Preview

What is Sociology Anyway

Satisfactory Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1356 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
What is Sociology Anyway
What is Sociology,
Anyway?
Introductory Sociology
January 20, 2015
Use right arrow on keyboard to advance slides

People typically do not understand sociology very well. Just ask someone what sociology is and they typically don’t know. Even people that have taken Introductory
Sociology still don’t know what it is.
For example, while evacuated during Hurricane Rita I told someone that I taught sociology and this is what they said:

“I studied sociology in college but really didn’t understand it.”
Steve Unkel, M.D.,
Farmerville, LA,
September 22, 2005

Same result while evacuating for Hurricane Ike:

“Tell me again … what is this sociology all about??”
George Featherstone, Jr.
Gilmer, TX
September, 2008

Or, this is an example that I found in a sociology student’s blog:

“I really don’t understand sociology at all.”
Aimee, Student Blogger,
September, 2005

Another blogger wrote:

I took sociology three years ago, now I’m in an advanced sociology class … and I never understood it the first time around… somebody please help me with this assignment!!! Jon, Student Blogger, September,
2004

More Recently ….
• As I explain this (what sociology is), almost always the conversation follows with a long pause, as if people did not quite understand what I was talking about.
• From Rah’s Multiply, a Sociology Blog,
2012

A distinguished sociologist once noted in a speech he gave to a sociology class:

“My mother (God bless her) still has no idea what I do.”
Gerald O. Windham,
Starkville, MS
August 22, 1974

Is Sociology Left-Wing?

Heard during a sociology lecture at a major university:
About 15 minutes into the lecture Dr. Jones went off on what can only be described as a diatribe. He broke off completely from the subject at hand and told us basically how conservatives are ruining the world.
Among the highlights of this were that liberals embrace the future, and want to bring about a better world, and conservatives want to live in the past, fear change, and if it

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    Sociology and People

    • 1329 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Write an essay which outlines the view that a consumer society is a divided society.…

    • 1329 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sociology

    • 795 Words
    • 4 Pages

    4: In his research, George Murdock determined which of the following to be a cultural universal?…

    • 795 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    sociology

    • 292 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Sociologists do so much of their research outside the laboratory, since science is always changing; it’s a process in discovering how the world works. Sociologists are built amongst principles from there studies and investigations. They usually focus on human beings, through their complex experiences within the world, by studying them; sociologists gather a full understanding and idea of the social elements around the world.…

    • 292 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Schaefer, R. (2015). Sociology: A Brief Introduction (11th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix eBook Collection database.…

    • 1156 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sociology as

    • 646 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Examine the ways in which sociologists can contribute to our understanding of how social identity is shaped by gender. (24 marks)…

    • 646 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sociology and People

    • 1065 Words
    • 5 Pages

    1. Clarify how folkways, mores, and laws vary in importance within American society. Give examples of each.…

    • 1065 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    By stating that the sociological perspective shows us “the strange in the familiar," the text argues that sociologists: Answer…

    • 509 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sociology - Class

    • 1837 Words
    • 8 Pages

    [3] Bilton, T., Bonnet, K., Jones, P., Lawson, T., Skinner, D., Stanworth, M., Stephens, P., Webster, A., (2002) Introductory sociology, 4th edition…

    • 1837 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Better Essays

    Howard S Becker

    • 1334 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Vissing, Y. (2011). An Introduction to Sociology. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu…

    • 1334 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sociology Concepts

    • 2584 Words
    • 11 Pages

    Social action is defined as day to day decisions and actions of individuals within the social world. Social actions both influence and are patterned and influenced by social structure. According to Marx's theory, in order for the potential of social action occurring to take place a society must face resistance and revolution. According to Marx's theory societies are already divided into two main groups, the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. The bourgeoisie are the upper class who are owners of capital and exploiters of labor, while the proletariat, or lower class, are the blue collar workers who use their hands or a certain skill to perform some sort of labor. The proletariat usually work and answer to the bourgeoisie. Marx's theory states that a critical element of society is social control and that the social structure is based on the oppression of some people by others. According to Marx's theory the class you are born in is very likely going to be the class you die in. Furthermore, the class that your great grandparents belonged to is more or less going to be the class that your great grandchildren will belong to. Moving from class to class is very rare and is very difficult to accomplish. The only way for class movement is through resistance and or revolution. According to Marx's theory the potential for resistance and revolution is present in all social situations because the less powerful can always, and are very likely to, act against the status quo. Due to the fact that the social structure is so well defined the only way to have any sort of social action is through some sort of radical means. Looking back on history at times where there were two very distinct class structures the only way that the social structure changed was through revolution. For example, the Civil War. Though the Civil War was not fought solely over slavery, slavery was a big issue. The only way the distinct class differences between slaves and slave owners could come…

    • 2584 Words
    • 11 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    In our textbook, Sociology: Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life by David M. Newman, I had read Chapter 2 titled “Seeing and Thinking Sociologically” and it stuck out the most. It explained how individuals structure society, social and societal influence, and the three perspectives on social order. The radio broadcast from the American Life titled “318: With Great Power” gave me a better understanding of what Newman was trying to explain to me because of the use of personal stories. It helped me to comprehend “that the relationship between the individual and society is reciprocal. One cannot be understood without accounting for the other” (Newman, Pg. 49). We must always remember that our lives are shaped by our culture, roles, statuses, and value of life.…

    • 801 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Sociology assinment

    • 3890 Words
    • 10 Pages

    that are admired. Virtues are very important these day. In order to have more productivity and be better than competitors leaders started to debunk rules and play fair in marketplace. Virtues are becoming things of past and because of that American people have to deal with leaders who are cheaters and liars. Virtues saves us living the life that is socially unaccepted. They also make us better person and those people who are around us. Virtues are better for society. Society without good morals fails. Owners and executives of large business corporation have been in trouble because of the lack of moral excellence. Many owners practice illegal and unethical business. They didn’t exercise good judgment and that led to their downfall in business. To some people leadership is all about power and whoever comes in their way they crush them. They don’t care about law and break rules thinking that they would not be caught. They forget that leadership is also about the human side of life and organization is a part of society and society cannot function without principles. Good leaders do the things that are better for society and not just better for them. Effective leaders choose the right people to be part of their team. It makes their organization better and honest and reduces the possibility of corruption. In the past, People pay attention to knowledge, skills, and information the leader possessed rather than paying attention to how leader learns the culture of a society. What happened to American global economy was result of arrogant leaders and leaders who were hungry for power and money and did not have any moral excellence. And that put them in lot of trouble in the end. Virtue comes from Greek word arete and is translated into Latin as virtus. Virtue is a quality of good in human. Wisdom is the core of virtue. In religions virtue is a very thing.…

    • 3890 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Best Essays

    dvm 2105

    • 1891 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Murray Jane Lothian and Linden Rick and Kendall Diana. Sociology in our Times: The Essentials. America:…

    • 1891 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sociological Concept

    • 566 Words
    • 3 Pages

    In one paragraph, and using at least one sociological concept, summarize and explain the issue(s) presented in the article.…

    • 566 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Sociology terms

    • 1003 Words
    • 3 Pages

    1. Gendered Socialization is the process in which one learns the “correct” way to live according to their gender. I learned at a very young age what is socially acceptable and expected from a man. When I was younger I had a friend named Dylan Baldwin. Like most kids our age, Dylan was very emotional. One day, I was over at his house after school and Dylan was having a very rough day. The kids at school had been teasing him as usual and when he opened the refrigerator only to find out that his favorite yogurt was finished he finally cracked. Dylan began crying hysterically and his father rushed to his side only to yell remarks such as, “Men don’t cry Dylan! Stop that! Be a man!” I was shocked because whenever I started crying my parents would comfort me and tell me everything would be okay. I had no idea that men weren’t supposed to cry. I thought everyone cried and that it was a part of human nature to express how you feel. This is an example of men being taught to suppress their emotions in an attempt to seem “manly” and “macho” because in today’s society emotions are made out to be feminine and weak.…

    • 1003 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics