SOCIOLOGY

By Datin Sitti Haishah Abd Rahman, Curriculum Unit, Teacher Education Division

Topic 1: Sociological Perspective and Sociological Research

What is Sociology?

According to John J. Macionis, sociology is the systematic study of human society. Diana
Kendall defined sociology as the systematic study of human society and social interaction.
Systematic because sociologists apply theoretical perspectives and research methods (the
orderly approaches).

Why study?

In order to develop theories of how human behavior is shaped by group life and how group
life is affected by individuals.

What is sociological perspective?

A perspective is simply a "way of seeing" something. The sociological perspective is a

particular way of approaching phenomena common in sociology. It involves maintaining
objectivity and not being influenced by one’s values. The sociological perspective often
assumes that “official” explanations are incomplete or self-serving. It involves a conscious
effort to go beyond the obvious and question what is accepted as true or common sense.

There are different ways to sociological perspectives:

1. Peter Berger described sociological perspective as seeing the general in particular. What
he meant is sociologists look for general patterns in the behavior of particular people. For
example: what general behavior of high-income women that we can see when it comes
to the expectation of men they marry? Likewise, what general behavior of the low-
income women when it comes to the same expectation?

2. Seeing the strange in the familiar is another way at looking sociological perspective (e.g.
people have many reasons getting married or enrolling at a particular university)

3. Another way is seeing personal choice in social context (e.g. how many children that
couples in the world would like to have? Also examine Emile Durkheim analysis of
suicide.)

4. Another way is seeing social marginality (being part outsider and part insider in a
society) and social crisis. We can have a better sociology perspective if we experience
social marginality and social crisis (e.g. being in the immigrant society and living in
economic downturn).

5. C. Wright Mills’ term sociological imagination is also a way of applying sociological

perspective. For example Mills claims that the society is the cause of poverty and other
social problems.

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6. Global perspective of sociology – is the study of the larger world and our society’s place
in it. Global awareness is an extension of the sociological perspective.

The world is divided into high-income countries, middle income countries, and low income
countries.

Learning about life in other societies in the world helps us learn more about ourselves. The
societies are increasingly interconnected, e.g. through new technology, immigration and
trade.

References
Macionis, John J. 2007. Sociology. 11th ed. New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Kendall, D. Sociology In Our Times. The Essentials. 5th ed. Belmont: Thomson Wadsworth.
Norsham b. Firdaus. 2008. Sociology. UiTM.
Schaefer, Richard T. 2005. Sociology. 9th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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