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What is sociology, its nature, scope and subject matter of sociology?, Lecture notes of Sociology

Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law UniversitySociology

What is sociology, its nature, scope and subject matter of sociology?

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What is sociology, its nature, scope and subject matter of sociology?
WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?
“Sociology is the systematic study of human society and social
interaction”.
It is a systematic study because sociologists apply both theoretical
perspectives and research methods (or orderly approaches) to
examinationsof social behaviors.
Sociologists study human societiesand their social interactions to develop
theoriesof how human behavior is shaped by group life andhow, in turn,
group life is affected by individuals.
Sociology is a discipline in social sciences concerned with the human society
and human social activities. It is one of the youngest social sciences.
Auguste Comte, a French social thinker, is traditionally known as the
‘Father of Sociology’ as he coined the term ‘Sociology’ in 1838. He is
also considered as the founder of modern sociology. He called it “Social
Physics”.
Meaning of Sociology:
The term sociology is composed of two words;
•Latin word ‘Socius’ means companion or associate and
•Greek word ‘Logos’ means study.
•Thus etymological meaning of sociology is, “The science of
society”.
Almost all sociologists differ in their views regarding the exact definition of
the term.
They generally define sociology as study of:
•Social action- Max Weber
•Interactions- Gillin and Gillin
•Social relationships- MacIver and Page, A.W. Green
•social groups or social systems.- M. Johnson
•Social institutions- Durkheim
•Society- Giddings, ward
•Human relationships – George simmel
•Systematic study of Human society – Macionis
Definitions of Sociology by Famous Sociologists:
1. ‘Sociology is the science of society or of social phenomena -L.F. Ward
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What is sociology, its nature, scope and subject matter of sociology?

WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?

“Sociology is the systematic study of human society and social interaction”.

It is a systematic study because sociologists apply both theoretical perspectives and research methods (or orderly approaches) to examinationsof social behaviors.

Sociologists study human societiesand their social interactions to develop theoriesof how human behavior is shaped by group life andhow, in turn, group life is affected by individuals.

Sociology is a discipline in social sciences concerned with the human society and human social activities. It is one of the youngest social sciences.

Auguste Comte , a French social thinker, is traditionally known as the ‘ Father of Sociology’ as he coined the term ‘ Sociology’ in 1838. He is also considered as the founder of modern sociology. He called it “Social Physics”.

Meaning of Sociology:

The term sociology is composed of two words;

  • Latin word ‘ Socius’ means companion or associate and
  • Greek word ‘ Logos’ means study.
  • Thus etymological meaning of sociology is, “The science of society”. Almost all sociologists differ in their views regarding the exact definition of the term.

They generally define sociology as study of :

  • Social action - Max Weber
  • Interactions- Gillin and Gillin
  • Social relationships- MacIver and Page, A.W. Green
  • social groups or social systems. - M. Johnson
  • Social institutions - Durkheim
  • Society - Giddings, ward
  • Human relationships – George simmel
  • Systematic study of Human society – Macionis

Definitions of Sociology by Famous Sociologists:

  1. (^) ‘Sociology is the science of society or of social phenomena -L.F. Ward
  1. The subject-matter of sociology is the inter-action of human minds’. - L.T. Hobhouse
  2. ‘Sociology is the study of the relationships between man and his human environment.’ -H.P. Fairchild
  3. ‘Sociology may be defined as a body of scientific knowledge about human relationships.’ -J. F. Cuber
  4. ‘Sociology is a body of learning about society. It is a description of ways to make society better. It is social ethics, a social philosophy. Generally, however, it is defined as a science of society.’ -W. F. Ogbum
  5. ‘Sociology is the science of collective behavior’. -R. E. Park and F. W. Burgess
  6. ‘General sociology is on the whole the theory of human living together.’ -Ferdinand Tonnies
  7. ‘‘Sociology in its broadest sense may be said to be the study of interactions arising from the association of living beings.’
  8. ‘Sociology deals with the behaviour of men in groups.’ – Kimball Young

“The chief interest of sociology is the people, the ideas, the customs, the other distinctively human phenomena which surround man and influence him, and which are, therefore, part of his environment”.

Model of Sociology

Social Action

Social Interactio n

Network of Social Relationship s

Social Groups and Social Institutions

Society

Nature of Sociology: In nature of sociology we investigate, what type of subject Sociology is? Is sociology a science, or an art or what? To answer this question Robert Bierstedt enlisted the following characteristics of sociology in his book “ The Social Order ”:

  • Sociology is an independent science.
    • Sociology has emerged as an independent science.Sociology like any other discipline have its own area of study and not fully dependent on other discipline.
    • It is not treated as branch of any other science like philosophy , History.
  • Sociology is a social science not a physical science.
    • Sociology belongs to the family of social sciences.
    • Social sciences focus on various aspect of human society while physical sciences deal with natural phenomena. Thus Sociology is a social science as it deals with man and his social activities and social life.
  • Sociology is both a rational and an empirical science.
    • It studies the social phenomena in scientific way.
  1. Human ecology and demography :It studies the influence of population and damography factors on society.Human ecology is that part of sociology which studies human beings adjustment to their environment which includes not only the phyiscal conditions of their geographical environment but also othe organism such as other fellow human being ,plants and animals. With the help of culture that man posses ,he can live almost everywhere on the planet.
  2. Sociology of community : It is the study of two types of community. One is rural and another is urban.So,it is known as ruralsociology and urban sociology.

a) Ruralsociology : As word says it studies about society of village or rural society.It deals with the relationship structure and economic activities of rural people.Itwas originated in U.S.A.According to Sanderson,"rural sociology is the sociology of social life in the rural environment. In many countries,mostpfte people live in rural area. Their way of life is also different than urban people.Therefore rural sociology is an important subject.It is studid in Nepal an M.A level as a separate discipline (department) b)Urban sociology : In modern age,due to the advancement of science and the technology, the rural areas are develop into city area or urban area.The urbanization is growing very fast.Urban sociology studies the life of people in urban area,It studies the way of life of people in urban area.Thestructureofsociety,the social relationship and teh economic studies and employment system are also studid by urban sociologist.It also studies the nature of changing society in urban area,the secondary relationship.e.t.c.

  1. Political sociology :It employs the method of sociological research to investigate the content of political behaviour.It treats political institution as parts of the social system..Political sociology is an integral part of sociology which has progressivelytransform political science in the directions of wider attentions to imparical reality.
  2. Economic sociology : It studies the economic activities of different societies ,the economic process and relation between structures of society and their economic activities .It studies the changing society with economic growth and crisis .It also studies non-economic but the exchange of cash like prize,gifts and dowry system which are not studied by economics.
  3. Sociology of education :Sociology of education study the teaching and learnming process of a society .It also studies the function and relationship between education and other great institutional orders of society sucha as the economy,the religion and kinship.It studies how education helps to transmit culture,norms and values to other

generations.It includes the functional importance of education,relations between educational institute and society.

  1. Sociology of law: This branch of sociology looks at law and legal system as a part of society and also as social institution related to other institution and changing with them.It regards law as one of the means of social control.Law is related to moral oder to a body of costume and ideas about society.
  2. Sociology of religion :Religion is belief in supernatural power.It is believe in exactment of god and the activities that are connected to worship in them..Every people and the society believe in the god. No society is free from religion. The social structure and human believe upon the types of religion.The sociology of religion studies the role and the functions of the religions andit's impact on human thinking .It also studies how people act according to their religion.So, this is the fast growing subject.