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Summary of the classes from introduction to sociology

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Introduction to sociology

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Tilburg University (UVT)

In this document you find all the summaries of the classes that are given for the subject introduction to sociology.

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Type College aantekeningen
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introduction to sociology

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INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY – Fall

One week before the exam the lectures will be published.
Every week lab assignments.
During the course 3 assignments (graded) (30%)
Written exam (graded) (70%) (50% book, 50% lectures/LAB) – Witten exam -> 40 MC
questions (80%) and 2 essay question (20%).
Assignments need to be uploaded via canvas.
Practice exam on canvas.
APA for referencing. (For all written assignments for all courses).
You can be absent for one LAB, yet you need to make the assignment and a substitute
assignment.

Literature: introduction to sociology, frank van Tubergen (2020). Book needed for the exam.

Inequality, cohesion, rationalization.
Living together in society is the study object of sociology.
Sociology studies daily life, both in small and in larger contexts. From the relationships
between family members, via how people function in groups for example organizations up to
the way countries are organized. Sociology studies interactions of and in human actions at
micro, meso and macro level. An important task of sociologists is to unravel social action that
seems self-evident.

Learning outcomes of the program:
• Knowledge of the main questions of sociology,
• Insight into the key concepts and (development in the) most important theoretical
traditions of sociology,
• Knowledge of the philosophical, (socio-philosophical and epistemological) dimensions
of sociology practice,
• To be able to relate societal problems to sociological problems and theories,
• To possess a scientific habitus; general intellectual basic skills; logical and analytical
reasoning;
• Knowledge to recognize and critically assess the presuppositions, informational
content and empirical sustainability of important sociological theories and insights.

Specific learning goals:
• Learn to distinguish social problems and sociological problems,
• Understand difference between descriptive question, explanatory questions, etc,
• Order elements of an explanation: law, condition and hypotheses,
• Derive hypotheses from theory
• Gain knowledge and understanding of the key questions of sociology, and relate them
to problems or order, inequality and wealth,
• Recognize the problem of inequality: income, wealth and power, (Karl Marx)
• Gain knowledge and understanding of historical materialism (HM); revisionism and
orthodoxy,
• Apply theory of HM theory to social problems,
• Recognize the problem of cohesion: conflict and detachment (Emile Durkheim),

, • Gain knowledge and understanding of structural functionalism (SF); theory of
integration, anomy theory,
• Apply SF theory social problems,
• Recongize the problem of rationalization (in distinct areas) (Max Weber)
• Gain knowledge and understanding of interpretative individualism (II),
• Apply theory to social problems.

Relation between lectures and literature?
Logic of the lectures: development of sociological thought and how to think sociologically,
emphasis on theorists.
Logic of the book: how to think sociologically by discussing theme’s, emphasis on theories.

L1 What is sociology:
Contents:
• What is sociology?
• Social problems
• Sociology vs psychology
• Scientific principles of sociology
• Key question of sociology
• Summary

What is sociology?
Everything around you when there are people involved.
Most of the people all do the same kind of things. They look what the rest is doing. We all
want to belong.

Just be yourself? – But we all do the same.

Modern paradox: emphasis on the individual, but people are group animals. People want to
belong to groups. Living in a world where everything is based on individuals, but at the same
time people want to belong to a group.

Sociology…
Investigates society in a systematic way. Investigates human patterns of thinking, feeling and
social action, looks at how we can see the general in the special. Everything is always
different – but also a bit the same.

Pros and cons
- Debunking:
- Not everything we think is always true.
- We are constantly adjusting to the behaver of other people.
- Understanding:
- Better understanding of the circumstances we live in (and why)
- Empowering:
- Shows disadvantages for some groups, which can mobilize them
- Everything changes always.

, - Sociologist are also people:
- distance is difficult.
- Sociology becomes part of societal discourses.
- Recognition/acknowledgement.

What is sociology:
Most straightforward: “science of society”
a. Science, always looking in the theory if it’s correct.
If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life
you doubt as far as possible, all things.
b. Social/societal problems
• Delinquency,
• Terrorism,
• Migration,
• Self-enrichment,
• Poverty,
• Divorce,
• Extreme-right voting
• Etc.

Social problems vs personal troubles (C.W. Mills):
Personal troubles, when it’s just the individual.
Social problems, when it’s a problem to society (to a bigger group). 6 criteria (C.J.M. Schuyt):
- Problem involves many people
- ‘private troubles’
- accumulation of problems.
- Not temporary/persistent
- Systematic causes
- fundamental values threatened

Examples:
Losing Euro Cup soccor: a social problem? – not a social problem
Involves many people – Yes
Private troubles – Yes
Accumulation of problems – No
Persistent – Yes
Systematic causes – Yes
Values threatened – Yes

Dog poo: a social problem? – A social problem
Involves many people – Yes
Private troubles – Yes
Accumulation of problems – Yes
Persistent – Yes
Systematic causes – Yes
Value threatened – Yes

, Sociology as science
Scientific question about social problems = sociological problems

Sociological imagination?
• Sociological imagination
- Personal troubles vs. social problems
• Awareness of how society works
• Way of thinking (theories), and way of doing (methods)
- Critique: pseudo-science: not an own object of study
• Critiqual view on what people see as natural
• Sociology versus “common sense” (bubble talk)

Sociology in/is human language.
Sociology = common sense? Sociologists tell what everybody knows, in such a way that
nobody understands it anymore.

Sociologie versus ‘common sense’:
Zygmunt Bauman:
• Responsible speech: rules of responsible arguments.
• Size of the field: transcending your own social world.
• Making sense: Explaining and interpreting human
• Defamiliarize: the ability to discuss/question the familiar and the obvious.

WHAT – question:
• NOT:
- In what way can we rule out crime?
- Normative
• But:
- What is going on?
- Who are committing more crimes than others?
- Facts

WHY – question:
WHY? The academic question.
Why do lower educated people commit more crimes than higher educated people?

3 types of problems:
• Social or societal problems.
• Sociological problems (=scientific problems).
• Social policy problems.

sociological vs social problems:
• sociological problems
logical problems
objective
• social problems:

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