Required Text:
1. Sociology: The Essentials, 9th edition. Margaret L. Anderson. Cengage Learning. NOTE: You may purchase the digital option available via MindTap at Cengage, access this text with your Cengage Learning subscription or order a loose leaf text
Course Description:
This course is designed to introduce to the student the systematic study of society and human interaction with the use of both macro and micro sociological theory and methods of sociological inquiry. Some of the topics to be covered include the process of socialization, cultural development social structure, social stratification and areas of social class. Students are encouraged to complete Sociology 1 before enrolling in other sociology courses.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to: 1. understand the difference between a sociological perspective and other perspectives 2. distinguish between the use of common sense and systematic analysis 3. understand the characteristics of sociological analysis 4. compare and contrast the theoretical perspectives used in sociology
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY
Conceptual Map 1. Read the following guide to the three central theories of sociology. 2. Choose one social issue or problem that you know something and attempt to apply each theory to the problem. a. on what aspect of the problem would your theory focus (i.e. macro structure, micro relationships)? b. according to this perspective, what might be considered causal factors? c. what might be considered solutions?
SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES — A LAYPERSON’S GUIDE
Macro Perspectives Structural Functionalism Functionalists view society as a stable, well-organized system in which the parts function to maintain the whole. When disequilibrium occurs, there is a tendency for balance to be restored. In general, there is consensus regarding the basic values in a society. These folks are interested in how the various parts of the social system — its major social institutions –function to contribute to the maintenance of social order. When all members of the group perform their roles correctly, based on societal norms, the group is said to be functioning well. The main reason for the existence of social problems is that societies are always changing and having to adapt to new conditions; failure to adapt successfully leads to social problems.
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