Sociology  is a social science

•It is the family member of social science

•As a social science it concentrates on human, his/her social behavior, social activities and social life.

•Sociology deals with the Social Universe distinguishes it from physics, chemistry, mathematics, and other physical science.

• III. Sociology  is a categorical  and not a normative discipline

•Sociology tells statements about what is , not ‘what should be’ or ‘ought to be’

•It does not make any kind of value- judgment

•It is ethically neutral

•It makes no recommendations on  maters of social policy  or legislation or program.

•It  respects the social knowledge but can not deal with problem of good  and evil, right and wrong or moral or immoral.

IV.Sociology is a pure science  and not an applied science

•The main aim of pure science  is the acquisition of  knowledge. It does not worry about the use of knowledge.

•The main aim of applied science  is to apply the acquired  into life

• •Each pure science may have its own applied field. E.g. physics is the pure science and engineering is its applied  field.

•Sociology  as a pure science  has its applied field  such as administration, diplomacy (international relations) social work etc.

V. Sociology is relatively an Abstract science  and not a Concrete science

•Sociology is not interested in concrete manifestation (demonstration) of human events

• •It is more concerned with the form of  human events and their patterns. For example, sociology  is not concerned with particular wars and revolutions but with war and revolution in general, as social phenomenon, as types of social conflict.

•It is in this simple sense  that sociology is an abstract not concrete science.

VI. Sociology is a generalizing  and not a particularizing  or individualizing science

•It tries  find out the general laws or principles about human interaction and association, about the nature, form, content  and structure of human groups and societies.

•It does not study each and every event that take place in the society.

VII.Sociology is a general science  and not a special social science

•It is concerned wit human interaction and human life in general.

•Social sciences like economics, political science  concentrate their attention  on certain aspects of human interaction and activities. E.g  economics specifies itself in the study of economic activities. Similarly, political science  concentrates on political activities and so on.

• VIII.Finally sociology is both rational and empirical science.

•Rationalism , stresses reason and theories  that result logical inference (conclusion).

•Empiricism, is the approach  that emphasizes experiences and facts  that result from observation and experimentation

•The Empiricist collects facts ; the rationalist  co-ordinate and arrange them.

 •Theories and facts are  required  in the construction of knowledge.

•So,  in sociological inquiry both  are significant

In conclusion

 Sociology is an independent, a social, a categorical, a pure , an abstract, both a rational and empirical and a generalizing social science.

•Theories and facts are  required  in the construction of knowledge

.•So,  in sociological inquiry both  are significant

In conclusion

 Sociology is an independent, a social, a categorical, a pure , an abstract, both a rational and empirical and a generalizing social science.

Meaning of Sociology

Meaning of Sociology

•Sociology is the youngest of the social science

•Its major concern is the society. So it is popularly known as the science of the society.

•Before going to deep about sociology we should know the meaning and types of science

•Science:  science is concerned with knowledge which is systematically arranged.

•Classification of Science:A. Physical Science
B. Social Science

•Physical Science:

•It deals mostly with the natural phenomenon

•Natural phenomenon are regarded  as more precise, exact and less uncertain.

•Example: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Astronomy etc.

• Physical scientists make use of the scientific method  to acquire knowledge

•Experiments are conducted to verify the facts

•Theories and laws of universal validity are established more easily and accurately in physical

science.

•The relationship between cause and effect  is relatively more clear  in physical science

Physical Science:

•It deals mostly with the natural phenomenon

•Natural phenomenon are regarded  as more precise, exact and less uncertain.

•Example: Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Astronomy etc.

• Physical scientists make use of the scientific method  to acquire knowledge

•Experiments are conducted to verify the facts

•Theories and laws of universal validity are established more easily and accurately in physical science.

•The relationship between cause and effect  is relatively more clear  in physical science•

• Social Sciences…

•Social science is that bodies of knowledge complied through use of  scientific method which deal with the  forms and content of the human’s interaction ( Yong and Mack)

•Example: History, Political Science, Economics Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology etc.

•Social scientist studies  environment in which we live in and  attempts to understand  how people 

interact in given set of circumstances.

• Sociology as a social science

 •Sociology emerged as an independent social science in the 19th century.

•August Comte, a Frenchman considered to be the father of sociology.

                 

Auguste Comte (1798-1857)

•John Stuart Mill ( Social thinker and philosopher) proposed the word Ethology for this new science

•Hebert Spencer  developed his systematic  study of society and adopted the word Sociology

•With the contribution of Spencer and others sociology became the permanent  name of

the new science

•Sociology is the science which attempts  the interpretative understanding of social action

in order thereby  to arrive at a causal  explanation of its course  and effects.  -Max Weber

•Sociology is the scientific study of the social aspects of human life.  -Kimble Young andRaymond W. Mack

•In the broadest sense  sociology is the study of human interactions and inter relations,

their conditions and consequences-Morris Ginsberg

(More satisfactory and comprehensive definition)

In  conclusion

Sociology  is concerned with, human his/her social relations and his/her society.