INTRODUCTION

TO SOCIOLOGY
WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY
Socius + logos = sociology
So, sociology is composed of two words
‘socius’ and ‘logos’

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SOCIOLOGISTS OPINION
• August Comte, the founding father of
sociology, defines sociology as the science of
social phenomena “subject to natural and
invariable laws, the discovery of which is the
object of investigation”.
• Emil Durkheim defines sociology as the
“science of social institutions”.

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 NATURE OF SOCIOLOGY

Sociology, as a branch of knowledge, has its own unique characteristics. It

is different from other sciences in certain respects. The main
characteristics of sociology are enlisted by Robert Bierstedt in his book
“The Social Order”.

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 MAIN CHARACTERISTICS :
• Sociology is an Independent Science: As an independent science it has its
own field of study, boundary and method.
• Sociology is a social science and not a physical science: As a member of
the family of social sciences it is intimately related to other social sciences
like history, political science economics, psychology, anthropology etc.
• Sociology is a pure science and not an applied science: Because the aim
of sociology is the acquisition of knowledge about human sociology, not
the utilization of that knowledge.

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 SCOPE OF SOCIOLOGY

• Every science has its own areas of study or fields of inquiry. It becomes for
any one to study a science systematically unless its boundaries are
demarcated and scope determined precisely.
• There are main schools of thought regarding the scope of sociology:
(1) The specialist or formalistic school
(2) The synthetic school

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 THE SPECIALISTS OR FORMALISTIC
SCHOOL
• This school of thought is led by the German sociologist George
Simmel. The other main advocates of this school are Vierkandt, Max
Weber, Small, Von Wiese and Tonnies.

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 THE SYNTHETIC SCHOOL

• The synthetic school of thought conceives of sociology as a synthesis

of the social sciences. It wants to make sociology a general social
science and not a pure or special social science. Durkheim, Hub House,
Ginsberg and Sorokin have been the chief exponents of this school.

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 USES OF SOCIOLOGY
• Studies society in a scientific way.
• Necessary for understanding and planning of society .
• Helps the welfare of the tribal people.
• Has a practical utility of sociological techniques.
• Has a importance in solving social problems.
• Needs for especially underdeveloped countries.
• Helps us to know not only our society and man but also others.

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 Num. Num. Num.
1 2 3
Functionalist Conflict Internationalist
Perspective Perspective perspective

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 BRANCHES OF SOCIOLOGY
• Historical sociology
• Sociology of knowledge
• Sociology of law
• Sociology of human ecology
• Sociology of education
• Political sociology
• Economic sociology
• Sociology of occupation
• Sociology of religion
• Rural Sociology
 IMPORTANCE OF RURAL SOCIOLOGY

• Rural population is in majority

• Intimate relationship between man and land
• Village and rural life from the source of population
• Psychological approach to the rural life

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 IMPORTANCE OF INDUSTRIAL SOCIOLOGY

• Reduced the gap between industrial management and industrial workers.

• Stressed upon the important role of trade unions in setting industrial disputes.
• Thrown light upon the industrial workers.
• Impressed upon the management and government.
• Studies the relationship between man’s industrial activities and his political
economical and other activities.
• Analysis the process of industrialization and urbanization .
• Plays a vital role in contributing to planned industrial growth.

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 METHODS OF SOCIOLOGY

• The comparative method

• The historical method
• The statistical method
• The case study method
• The functional method
• The scientific method

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Q &A

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THANK YOU

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