Learning Outcomes for Unit 1: After completing this unit, you will be capable of:

What sociology is?

Definition and meaning of Sociology

Origins of Sociology

Importance of sociology

The sociological imagination

Relationship with other social sciences.

OVERVIEW

People are gregarious creatures. They are unable to live alone. Humans must therefore inevitably

research the relationships between the communities in which they inhabit. Individuals who

engage with one another make society. Sociology is the study of how society, social movements,

interpersonal relationships, and societal structures affect human behavior. Sociology is the study

of individuals in general and society in particular. It is a systematic study of how people relate to

each other in social settings. Sociology's main goal is to investigate how people, groups, societies,

and the wider world interact with one another. Sociology covers a wide range of topics,

including organized crime, families, crowds, mobs, gangs, businesses, online communities,

religious cults, sports, and labor unions.

Sociology is the study of how human social relationships affect intuitions. Sociology has a wide

range of applications. It ranges from crime to religion, from families to nations, and from social

structures like racial and class division to the sharing of a shared culture. Sociology explores and

describes topics such as social inequality, unequal economic distribution, the rural-urban split,

law, and social movements at the societal level. At the individual level, sociology explains

notions like love, gender, family, aging, and religion. It examines economy, migration, wars, and

population expansion on a global scale.

THE DEFINITION AND MEANING OF SOCIOLOGY

The word sociology is derived from the Latin word Socious, which means partner, comrade, or

colleague, and the Greek word logos, which means study, discourse, doctrine, or theory. Similar

to how physicists attempt to establish theories of everything in the universe, August Comte and

other sociologists of that era sought to explain social phenomena by creating universal principles.

Various sociologists have given different definitions to the term sociology:

Sociology is the study of social phenomena, according to August Comte, subject to natural and

invariable laws, the discovery of which is the object of investigation." According to Kingsley

Davis, Sociology is a general science of society. Sociology, according to Emile Durkheim, is the

science of social institutions. In contrast, sociology is "the science which attempts the

interpretative understanding of social action in order to arrive at a causal explanation of its

course and effects, according to Max Weber.

Nimkoff's definitions above. This social science examines society, how people behave in it, how

people relate to and interact with one another, and the different facets of culture that people share.

Therefore, sociology is the methodical, scientific study of people and how they interact with their

surroundings. It is a network of social connections between people and social groupings.

Sociology is the study of human interactions, interpersonal and intrapersonal connections, and

social relations. It attempts to conduct a scientific analysis of social institutions. It aims to

investigate societal issues generally rather than focusing on specific ones.

ORIGIN OF SOCIOLOGY

Sociologists contend that people's thoughts and behaviors are influenced by their social

environments. Social science is impacted by societal shifts. In the sixteenth and seventeenth

centuries, European explorers traveled to Asia, Africa, and America, returning home with

fascinating tales of diverse cultures and civilizations. Europeans' worldviews were questioned,

particularly in relation to religion and God. A distinct and breathtaking society was investigated.

In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Western Europe was rocked by social, economic, and

technological shifts that permanently upended the established global order. Rapid advancements

were occurring in the fields of science and technology. James Watt's invention of the steam

engine in 1769 accelerated the development and spread of knowledge. People might travel to

locations where employment was conveniently and quickly accessible.

environments. Social sciences are impacted by societal developments.

In Britain, the industrial revolution took place in the eighteenth century. Because of

industrialization and revolutionary democracy, the previous global order was disintegrating. In

order to work in the new manufacturers' mechanical industries, people were moving to cities.

People with close-knit communities who worked on their expansive, open countryside lived in

densely populated cities. The authority of the church, the intimacy of the communities, and the

comfort of the families replaced the impersonal factory life.

The nineteenth century saw the rise of capitalism in Western Europe. A small group of people

owned the factories and other means of production; the majority of people were hired laborers

who sold their labor to the owners. The comparatively severe financial markets expanded. The

growth of information and political power characterized the modern period. Powerful individuals

held the majority of the armed forces.

Last but not least, life expectancy rose and the child mortality rate decreased as a result of the

world's population growth during this time and significant advancements in medicine. The social

sciences are being studied rigorously as a result of these social developments. Large, intricate,

and industrial societies replaced the simple preliterate ones. Sociologists had to deal with the

massive change, which had a variety of ramifications for future political, social, and economic

revolutions.

IMPORTANCE OF SOCIOLOGY

Giddings asserts that while sociology reveals how society functions, economics helps us satisfy
our needs and desires. It conducts scientific research on how people and society function.

Sociology examines the profound social essence of people since humans are social animals.

Studying social intuitions aids in people's better growth. Plans and policies can be effectively

created and carried out with the help of a society's knowledge. It is possible to use science to

overcome the social issues that affect human dignity in our society. Sociological studies can be

used to understand and respect other cultures in order to solve personal and global issues.

Sociology investigates contemporary issues and comes up with answers for both large and

underprivileged communities.

THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION

In attempting to understand social behavior, sociologists rely on a particular type of critical

thinking. A leading sociologist, C. Wright Mills, described such thinking as the sociological

imagination—an awareness of the relationship between an individual and the wider society, both

today and in the past (Mills [1959] 2000). This awareness allows all of us (not just sociologists)

to comprehend the links between our immediate, personal social settings and the remote,

impersonal social world that surrounds and helps to shape us.

A key element in the sociological imagination is the ability to view one’s own society as an

outsider would, rather than only from the perspective of personal experiences and cultural biases.

Consider something as simple as sporting events. On college campuses in the United States,

thousands of students cheer well trained football players. In parts of South America and the

Caribbean, spectators gather around two cages, each holding a finch. The covers are lifted, and
the owner of the first bird to sing 50 songs wins a trophy, a cash prize, and great prestige. In

speed singing as in football, eager spectators debate the merits of their favorites and bet on the

outcome of the events. Yet what is considered a normal sporting event in one part of the world is

considered unusual in another part (Rueb 2015).

The sociological imagination enables us to comprehend larger societal issues by looking beyond

our own observations and experiences. For instance, divorce is definitely a personal struggle for

a husband and wife who separate. C. Wright Mills, on the other hand, promoted applying the

sociological imagination to see divorce as a societal issue rather than just a personal one.

According to this viewpoint, a significant social institution—the family—is genuinely redefined

when the divorce rate rises. Stepparents and half-siblings whose parents split and remarried are

common in today's households. Due to the complexity of blended families, this private matter

turns into a public one that has an impact on businesses, government organizations, educational

institutions, and places of worship.

An empowering tool is the social imagination. It enables us to view the world and its inhabitants

from a different perspective and with a wider lens than we might otherwise employ, allowing us

to see beyond a constrained comprehension of human behavior. It could be as easy as

comprehending why a roommate likes country music over hip-hop, or it could lead to a

completely new perspective on other cultures throughout the globe. For instance, many

individuals were interested in learning how and why Muslims around the world viewed the

United States following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. This textbook will occasionally

provide you the opportunity to use your sociological imagination in a range of scenarios.
SOCIOLOGY RELARIONAHIP WITH OTHER SCIENCES

Sociology is a subject that studies human behavior and interactions, with its relationship with

other social sciences such as history, political science, economics, social work, psychology, and

anthropology being autonomous but sometimes interdependent. Sociology studies contemporary

societies and historical phenomena, while history focuses on past human lives and social aspects.

Political science is a branch of social science that studies the distribution of power and

government functions, while sociology focuses on the social aspects of man as a political being.

Economics studies production, distribution, exchange, and consumption in society, focusing on

wealth and choice. Sociologists argue that social factors significantly influence resource

decisions.

Sociology and social work are related, with social work focusing on the application of ideas for

improving human life and generating holistic knowledge about society. Psychology studies

psychic facts, while sociology studies social facts, which are the basis for people's behavior in

relation to others. These subjects share meaningful relationships and contribute to understanding

human society.