Sociological Theory Mid Term

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Comte

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Lived during the French revolution, so sought stability and consensus.
Studied how society works (positivist).
Goal-to learn the laws of social life (observation).
Three stages
Theological-Ruled by Priests, God, Military
Metaphysical-Ruled by churchmen (nature) and lawyers.
Scientific-Ruled by industry and sciences.
Statics (holds society in harmony) and dynamics (anything in society that promotes changes)

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Hobbes

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Social contract
We agree to constraints to receive benefits.
We make compromises; I will or won’t do that if you give me that.
Very individualistic theory-Individuals operate to their own advantage.

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Herbert Spencer

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Evolution theory-societies evolve from simple to complex.
Complex-more interdependence and integration.
Politics develops to coordinate parts.
Militant (hostility with neighbors) vs. Industrial societies (peaceful relations).
Coined the phrase “survival of the fittest”.
For society to evolve-Eliminate the weak people (sick).

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Durkheim

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Social Facts-External to individual, coercive, controlling. Threat them as tangible things. Material and Non-Material (norms, values, ideologies) Social Facts.
Study non-material facts-can’t study evil, but can measure crime rates. Religion the ultimate non-material social fact.
Collective Conscientious-Ideas the group holds. These are things we never question, they are that powerful.
Considered the father of sociology.
No contract-but is a group consciousness.
Groups think alike, feel alike, behave alike.
Groups define our nature, I like this because I was raised on it and it is part of my culture.
Morality, language, and religions shape our beliefs.
Big question-can you have a cohesive culture without religion?
Primitive (strong collective sentiment) vs. Industrial (weak collective sentiment).
Sacred (shared idea) vs. Profane (no social meaning).
Collective effervescence-Strong emotional energy, sacred objects emerge at these times. (Ex. Jesus Camp).
Division of Labor-Besides religion can be “social glue”. Material Social Fact, dependence unites groups, more independent thought.
Mechanical Solidarity (shared activities and Experiences). Ex. Military and Police. Uses punishment.
Organic Solidarity (different experiences, less rigid, strong social dependence). Uses restitution.
Dysfunctional Form-Anomie (lack of purpose, aimlessness).
Durkheim studied suicide:
Egotistical-(Despair, loneliness)
Altruistic-Cults, suicide bombers, martyrs, hope rather than despair.
Anomic-Insatiable gratification, normlessness, passions run amok, becomes destructive.
Fatalistic-Over regulation, too excessive, slavery and prisons.
Cult of the individual-don’t help other, just yourself. Individualism becomes a collective idea. Ex. USA.

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Functionalism-Consensus theory

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Durkheim considered the father of functionalism.
Equilibration (religion, families, economy).
Dynamic Equilibration-As some parts change, other institutions change accordingly. (all parts still trying to work together).
Biggest criticism of functionalism-not all systems work for a benefit. Ex. Slavery.

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Merton

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Manifest-Intended outcome.
Latent-Unintended. Can be the most useful. Ex. Church morals becomes collective conscience.
Ex. Yam harvest, share yam work (Manifest) and Genetic diversity (Latent).
Advertising
Manifest (make people aware of products, product loyalty).
Latent (promotes diversity in market).
Merton uses Durkheim’s concept of Anomie.
Deviance (Anomie creates Deviance) (5 types) Conformist-Drug Dealers. Innovators-Enron. Ritualistic-Don’t care if they make money. Retreatists-Drop out of society. Rebels-Ex. Bikers.

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Marx

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Species Being-(-Capitalism) restriction of creativity prevents maximum human potential.
Religion-results from materials and wealth conditions.
Alienation-Work not creative, boring, monotonous, taxing, disconnected from final product.
Capitalism-Money a means to an end.
Market-Reification, we created the market, but now believe that it controls us.
Have to have money to make money.
Labor Theory of Value
Use Value (value of its usefulness). Exchange Value (ability to exchange for bigger things).
Surplus Value (Cost Value-Exchange Value).
Profit created by workers but kept but the capitalists.
False consensus-Both workers and capitalists believe that capitalists and workers both benefit.
Class consciousness-seeing their role in capitalism, labor produces wealth, laborers are more than a commodity.

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Conflict Theory (offshoot of Marx)

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Struggles over power, values, status, or scarce resources. Focus on exploitation, class differences, power, and oppression.
Hegemony (Gramsci)-Ability to control what people think.
Revolution-Marx-leading to changes in status quo. Dahrendorf industrialization leading to division of labor and specialization.
Functions of conflict (theory)-conflict is generally controlled, rarely revolutionary. Conflict keeps those in power in check.

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Dahrendorf

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Functionalist + conflict and consensus.
Authority-probability that a command will be obeyed (implies consensus).
Imperatively Coordinated Associations (ICA) group of people who are in a hierarchical group. Those with power and those without power. Top maintains status quo and bottom push for change. Ex. Tax codes, rich to keep them low and poor to make them fair.
Conflict Groups-aggregate groups with similar interests, actively trying to change conditions.
Interest Groups-organized to promote interest.

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Veblen

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Conspicuous Consumption-The theory of the leisure class. Leaches on society.
Conspicuous “Waste” The middle class does the “Keeping up with the Jones”. Poor people buying $90 sneakers.

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C. Wright Mills

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Change in society-More complex a society the more avenues for social change.
Society is changing faster than our parents (and grand parents).
Increase in the white collar. Dependent on bureaucracies, modern society, division of labor means more white-collar positions, little autonomy or authority, alienated by factory workers.
White collar discourages individual thinking. Education is more vocational, less critical thinking, obedient employees.
The Power Elite-Small group of people who control corporations (most powerful), bureaucracies, economies, governments and the military. At the end of his career he worried that the military was becoming the central mechanism for power, and even religious leaders on board for this. Not evil, just working for their self-interests. Power elite at the top and misinformed and powerless at the bottom.
Cronyism-Hiring of friends and family.
Problems-Alienation, apathy, moral intensity, passive watchers (of media etc.).

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Max Weber

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Probably bi-polar.
Nomothetic-Social laws as purpose of historical study.
Ideographic-Description of specific events in history.
Ideal Type-Tool to study social concepts. Create an idea as a yardstick, is a definition of something. Not ideal as in perfect, more a list of characteristics. For example a revolution would have (1) change in government etc.
Verstehen-means understanding in German.
Causality-using a multi-causal approach. Interactions between social institutions. Can never develop certainty.
Values-Classroom no personal opinion. Outside the classroom politically active. Research should be relevant.
Focused on social action, carried out by individuals.
Social class, beyond Marx’s one dimension of wealth. Weber multidimensional, class, status (plus or minus image of one’s honor), and party.
Protestant Ethic and the spirit of Capitalism.
Greed is not natural it is learned, most cultures enough is enough. Calvinist idea of predestination, people chosen by God before birth, look for signs, and those signs are if you are prosperous. Must be your best and hardest work. More profit more blessed.
Protestantism becomes all about profit, and the perfect ingredient for capitalism. Stratification is dispensation of God’s will.
Rationality-Means end and Value ends.
Bureaucracies-Cogs in the machine and disenchantment.
Iron Cage-Personal desires sacrificed for the corporate good. Pessimism, iron cage of rationalization, control, lack of freedom.
Other Religions-Confucianism (literacy work valuable, working for profit immoral), Hinduism (Reincarnation the goal).

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Georg Simmel

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Symbolic Interactionism-Categorize life and interactions, reduce to categories, subordination, super-ordination, exchange, conflict, and sociability. People learn the meanings and symbols (language).
Interactions-competitor, coquette, miser, spend thrift, stranger, adventurer, flirt, and poor.
Psychological Level-Fashion is successful, spreads, becomes normal, and then dies. Rebels reverse imitation.
Objective culture-things society produces. Ex. Art, philosophy, sciences. Takes on a life of its own and shapes us.
Individualistic culture-personal absorbing those elements.
Dialectic relationship between the two-Shape each other, we create culture.
Individual consciousness-Creativity produces objective culture. Not enslaved by it.
Social Geometry-Dyad and the triad. Dyad changes the relationship. Ex. arbitrator, leader, stratification, divide and conquer.
Larger groups-structures emerge, increased individualism, less control. Too large, mindless, simplistic (Nazi Germany).
Social Distance-Most desirable when it is tough to get, but obtainable. Stranger at the edge of group.
Money-Market and reification.
Tragedy of Culture-As society modernizes, individual abilities atrophies. More we know the dumber people get. Relationships calculating, and impersonal. Consumption is just devouring, meaningless product after product.

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Mead

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The Act-Impulse, perception, manipulation, consummation.
Gestures-Insignificant (biological responses) and Significant (controlled and have social meaning). Most significant, speech.
Self-looking at oneself as an object. How do others see us? Playing, Game stage, I (subjective) and Me (objective).

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Idealist vs. Materialist

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Idealist-do ideas make up and influence society? Ex. Durkheim and religion
Materialist-focuses on money, wealth, climate, biophysical responses, physical strength etc. Ex. Marx on wealth and ownership.

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Descriptive vs. Normative

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Is the theory just describing society without any judgment, or is it describing what is wrong and what needs to be fixed?
Descriptive-What “is”. Durkheim
Normative (Perscriptive)-What “ought” to be. It describes possible-No personal interest. Ex. Feminism. Ex. Marx

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Individualistic-Holistic

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Do we explain society by explaining nature of individuals or qualities of group or society?
Collection of individuals? What do people need, want, and how do they interact.
Or qualities of its own to analyze? Why does religion exist? What is the purpose of an ecomomy?
Hobbes-Social contract, individualistic.
Durkheim-Holistic, purpose of religion.
USA-Most individualistic society in the world.

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Micro vs. Macro

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Micro-Individual Macro-Whole

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Conflict-Consensus

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Do shared ideas shape a society (Consensus)?
Or does competition for scares resources and inequalities shape a society (Conflict)? Ex. Marx (class conflict).
Hobbes and Durkheim disagree on individualism vs. holism, but same on consensus.

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Positivist (gather data and facts) vs. Interpretive (Interview people)

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Durkheim-we can study objective phenomenon (Social Facts)
Positivism-use scientific inquiry. Experimentation, study disturbed or pathological individuals to understand normal.
Weber-How does religion make us think or feel? (bridge builder half way between the two theories.)
Historical method-Need a sense of historical evolution.