sociological imagination and political life

7/28/2019 Sociological Imagination and Political Life

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Sociological Imagination and

Political Life

Lecture 2

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Sociology helps us to have a better understanding of the social world in which

we live

Factors contributing to the development of this world

The way the world changes over time

Goes beyond world taken for granted Allows us to study society and discover patterns of development

Peter Berger Invitation to Sociologyseeing the general in the particular

Challenges common sense by revealing that human behaviour is not as

individualistic as we may think

Sociology provides insights: into the importance of socialization in themoulding of individual identity

The features of culture in the social context

By studying sociology we might realise that our views about the society may

not reflect the reality

Understand that cultures are relative Sociology helps us gain a better understanding of ourselves and our social

world.

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Social theories provide frameworks for understanding events. Sociology

often goes against our common sense understanding of an event

Perspectives are a set of guiding principles

Perspectives are frameworks to help us interpret the world. Sociological

imagination is a perspective

Sociological imagination: the idea that people's thoughts and actions are

influenced by the social realities and groups in which they belong.

Dominant Perspectives in Sociology

1) Functionalism

The structural-functionalist perspective is a macro level perspective. This

means that the perspective examines social systems

Society as a system

Parts support the system

Changes in one part changes in other part of societies. Family, education

Parts contribute to the survival of the whole

Main characteristic of society is order and stability

conservativeWidespread social change can be destructive for social systems4


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industrial revolution in Western countries urbanization and demographic

movements led to high crime levels, increased suicide, and changing social

relationships based on relations between strangers.

Face to face relations are replaced by contractual relations. With written

rules and regulations.

Functionalism emerged through the work of Comte, Durkheim, and Spencer.

Experienced the social changes in the 1800

The changes (urbanization, industrialization, and democracy) had profound

influences on human behaviour and organization. Sociology emerged as a

science to try to explain these changes. .

Functionalist interested in negative changes in the social order. Social changebrought about disorganisation.

Anomie and normlessness characterise urban life

Anomie = lack of guiding principle

Chaotic city life in early industrialisation : London , Manchester

Functionalists attempt understand how to preserve a stable social order 5


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It gives priority to the maintenance of social order. Believes that all institutions

play a significant role in society, it is functional for society.

Talcott Parsons, Robert Merton

Society as a harmonious whole. Does not explain inequalities, class, race,

ethnicity, gender

2) The Conflict Perspective takes as given that conflict, social inequality, and

power/powerlessness are all key aspects of society. Ralf Dahrendorf

Originates form Karl Marx

conflict approach assume that some groups within society exploit other groupswithin society.

Marx observed working class living in miserable conditions.

Awful work place conditions

little access to resources or possessions, and had little power to shape their

livesGreat movement into cities by peasants

Factory system replacing artisanal workshops

Massive labour force.

Labour struggle is a key idea for conflict theorists.

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Conflict perspective assume that some groups benefit more than others from

social arrangements. Unlike functionalist who believe that society is based on

order and consensus, conflict theorists argue that the driving force of society

is conflict over scarce resources and power arrangements.

macro level perspective exploitation occurs on a large scale level between

groups

Dominant groups control many forms of resources : wealth, money, social

status, access to social institutions (health care or education), or the mass

media.

Mass media gives the ability to define and construct situations. This in turn

gives the powerful the ability to shape how the world works. Establish

hegemony (Antonio Gramsci)

means of production (land, tools, technology) which produces goods and

services. In an information society the ability to control technology has

become a main source of power and wealth.

Dominant groups try to control the media . Turkish example?

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Today, where is the proletariat? The proletariat are third world workers who

provide labour that makes our products cheaper.

The clothes you wear. The electronics you use. The car you drive all are affordable

because of the far reaches of capitalism.

Summary: conflict theorists use the ideas of exploitation, power and

powerlessness, and conflict between groups to explain the social world.

Glosses over how social values and interdependence generate unity amongmembers of society

3) Symbolic Interactionism

symbolic interactionismfocus on the individual and the creation of the mind, self,

and individual behaviour.

A key idea is social interaction

Social Interaction is a key concept. Two or more people respond to each other and

create symbols and act upon these symbols

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Margaret Mead: Humans rely on shared symbols and understanding in their interactions

with each other.

Pays attention to details of interpersonal interaction.

This detail is used to make sense of what others say and do.

Symbolic interaction stresses the importance e of face to face relations in creations of

societies and institutions.

Tries to show how individuals attempt to change the reality perceived by others

Criticised for ignoring larger issues of power and structure within society and how they

serve to constrain individual actor.

4) Global Perspective

Takes the world as a unit of analysis . Tries to explain the interconnectedness of theworld.

The topics covered include:

TNCs

Development of global media

Emergence of global cultures

International governance 9


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TYPES OF SOCIETYDisappearing pre-modern SocietiesHalf a million year of known existence of human beings

Fixed settlements for only 12 thousand yearsCivilisation only 6 thousand years

Rapid transformation of societies since the industrial revolution

Hunting Gathering societies 50.000 BCE to the present almost disappeared

Nomadic Settled in small villages

Hunting, fishing, collecting edible plants. Limited technological capability and

tools. Religious ceremonies and rituals

Africa, Brazil, New Guinea

More or less equal individuals. Differentiation by age and gender

Agrarian Societies 1200 BCE to the present- in the process of dissolution. Part of

larger political entitiesagriculture as the main source of livelihood

Subsistence agriculture and hunting and gathering

More inequalitiesRuled by chiefs

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Pastoral Societies 12000 BCE to the present

Mostly part of larger societies. Loosing their identities

Small and large communities.

Domesticated animals as a source of livelihood. Ruled by chiefs and

warrior kings. Africa, Middle East, Central Asia Mainly nomadic. Some became horticulturalist by goring some seeds.

Distinct inequalities

Traditional Societies 6000 BCE to the 19th Century

All traditional states have disappeared Up one million people

Some cities trade and manufacture

Largely agricultural societies

Existence of different classes and thus inequalities

Flourishing arts and science, thus called civilisations.

Earliest civilisations emerged in the Middle East fertile river areas

Chinese empire originated 2000 CE

Aztecs of Mexico and Mayas of Yucatan Peninsula and Incas of Peru

King or emperor controls the state

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Industrialise societies of the modern world

Machine production requiring little human force

Large numbers are employed in industry and services

Majority live in urban areas. Largest cities are extremely big. London, New York,

Mexico City, Istanbul Business corporations, government organisations influence life.

More developed political system than traditional societies

Nations states. Clear boundaries. Powerful governments

Production for war and peace. Superior economic power. Spread of western ways

of life

GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT

Colonialism 17th c to 20th c . The west occupied many areas . Economic exploitation

Settler colonialism North America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa. Hunters

gatherers were de-populated.

The US became a major world economic and military power after the FWW. Some countries manage to become industrialised later. Developing world

China, India, Brazil, Nigeria, Algeria etc.

Some of colonies became independent after the SWW. They are sometime called

the Third world

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Giddens categorisation is highly problematic.

First world: Industrialised Europe, US, Canada etc.

Second world: Soviet Union, Eastern Europe

Third World (developing countries) ex colonial countries

These categorisations are constantly changing and they are highly subjective.

BRICsBrazil, India, and China?

Globalisation is not just a technological phenomenon. It includes economic,

political, cultural and social transformations.

Globalisation both unites and divides the world

Interconnectedness occurs but some countries and their companies dominate

the nature of this interconnectedness.

Ethnic , religious and regional divisions occur. Dismantling of the Soviet union

Conflict in the Arab world

We shall be looking at some of these transformations and the factors behind

them.

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