One of the key insights of sociology is that our social behavior is not just a matter of individual choice, but is shaped by broader social forces. These forces can include culture, economy, political institutions, and historical events. By understanding these social factors, sociologists can better explain why societies and individuals behave in the ways they do. Harriet Martineau (1802–1876) was one of the first women sociologists in the 19th century. There are a number of other women who might compete with her for the title of the first woman sociologist, such as Catherine Macauley, Mary Wollstonecraft, Flora Tristan, and Beatrice Webb, but Martineau’s specifically sociological credentials are strong. She was for a long time known principally for her English translation of Comte’s Course in Positive Philosophy. Through this popular translation she introduced the concept of sociology as a methodologically rigorous discipline to an English-speaking audience. But she also created a body of her own work in the tradition of the great social reform movements of the 19th century and introduced a sorely missing woman’s perspective into the discourse on society. There is a moment in Eyes Wide Shut, as Bill Harford is lying to his wife over a cell phone from a prostitute’s apartment, when we see a textbook in the foreground titled Introducing Sociology. The book’s title is a dry caption to the action onscreen (like the slogan PEACE IS OUR PROFESSION looming over the battle at Burpelson Air Force Base in Dr. Strangelove), labeling prostitution as the most basic, defining transaction of our society. Almost everyone in this film prostitutes themselves, for various prices. But it is also a key to understanding the film, suggesting that we ought to interpret it sociologically—not, as most reviewers insisted on doing, psychologically. Alice's obvious resentment of her husband, which she only expresses when she's dreaming or drugged, is motivated by her unconscious recognition that she is a kept woman. We know Bill's supporting her, her art gallery having gone broke. She tells Szavost that she's looking for a job, but we don't see her looking; mostly we see her being looked at. Alice's role as a voyeuristic object is defined by her first breathtaking appearance and by her first onscreen line: "How do I look?" (And it rankles her that her husband doesn't see her anymore--he tells her that her hair looks "perfect" without even looking, and asks her the babysitter's name about twenty seconds after she's told him.) Everyone she encounters in the first fifteen minutes of the film compliments her appearance; Bill dutifully tells her she always looks beautiful, the babysitter exclaims, "You look amazing, Mrs. Harford," and she's also flattered by such admirers of beauty as Victor Ziegler and Sandor Szavost. Ziegler tells her she looks "absolutely stunning--and I don't say that to all the women." "Oh, yes he does," retorts his wife--a joke that resonates unfunnily when we find out who "all the women" associated with Ziegler are. Pursues “an accurate discovery of these laws, with a view of reducing them to the smallest possible number”

The problem for sociologists is that these concepts of the individual and society and the relationship between them are thought of in terms established by a very common moral framework in modern democratic societies, namely that of individual responsibility and individual choice. Often in this framework, any suggestion that an individual’s behaviour needs to be understood in terms of that person’s social context is dismissed as “letting the individual off” of taking personal responsibility for their actions. It was a testament to her abilities that after she became impoverished at the age of 24 with the death of her father, brother, and fiancé, she was able to earn her own income as the first woman journalist in Britain to write under her own name. From the age of 12, she suffered from severe hearing loss and was obliged to use a large ear trumpet to converse. She impressed a wide audience with a series of articles on political economy in 1832. In 1834 she left England to engage in two years of study of the new republic of the United States and its emerging institutions: prisons, insane asylums, factories, farms, Southern plantations, universities, hospitals, and churches. On the basis of extensive research, interviews and observations, she published Society in America and worked with abolitionists on the social reform of slavery (Zeitlin 1997). She also worked for social reform in the situation of women: the right to vote, have an education, pursue an occupation, and enjoy the same legal rights as men. Together with Florence Nightingale, she worked on the development of public health care, which led to early formulations of the welfare system in Britain (McDonald 1998).

Solutions to Section Quiz

Though sociology draws on the Western tradition of rational inquiry established by the ancient Greeks, it is specifically the offspring of 18th- and 19th-century philosophy and has been viewed, along with economics and political science, as a reaction against speculative philosophy and folklore. Consequently, sociology separated from moral philosophy to become a specialized discipline. While he is not credited with the founding of the discipline of sociology, French philosopher Auguste Comte is recognized for having coined the term sociology. Some sociologists study social facts—the laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashions, rituals, and cultural rules that govern social life—that may contribute to these changes in the family. Do people in the United States view marriage and family differently over the years? Do they view them differently than Peruvians? Do employment and economic conditions play a role in families? Other sociologists are studying the consequences of these new patterns, such as the ways children influence and are influenced by them and/or the changing needs for education, housing, and healthcare. A key component of the sociological perspective is the idea that the individual and society are inseparable. It is impossible to study one without the other. German sociologist Norbert Elias called the process of simultaneously analyzing the behavior of individuals and the society that shapes that behavior figuration.

Liberal, Radical and Marxist Feminist Perspectives on Society – a basic introduction to these three Feminist perspectives on society. This comparatively concise, highly visual, and affordable book offers a refreshingly new way forward to reach students, using one of the most powerful tools in a sociologist’s teaching arsenal—the familiar stuff in students’ everyday lives throughout the world: the jeans they wear to class, the coffee they drink each morning, or the phones their professors tell them to put away during lectures. Holistic: Sociology takes a holistic approach to understanding human society. It examines the social, cultural, economic, political, and historical factors that shape social behavior, and seeks to understand how these factors interact and influence one another.

Introduction to Sociology

Fig. 21: Bill brought (literally) face to face with his own duplicity. Is the mask an accusation from Alice or a last warning from Somerton? Figs. 12 (detail), 12 – 13: Masks as attendants of death: Nathanson’s deathbed (note stone head at far left), the HIV+ Domino’s boudoir. Nature and Nurture Explanations of Human Behaviour – nature theories explain human behaviour in terms of biological differences between individuals, nurture theories, which encompass pretty much all social theories (with the exception of aspects of New Right thought) emphasise the importance of social influences, such as the process of socialisation. What is the Sociological Imagination? Part 1 – A summary of Anthony Giddens’ take on the Sociological Imagination, using the example of coffee to illustrate how you might apply the sociological imagination to every day events.

Sociologists study all aspects and levels of society. Sociologists working from the micro-level study small groups and individual interactions, while those using macro-level analysis look at trends among and between large groups and societies. For example, a micro-level study might look at the accepted rules of conversation in various groups such as among teenagers or business professionals. In contrast, a macro-level analysis might research the ways that language use has changed over time or in social media outlets. An introduction to Marxism – Marxism is a structural conflict theory – it sees society as divided up into two basic classes – the Bourgeoisie and the Proletariat. As they see it, social institutions are basically run by and for the Bourgeoisie, who exploit the Proletariat to keep themselves rich. What is Racism? – this post explores the definition of racism along with the related concepts of prejudice and discrimination, institutional racism and power differences in society. Sociological Perspectives Social stratification refers to how society is divided up into different groups which have different life chances. The main divisions which interest sociologists are those which arise as result of differences in wealth and income, social class, sex and gender and ethnicity, as well as age and ability-disability. The posts in this section offer an introduction to to the main types of stratification in contemporary societies and the concepts sociologists have developed to help explain these divisions. Social Class, Wealth, Poverty and InequalityBill’s nocturnal journey into illicit sexuality is, more importantly, a journey into invisible strata of wealth and power. Money is the subtext of sex from the very first temptation of Bill; the two models who flirtatiously draw him away from his wife at Ziegler’s ball invite him enigmatically to follow them “Where the rainbow ends.” At that moment he’s called away, saying to them, “To be continued…?” After he’s gone, the two models exchange a cryptic look. The exchange foreshadows Bill’s finding himself at Rainbow Costume rentals in his effort to get admitted to an orgy (“to be continued,” indeed). We never find out exactly what the models meant by the odd phrase, but everyone knows what lies at the end of the rainbow. Sociologists study social facts, which are aspects of social life that shape a person’s behavior. How do social facts affect U.S. family structures? These can include the laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashions, rituals, and all of the cultural rules that govern social life. These all may contribute to changes in the U.S. family structure. Do people in the United States view marriage and family differently than in earlier periods? Do employment status and economic conditions play a role? How has culture influenced the choices that individuals make in living arrangements?