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WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY ?
 Sociology studies human society as an interconnected whole and
how society and the individual interact with each other.
 One of the tasks of sociology is to unravel the connection between
a personal problem and a public issue.
 It tries to understand that the individual in modern times belongs
to more than one society and how societies are unequal.
 Thus, sociology as a systematic and scientific study of society,
distinct from philosophical and religious reflections, as well as our
everyday common sense observation about society.
 This distinct way of studying society can be better understood if we
look back historically at the intellectual ideas and material
contexts within which sociology was born and later grew.
THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION
 C. Wright Mills rests his vision of the sociological imagination precisely in
the unravelling of how the personal and public are related.
 The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and
the relations between the two within society.
 The most fruitful distinction with which the sociological imagination works
is between ‘the personal troubles of the milieu’ and ‘the public issues of
social structure’.
 Troubles occur within the character of the individual and within the range
of his immediate relations with others;
 Issues have to do with matters that transcend these local environments of
the individual and the range of his inner life.
 The facts of contemporary history are also facts about the success and the
failure of individual men and women. When a society is industrialised, a
peasant becomes a worker; a feudal lord is liquidated or becomes a
businessman.
 Neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be
understood without understanding both.
INTRODUCING SOCIOLOGY
 The term sociology was coined by Auguste Comte, a
French philosopher and sociologist, in 1839. He is known
as the ‘Father of Sociology’ as he is considered to be the
first thinker who defined the scope of sociology as a
discipline.
 Sociology is the youngest of all social sciences.
 The word Sociology is derived from the Latin word
‘socius’ meaning ‘companion or society’ and the Greek
word ‘logos’ meaning ‘study or science’. Thus, the
etymological meaning of ‘Sociology’ is the ‘science of
society’.
 Sociology is the study of human social life, groups and
societies. Its subject matter is our own behaviour as
social beings.
CONT……..
 Sociology is not the first subject to study society.
This is evident in the writings of philosophers, religious
teachers, and legislators of all civilisations and epochs.
Thinking about our lives and about society is by no
means confined to philosophers and social thinkers. All
of us do have ideas about our own everyday life.
 The observations and ideas that sociology as a
discipline makes about ‘society’ is different from both
that of philosophical reflections and common sense.
 Sociology is thus, the systematic or scientific study of
human society and social behaviour, from large scale
institutions and mass culture to small groups and
individual interactions
SOCIOLOGICAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL AND RELIGIOUS
THINKING
 The philosophical and religious thinking is concerned with the
moral and immoral aspects of human behaviour, the desirable
way of living, about a good society, etc. based on their
observations and experience.
 These thinking are based the norms and values as they ought to
be in society. It is about modeling a good society and
differentiating it from a bad society.
 As a discipline, it is concerned with the way the norms and values
function in actual societies based on observations and findings
collected.
 Empirical study (RESEARCH BASED UPON OBSERVATION AND
MEASUREMENT OF PHENOMENA)of societies is an important part
of what sociologist do.
 When sociologists are studying society they must be willing
observe and collect findings whether it is to their likings or not.
 Sociological thinking is bound by scientific procedures.
 The statements that sociologists arrive at should be through
observations of certain rules of evidence that allow others to
check or repeat to develop the findings further.
SOCIOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND COMMON SENSE
KNOWLEDGE
 The common sense knowledge that we have are based on our ‘naturalistic’
and/or individualistic explanation.
 It is acquired from a particular viewpoint, the viewpoint of the social
group and the social environment that we are socialised into. This
knowledge is gained from our own experience of society.
 A naturalistic explanation for behaviour is based on the assumption that
one can identify ‘natural’ reasons for behaviour. Most of our actions are
based on naturalistic explanation of human behaviour and might lead to
unintended consequences.
 Common sense is not reflective and doesn’t question its own origin.
 Sociology on the other hand, breaks away from common sense
observations and ideas. It works on meaningful explanation and
unsuspected connections of our actions with our behaviour.
 Sociological thinking is based on ‘Why I hold a specific view about a
particular behaviour or a social issue’.
 This systematic and questioning approach of sociology is derived from a
broader tradition of scientific investigation.
INTELLECTUAL IDEAS INTO THE MAKING OF
SOCIOLOGY
 Sociologists and social anthropologists sought to categorise societies
into types and to distinguish stages in social development. These
features reappear in the 19th century in works of early sociologists,
Auguste Comte, Karl Marx and Herbert Spencer.
 Efforts were therefore made to classify different types of societies on
that basis, for instance: Types of pre-modern societies such as
hunters and gatherers, pastoral and agrarian, agrarian and non-
industrial civilisations. Types of modern societies such as the
industrialised societies.
 Such an evolutionary vision assumed that the west was necessarily the
most advanced and civilised. Non- western societies were often seen
as barbaric and less developed. Indian sociology reflects this tension
which go far back to the history of British colonialism and the
intellectual and ideological response to it.
 Darwin’s ideas about organic evolution were a dominant influence on
early sociological thought. Society was often compared with living
organisms and efforts were made to trace its growth through stages
comparable to those of organic life.
 CONT………….
 This way of looking at society as a system of parts, each part
playing a given function influenced the study of social
institutions like the family or the school and structures such
as stratification.
 The intellectual ideas that went into the making of sociology
have a direct bearing on how sociology studies empirical reality.
 The Enlightenment, an European intellectual movement of the
late 17th and 18th centuries, emphasised reason and
individualism. There was also great advancement of scientific
knowledge and a growing conviction that the methods of the
natural sciences should and could be extended to the study of
human affairs. For example poverty, so far seen as a ‘natural
phenomenon’, began to be seen as a ‘social problem’ caused by
human ignorance or exploitation.
 Auguste Comte believed that sociology would contribute to the
welfare of humanity
THE MATERIAL ISSUES INTO THE
MAKING OF SOCIOLOGY
The Industrial Revolution was based upon a new, dynamic form
of economic activity capitalism. This system of capitalism became
the driving force behind the growth of industrial manufacturing.
Capitalism involved new attitudes and institutions. Entrepreneurs

now engaged in the sustained, systematic pursuit of profit. The

markets acted as the key instrument of productive life. And
goods, services and labour became commodities whose use was
determined by rational calculation.
The change industrialisation brought about was far-reaching

and changed the structure of the pre-industrial society. There

was the degradation of labour, the wrenching of work from the
protective contexts of guild, village, and family.
Both the radical and conservative thinkers were appalled at the

decline of the status of the common labourer, not to mention the

skilled craftsman.
CONT………………..
 The factory and its mechanical division of labour were often seen as a
deliberate attempt to destroy the peasant, the artisan, as well as family and
local community. The factory was perceived as an archetype of an economic
regimentation hitherto known only in barracks and prisons.
 For some like Marx the factory was oppressive. Yet potentially liberating.
Here workers learnt both collective functioning as well as concerted
efforts for better conditions.
 Another indicator of the emergence of modern societies was the new
significance of clock-time as a basis of social organisation. A crucial aspect
of this was the way in which, in the 18th and 19th centuries, the tempo of
agricultural and manufacturing labour increasingly came to be set by the
clock and calendar in a way very different from pre-modern forms of
work.
 Prior to the development of industrial capitalism, work-rhythms were set by
factors such as the period of daylight, the break between tasks and the
constraints of deadlines or other social duties.
 Factory production implied the synchronisation of labour it began
punctually, had a steady pace and took place for set hours and on particular
days of the week.
RELEVANCE OF STUDYING THE BEGINNING AND
GROWTH OF SOCIOLOGY IN EUROPE
 For every student of sociology, it is significant to study the growth of
sociology as a discipline in Europe. This is due to the very fact that the
subject matter of sociology deals with issues and concerns developed in
the new world order.
 These issues and concerns were developed during the rapid changes that
occurred in European societies in the 18th and 19th centuries.
 Capitalism and industrialisation which developed in Europe undermined the
old settled order and gave rise to many issues like urbanisation or factory
production which are pertinent to all modern societies in varied form. The
global impact of capitalism has been seen as the cause of uneven
transformation of societies.
 Sociology emerged as a subject after the French Revolution of 1789. The
French Revolution brought about a tremendous socio-political change in
society, leading to disruption of social life and other social relations.
 In case of India, transformation of Indian society is linked to the history of
British capitalism.
 Thus, the work of the western sociologist on capitalism and other aspects of
modern society are important. It is relevant for understanding the social
change in India.
 During the course of their rule in India, the British officials realised that
THE GROWTH OF SOCIOLOGY IN INDIA
for smooth administration, it was important that they acquire knowledge
of Indian society and culture. This prompted the origin of Sociology in
India.
 Western sociological writings about Indian society were sometimes
misleading. For instance, the understanding and portrayal of the Indian
village was unchanging. Many Indian scholars thus, took to sociological
studies to close such gaps.
 The diversified nature of the Indian society in terms of region, language,
religion, ethnicity, caste, etc also led to the growth of sociology in India in
connection with the discipline of social anthropology. This is a
characteristic feature different from that of the western countries where
both disciplines have been kept distinct from each other.
 Indian sociologist realised that the transformation process of
contemporary Indian society is different from that of the western society.
Modernity as understood in the western European society is the outcome
of scientific process and democratic ideas. Wheres as the same process of
modernity was introduced in Indian society under the colonial regime.
 SCOPE OF SOCIOLOGY

 The scope of sociology is extremely wide and it focuses its analysis

on several aspects of the society and can be about mere individual
interactions to larger social issues.
 The scope of sociology and its focus of analysis can be broadly
classified into three categories:
 At the level of human interactions, the scope of study might focus its
analysis on interactions between two individuals at different social
environment, such as between a shopkeeper and customers or between
friends and family members.
 National issues or issues impacting the larger public might include its focus
of analysis for instance on social phenomena such as unemployment, caste
conflicts, rural indebtedness, effects of forest policies on tribals’ rights,
etc. These are issues specific to one particular society or a nation.
 Global social processes are those which are impacting the larger human
population. While studying such phenomena, the focus of analysis for
sociologists might include; impact of flexible labour regulations,
globalisation of culture, entry of foreign universities on education system
of the country, etc.
RELATIONSHIP WITH OTHER
SOCIAL SCIENCES
 Sociology belongs to the group of social sciences which includes anthropology, economics,
political science, history, etc. There is no clear cut distinction between these subjects as
they share certain common concepts, interests and methods. However, there is difference
between these disciplines in terms of their view point and the selective interest.

 Sociology and History

 Sociology and History are closely and intimately related to each other. Sociology cannot
be separated from History and History cannot be isolated from sociology. That is why
Professor G.E. Howard remarked “History is the past Sociology and Sociology is the
present History”, John Seely says that “History without Sociology has no fruit, Sociology
without History has no root”. However, there is difference between the two in terms of
selective interests.
 History, as a rule studies mostly the past. Conventional studies delineate the actual
events or fail to establish how things actually happened. It studies concrete details of
events. Conventional history was also about the history of kings and war. It is systematic
record of the story of mankind. It presents a chronological account of past events of the
human society.
 Sociology on the other hand seeks to establish causal relationship between events. It is
more likely to derive abstract from concrete reality, categorise and generalise. Areas like
history of less glamorous events such as changes in land or gender relations formed the
core area of sociologists interest.
SOCIOLOGY AND POLITICAL
SCIENCE
 Sociology and political science are so closely and deeply related to
each other that one becomes meaningless without the other.
According to Morris Ginsberg ”Historically, Sociology has its main
roots in politics and philosophy of history”. The state, which is the
centre of political science in its early stage, was more of a social
than political institution.
 However, conventional studies of political science focused on
political theory and government administration. It restricted itself to
the study of power embodied in formal organisation. It pays
attention to the formal structure and processes within the
government.
 Sociology on the other hand studies the actual operation of the
government. It studies all aspects of society including government
and stresses the interrelationships between different institutions. It
focuses on the actual study of political behaviour such as process of
decision making, role of gender in politics, etc.
SOCIOLOGY AND ECONOMICS

 Sociology and Economics as social sciences have close relations.

Relationship between the two is so close that one is often treated as the
branch of the other, because society is greatly influenced by economic
factors, and economic processes are largely determined by the
environment of the society.
 Classical economics however, dealt with interrelations of pure economic
variables such as price, demand, supply, etc. Traditionally, it was focussed
on understanding of economic activity such as allocation of scarce goods
and services in a society and activity in terms of ownership of land and
relation to means of production. The dominant trend in economic analysis
is about how to formulate laws of economic behaviour of a society.
 Sociology on the other hand looks at economic behaviour in a broader
context of social norms, values, practices and interests. For example; the
large investments in advertisements is directly linked to the need to
reshape lifestyles and consumption patterns. It provides questioning and
critical perspectives on basic assumptions of economic behaviour. It
facilitates the need for a socially desirable goal. Sociology provides an
understanding based on factual knowledge.
 SOCIOLOGY AND PSYCHOLOGY

 Sociology and Psychology are closely related with each

other. Both are interrelated and inter-dependent. Often
defined as the science of behaviour, it involves individual
and his/her intelligence, learning process, motivation,
personality, etc. Psychology is concerned with the
exploration of the depth of man’s mind and behaviour in
society. It is said that psychology shows the significance of
the relationship between the organism (individual) and
environment and the response of the former to the latter.
It is defined as “the study of man’s mental life and
behaviour”. It is the science of mind of mental processes.
 Sociology attempts to understand behaviour as it is
organised in society, how personality is shaped by
different aspects of society. It studies man’s social
relationships.
 SOCIOLOGY AND ANTHROPOLOGY

 Anthropologists and sociologists are social scientists concerned

with understanding the human condition, past and present, and
equipped with the skills of developing rapport in unfamiliar
situations, collecting and analysing quantitative and qualitative
data, thinking analytically at the macro and micro levels, and
communicating effectively, both orally and in writing. However,
these disciplines differ in terms of their selective interests.
 Anthropology studies all aspects of life in “simple societies” as
whole in a neutral scientific fashion. Anthropology is often
characterised by tradition of long field work, living in
community and uses ethnographic research methods.
 Sociology on the other hand studies complex societies and
therefore focuses on part of societies like religion, bureaucracy
or social processes such as social mobility. Sociology often relies
on survey method and quantitative data using statistics and
questionnaire mode.