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Sociology2014:AnswerWritingChallenge1INSIGHTS
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Sociology2014:AnswerWritingChallenge1
BYINSIGHTSSEPTEMBER3,2014

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03September2014
1. Substantiate,citingliterature,theviewthatanalysisofsocialstabilityand change has
beenthemainconcernofclassicalsociologists.(400Words)

2.Explaintheviewthatthesocial system isabasicconceptualmodelusefulinunderstandingsocial

organization.(400Words)

Tags: sociology

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Jointhediscussion
Madforias 3monthsago

Loadingthepicforthefirsttime...
Madforias > Madforias 3monthsago

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Madforias > Madforias 3monthsago

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Rauf Lala > Madforias 3monthsago

wellwritten..However,Ithinkinthebeginningyouwroteaboutscientificmethodsand
conservativephilosophy,whichmaynotbereqd.Thequestionismoreaboutorder,stabilityand
change ,conflictratherthanpositivistandnonpositivistmethods.
Isthisyour1stattempt?
Madforias > Rauf Lala 3monthsago

Hi Rauf ,IreferredRitzeranditdomentionEnlightenmentandConservativesthoughtswerethe
precursoronthephilosophicallevel...yesitsmyfirstattempt..howaboutyou?
Rauf Lala > Madforias 3monthsago

2nd...Goodtoseesomediscussiononthesubject..Needmorequestions.
anilvinyek 3monthsago

Howtoupload..Imnotable
mantis 3monthsago

"Mancannotstepintothesamerivertwice"remarkedHeroclituscenturiesagobutitholdstrueeventoday.
Studyingsocial change thereforeisindeedacomplexenterprise.
Sociologywhiletryingtounderstandsocialchangestriestolookatmajormodificationsintheunderlying
structure.Accountsofsocialchangealsoinvolveshowingwhatremainssametoserveasabaselinetounderstandsubtle
changes.AugustComteoneofthefoundersofsociologyaptlyconsideredsociologyasadisciplineconcernedwith
studyingsocialstaticsandsocialdynamics.
Adoptinganevolutionaryapproachhepropoundedthe' law ofthreestages"accordingtowhichsocietypasses
throughtheological,metaphysical.scientificstage.Takingtheideaforwardherbertspencerappliedthedarwiniannotion
ofbiologicalevolutiontosocietalevolutionandtheoriessocitiestobeeithersimple,compounded,doublyandtrebly
compounded.
Historyproducessocialchangesandsociologydevelopsparadigmstostudythosesocialchanges.Thistraditionwas
carriedforwardbythe french sociologistemile durkheim whoseviewofsocial change wasfarfrombeingbenign.He
consideredsocial change intermsofmechanicalandorganicsolidarity.Hewasalsoawareofthefactthattoofast
changesmayleashdisruptiveforcesleadingto anomie .
modernityaccordingtohimwouldneverleadtoreplacementofreligionwithsciencesinceithadauniversalfunctional
roletoplay.
Marx ontheotherhandbasedsocial change onthebasisof change inmodeofproduction.
Hefamouslypropoundedthatthestudyofhumanhistoryisthestudyofsocial change throughprimitivecommunism
toslavery,feudalism, capitalism andfinallycommunismstages.Eachstagebeingcharacterisedby class conflict
betweentwoclasseshavingmutuallyantagonisticinterests.
Anotherbrilliantstudyofsocial change wasdoneby weber whoconsideredincreasingrationalisationand
bureaucratisationofsocietyasavehicleofsocial change .Modernityaccordingto weber hadnegativeeffectstoointhe
formof"disenchantmentoftheworld".
Thusstudyof change andstabilityweretheprimaryconcernsofsociologyfromitsverybeginningandcontinueeven
todayintheformofthestudyofglobalisation,combustive capitalism .
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kiran> mantis 3monthsago

@ mantis .Ifeelthatapartofanswer,sayintroduction,mustincludewhyclassicalsociologistsgotinterestedto
studystabilityand change .Prevailingconditions,theirupbringing..Andsoon..Andthenyoucansubstantiate
howtheywentontoachieveit(uhaveaddressedthis).Further,youranswerneedsabitmorestructuring.
Thanks
anilvinyek 3monthsago

@ mantis Verysoundinclusionofthoughtofsocial change byvarioussociologists.

Butthediscussionofearlywritingandsocialstabilitydespitesomuch change isnotgivenenough space .
anilvinyek 3monthsago

ImnotabletouploadmycompleteAnsof2nhalfpageduetosizeconstraint....tellmewhatIshoulddo?
Manish >anilvinyek 3monthsago

compressit.....http://compressnow.com/
Manish 3monthsago

question1
kiran> Manish 3monthsago

@ manish .IfeelYouranswerisnothittingthebullseye.Weneedtosubstantiateaview(askedinthequestion)
80100wordsonintroductionexplainingwhatpromptedclassicalsociologiststofocuson change andstability.
Prevailingcondition,industrialand French revolutions
4050wordsoneachclassicalsociologistandhowtheirliteraturereflectedtheimportanceofstudying change
andorder
50wordconclusionreflectingtherefinementineachclassicalsociologistfromhispredecessor
Manish >kiran 3monthsago

@kiranthanxforthe review
butithinkthequestiondemandexplanationoftheviewoftheclassicaltheoriston change andstability.
writingaboutgeneralconditionduringthattimemightconsumeextra space ........correctmeifI'm
wrong.
canupleasegivesomeinsightaboutquestion2I'mnoabletocomprehendit....istalkingabout
PARSONS ..??
kiran> Manish 3monthsago

Question2wants us tospeakaboutsocial system asamodeofanalysisofsociety.Yes, Parsons

isoneofthemasyousaid.butfor Weber individualisaunitofanalysis.Butcanonlybemadeas
apassingreference
Further,Ipresume,question1needsabaseofwhatmadeclassisttostudyon change and
stability.Sinceitis400words,it'sworthmentioning
Madforias 3monthsago

Explaintheviewthatthesocial system isabasicconceptualmodelusefulinunderstandingsocialorganization.

Social system andsocialorganisationaretwoseparateconceptofsociology,butsocial system yetactsasthebuilding
blockofthesocialorganisation.Tounderstandthiswefirstneedtounderstandtheattributesofthesocial system
1) System isunified:Anythingviewedas system mustbeviewedholistically.Itismadeupofpartscalledsubsystem
2) System isstructured:Thereisastablepatternofrelationshipbetweenpartsof system .Theylinkindefiniteand
predictableways
3)A system hasgoal
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4) System hasboundary,beyondwhichtheexternalenvironmentexists
5) System existsinsymbioticinterdependencewiththeenvironment
6) System hasequilibriumtendency: System triestomaintaintheequilibrium,withevery change ,the system again
triestoachievethenewequilibrium.Italsohasinternalprocessofadjustment
Socialorganisationreferstoapatternofsocialinteraction.Expectationsfromactorsbecomesfixed.Actorsagreeto
controlthemselvesonimportantmatterstocooperate.Thustheyinvolveinteraction.
Startingfromdyads,primary,informaltoformalorganisation.Eachoneofthemshowthecharacteristicsof system ,
infactthe system actsas system builtinsidetheorganisation.Theorganisationishavinggoals,astructure,existing
withexternalenvironmentandtriestoachieveequilibriumwithevery change .Theyalsoneedtohavethesymbiotic
relationshipwiththeexternalenvironmenttoexist.Forexampleanyorganisationcan'texistforlongwithouthaving
symbioticrelationwithpolitical,sociological,technologicaletc.
manish 3monthsago

que2
manish 3monthsago

2(2)
Minthang 3monthsago

ItistheattempttounderstandchangesandthequestforstabilityinthecontextofEuropeansocietyinthe19thcentury
thateventuallyledtotheemergenceoftheSociologyasadistinctivedisciplinethatscientificallystudiessociety.Thus,
thecorpusoftheclassicalsociologicalliteraturenaturallyattemptstoaddresstheseabidingthemesasapartoflarger
socialreality.
AugustComtes Law ofThreeStages(LoTS)explainedchangesinsociety.TheLoTSpositedthathumansocietypasses
throughTheological,MetaphysicalandPositivestagessequentially.Likewise,Comtestressedonthestudyofdynamic
aspectofsociety.HisconcernforstabilityandorderisevidentasheassignedSociologythetaskofsocialreconstruction.
Likewise,evolutionarynotionof change informed Durkheim ssociology.Hementionedaboutmechanicalsolidarity
andorganicsolidaritytypologiesofsocietybasedon change inmoralandmaterialdensities.Thefluxand socio
politicalturmoilcharacterizingthe French societyofhis times disturbed Durkheim .Asagainstreligion, Durkheim
believedthenewsourceofmoralintegrationandstabilityinsocietywouldbefoundinsociology,adisciplinedesigned
toscientificallyanalyzesocialorderandstabilitybystudyingsocialfacts.
InDasCapital Marx criticallyconcernhimselfwiththedysfunctionalaspectsofsocialchangesassociatedwith
capitalistsociety.Tohim,theexploitationofthemajorityproletariatbytheminoritybourgeoisieandunresolved class
interestsconflictthatreacheditacmeinthecapitalistsocietyrendereditinstable. Marx arguedthatsocialorderand
stabilitywillrequirethetransformation class fromobjectivetosubject class .Thiswillbefollowedbytheabolitionof
privateproperty,overthrowofthebourgeoisiebyaviolent revolution andtheestablishmentofcommunismultimately.
Similarly,Max Weber sstudyofreligionisanattempttounderstand change insociety.Inhis Protestant Ethics And
Thespiritof Capitalism , Weber arguedthat Protestant Ethics formedoneofthecausalfactorsfortheemergenceof
thecapitalisteconomic system .Inanotherinstance Weber showedhisconcernfororderamidst change whenhe
advocatedrepresentative democracy astheonlyviablemethodtocheckthepotentialdysfunctionalaspectsof
bureaucracy .
As change ispervasiveandconstantinhumansociety,understandingtheramificationsofchangesinsocietyandthe
needforsubsequentstabilizationremainedaprocess.Assuch,changeformedarecurrentthemeinsociology.This
concernisamplyreflectedintheworksofclassicalsociologists.
Minthang 3monthsago

Inoticedsometyposinmypost,pleasebearwithme.Thanks!
sachin 2monthsago

ThestudiesofClassicalsociologistswereanoutcomeofrevolutionsinlate18thandearly19thcenturies.Theirfocus
wasmainlyonorderand change becausetheywereinterestedtounderstandtheturmoilandwereeagertoknowthe
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reasonsforitfollowedbyfutureconsequences.
ThetrendcanbeobservedintheworksofEmile durkheim whowantedtoknowthereasonfororderinsociety.He
scoutedReligiontofindhisanswers.similarly Karl markanalysedthesocietiesthroughhistoricalmaterialism.He
advocatedtheemergenceofcommunismasthegoalofsocial change .
Max weber hadadifferentinterpretationofstudyofsociety.Throughhissocialactionapproach,hetriedto
understandsociety.Further,hedrewalinkbetweenreligious ethics andemergenceof capitalism inhisseminalwork
"The protestant ethicandspiritof capitalism "
LateronTalcott parsons ,thorughhissystemsapproachtriedtounderstandthereasonbehindthestabilityinsociety
andexploredissuchsituationispermanentortemporary.Hismovingequillibriumtheorygivesanideaaboutstrainsin
thesystemandhowsocietyadaptatothosestrainsandchangestheequillibriumposition.
Further,adistinctiveanalysiswasgivenbyGHmeadthroughsymbolicinteractionistapproach.Heactedasabridge
betweenpsychologyandsociologyandgavehistheoryontheroleofselfinformulatingthesociety.
Thus,classicalsociologistswereeagertounderstandthereasonsforsocietal change andalsothebasisforstability.
Forthatmatter,orderandstabilityareincontinuumanddevelopmentofsociologyasanintellectualdisciplinewould
nothavebeenpossiblewithoutexploringtheinterrelationshipbetweensocialstaticsandsocialdynamics
ias_mano 21daysago

Themainconcernofsociologistintheclassicalagewastoportraysystematicanalysisofsocial change and

stability.Theveryemergenceofsociologyasadisciplineanditsdevelopmentlieintheconcernofearlysociologistabout
theneedofstabilityandprogress.Inthisrespect,thefoundingfatherofsociologygavetheconceptof"socialstatics"and
"socialdynamics".Thesocialstaticsreferstoanalysisoffactorsthatleadtosocialstabilityandcontinuitywhilethelatter
isconcernedaboutsocialprogress.AccordingtoComte,thestabilityand change bothcontinuesidebyside.Inlater
period, Durkheim and marx emergedastwodistinguishedsocialtheoristandalookontheirtheoriessuggesttheir
concernabout change andstability.Durkhiemwasmoreconcernedwithfactorswhichpromotestabilityandtherefore
belongtofunctionalschoolofthought.Hisideasabouteducation,religionandtheneedtoestablishamoralorder
portrayhisprofoundconcernwithstructuralstabilityandcontinuity.Butevenhewasnotcompletelyoblivioustothe
change anddivisionof labour insocietywhich change asocietybasedonmechanicalsolidaritytoorganicsolidarity
andtheanalysisoffactors,likepopulationandincreaseinmoralandmaterialdensityaretheproofofhisconcern
aboutsocial change . Marx providedaradicalalternativetothefunctionalthoughtandprovidedtheoryofsocial
revolution .Itreflecthisconcernaboutthehumanitiesduringhistimeandthemisery,povertyandmanysocial
problemscreatedoutofindustrialisation.Hisconcernwaslikeanactivist,arevolutionary,apoliticalmananda
ideologueandmanydon'tconsiderhimasociologistbutstillhisideasaboutdielecticalmaterialisminuniqueofits
kindatooltoanalysetheprocessofstabilityand change .ForexampleMedia,education, law ,moralityallarethe
superstructurewhichperpetuatethedominationofruling class .Itobviouslyciteadimensiontoanalysethefactors
leadingtostabilityofsocial system andmanysociologistinthelaterMarxiantraditionhaveusedthiscategoryto
analyse change andstability.Whileearlysociologist,likecomte, marx anddukheimwereevolutionaist, weber brought
anewperspectivetoanysesocial change ,asevidentinhisanalysisofsocialactionandauthoritypattern.Alsothe
Protestent ethics andriseof capitalism isaclassicalstudyofhow values leadstoeconomic change ortheeconomic
structureisnotindependentofvalue system ofasociety.LatersociologistslikeParsonalsobroughtnewwaysof
analysisofstabilityand change .Thesocialisation,patternmaintenance,eduactionetcareconcernedabout
change whilestructuraluniversalbasedonroledifferentiationandtheprocessoftraditionalisationandrationalisation
basedofcontinuousadjustmentofsocietytonewfactorsof technology ,economyintheformofadaptationthatleads
to change . Karl Meinheim"fundamentaldemocratisation",pitrimsorokin's"theoryof mobility "and"cyclical change "
allreflectthatthesociologistshavealwaysbeenconcernedabouttheanalysisofsocialsatabilityand change .
iasmano>ias_mano 21daysago

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