INTRODUCTION

TO
SOCIOLOGY

Rana Zahid Zulfiqar

PhD Scholar Sociology(GCUF) Visiting Lecturer Sociology,
Bahauddin Zakariyia University,
Multan(Pakistan) [email protected]
 1. OUT LINE
1.1 Meaning and Definitions of Sociology
1.2 Origin of Sociology
1.3 Nature of Sociology
1.4 Major Three perspectives of Sociology
1.5 Sociology as Science
1.6 Applications/ Scope of Sociology
1.7 Relationship of Sociology with other Social
Sciences
 1.1. MEANING OF SOCIOLOGY

• The term has been derived from two

words. The Latin “Socious” mean
companionship and the Greek “Logos”
mean study.
• So the term literally means the study
of human companionship or
association or society.
 1.1 Definitions of Sociology
• “Sociology is the study of social action” (Max
Weber).
• “Sociology is the scientific study of society”.
(August Comte)
• “Sociology is the study of social facts
through social institutions (Family,
Education, Religion, Economics and Politics)”
(Emile Durkhiem).
 1.1 Definition of Sociology
• “Sociology is the study of collective
behavior”. (Park & Burgess)
• Conclusion: On the basis of above
definitions, we can conclude that:
“Sociology is the science of society,
human behavior, human interaction
and relationships”.
 1.2 Origin of Sociology
• Initially Sociology was introduced by Muslim
Sociologist “Ibn-e-Khuldun (1332-1406)” who
belonged to Tunisya. He used the term of
“Imraniyat”
• Imran: Society
• Yat: Study
• “Sociology is the study of Society”.
• Ibn-e-Khuldun was a historian and studied the
different societies. His methodology was
based on “Casual relationship”.
 1.2 Origin and Development of
Sociology in the Modern Era
• Sociology was originated as a special
discipline in 1838 by a French
Sociologist “August Comte”. He
wanted to laid its foundation by using
the scientific methodology. He
regarded as “the Father of Sociology”.
 1.3 NATURE OF SOCIOLOGY
• Sociology is an Independent Science
• Sociology is a social science not Physical science
• Sociology is a Categorical and not a Normative
Discipline
• Sociology is relatively abstract science not a
concrete science
• Sociology is a Generalizing and not a
particularizing science
 1.3 NATURE OF SOCIOLOGY
• Sociology is a General
Science not a special
science
• Sociology is both a Rational
and Empirical Science
1.4 MAJOR THREE PERSPECTIVES OF
SOCIOLOGY

1.4.1 The Structural

Functionalist
1.4.2 The
Conflict

1.4.3 The Symbolic

Interactionist
 STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM
• According to Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)
sociology is the study of social institutions.
There are 5 basic institutions of the society
and there is a great role of these institutions in
the functionality of the society. If these
institutions have good collaboration than the
society will move towards development
otherwise the society will suffer. These
institutions are like a parts of human body
,parts are attached with each other and if
there is a problem in one part of the hole
body will disturb.
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM

Family

Politics Education

Economics Religion
1.4.2. THE CONFLICT PERSPECTIVE
• Karl Marx viewed struggle between social
classes as inevitable because workers are
exploited under capitalism.
• They claimed that the Capitalists exploit
the working class by giving the low
wages.
• The conflict perspective encouraged the
working class for gaining their rights by
radical movements.
 1.4.3 THE SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST
• The interactionist perspective focuses
on social behavior in everyday life. It
tries to understand how people create
and interpret the situations they
experience, and it emphasizes how
countless instances of social
interaction produce the larger
structure of society-government, the
economy and other institutions.
 1.4.3 The Symbolic Interactionist

• This perspective presumes that it

is only through these social
behavior of the people that
society can come into being.
Society is ultimately created,
maintained and changed by the
social interaction of its members.
 4.3 The Symbolic Interactionist

• The Interactionist perspective in general invites

the sociologists to ask specific kinds of
questions: what kinds of Interaction are taking
place between people, how do they
understand and interpret what is happening to
them, and why do they act toward others as
they do? How does someone learn to
experience cigarette smoking as pleasurable?
What tactics used by political leader to
convince angry Mob?
 1.5 SOCIOLOGY AS SCIENCE
• SCIENCE:
• According to Neuman “Science is a social
institution and a way to produce knowledge”
• Testable knowledge is called science.
TYPES OF SCIENCE:
Natural science (Physical science, Biological
science)
Social science
 1.5 Social science
• Social sciences deals with social
processes and human behavior. It
is more concerned with the
human and society. This includes
sociology, history, anthropology,
economics, political science,
philosophy etc.
 1.6 Applications/ Scope of Sociology

1.6.1 Education and research

1.6.2 Agriculture

1.6.3 Industry

1.6.4 Trade and Business

1.6.5 Health

1.6.6 Population and Planning

1.6.7 Social Welfare

1.6.8 Social Policy, Planning and Development

• 1.6.1 EDUCATION AND RESEARCH:
Sociology is taught as a subject in different
colleges and universities of Pakistan. There are
different institutions in Pakistan that are
conducting the research and highlighting the
different problems faced by the members of
society.
Examples:
Government college University, Faisalabad,
Agriculture university Faisalabad, The social
Research center Punjab University, Pakistan.
Rural Development Academy Peshawar,
Department of Sociology BZU etc.
1.6.2 Agriculture:
Agriculture is the main source of Pakistani
economy but unfortunately, due to different
socio-cultural dogmatic beliefs our farmers
resists the innovations. Sociologist played an
important role to brainwash the farmers and
prepare them for the usage of different
modern technologies. In this way Sociologists
played a vital role in the up gradation of
Agriculture sector.
1.6.3 Industry:
Sociologist played an
important role in the domain
of Industry for building a good
relationship between the
workers and the owners of
the factory.
 Application of Sociology

1.6.4 Trade and Business

1.6.5 Health
1.6.6 Population and Planning
1.6.7 Social Welfare
1.6.8 Social Policy, Planning and Development
Note:
Please read the Book for details
1.7 Relationship of Sociology with other Social Sciences
 Relationship b/w Sociology and
History
There is a direct relationship between sociology
and history.
Both sociology and history cannot be separated
from because sociology is the present and history
deals with the past events.
According to Ibn-e-Khaldoon:
“No Historian could write the history of a nation
without knowing the social condition to the nation
and society’’
 Difference b/w Sociology & History

Sociology History
 It is interested in the  It deals with the past event of
human, it is slight about
study of the present
present.
social phenomena.  It is an age_old social science.
 It is young social science. It has a long story of more than
 It is based on analytics. 2000 years.
 It is a descriptive science.
 It is absorbed in nature. It
 History is concrete. The
studies mostly regular, historians are interested in a
the recurrent and the unique, the particular and the
universal. individual.
 Sociology is generalized  History is individualized
and seeks to establish and rarely makes
generalization after a generalization. It
careful study of social establishes the sequences
phenomena. in which event occurs.
 Sociology follows the  History studies human
sociological approach. It events in accordance with
studies human events the time order with
from sociological point of historical approach.
view.
 Sociology & Psychology
 Sociology is the science of society while
psychology is the science of mental process or
mind. It studies particularly the human
experiences and the behaviour.
 Sociology and psychology both are involve in
solving the social problems. Sociology helps
psychology while psychology helps sociology.
Thus, they are inter related in many respects.
Difference b/w Sociology & Psychology
Sociology Psychology
 Sociology study the  Psychology study the personality.
individuals.  Psychology is defined as a
 Sociology is the study of science of mental process.
society.  Psychology often study the small
societies & groups.
 Society take interest in small
 Psychology study all aspects of
and large societies.
society.
 Sociology studies the special
 Psychologists lives in the
aspects of society like family
societies and collect information
marriage. through interview and
 Sociology used observations, observation .
survey during the research.
Relationship of Sociology and Economics

• Sociology and Economics as social science

have closed relations. Relationship
between the two is so close that one is
often treated as the branch of other,
because the society is greatly influenced
by economic factors, and economic
processes are largely determined by the
environment of the society.
• Economics deals with the economic
activities of man . It deals with production,
consumption and distribution of wealth.
The economic factors play a vital role in
the very aspects of our social life. Total
development of individual depends very
much on economic factors. Without
economic conditions, the study of society is
quite impossible. All the social problems
are directly connected with the economic
conditions of the people.
 Relationship of Sociology with Political
Science

Political Science:
Definition
Political science is the science of state and
Government. It studies power, political
System , political process and
International relations.
 Relationship b/w sociology and Political
Science
Sociology and Political Science are very closely
and deeply related with each other, one is
meaningless without other.
According to Morris:
Historically Sociology has its roots in Political
Science and Philosophy of History .
Sociology and Political Science are dependant on
one another.
Sociology depends on political science for example state
and government make laws for welfare of society,
removes evils like poverty, unemployment and crimes
etc.
According to F.H.Gidding:
‘’To teach the theory of state to men who have not learn
the first principles of sociology is like teaching astronomy
or thermodynamics to men who have not learnt Newton
law of motion’’
According to G.E.G.Catlin:
‘’Sociology and political science are the two faces of the
same figure or things’’
Difference b/w Sociology & Political science
Political Science
Sociology
 Political science studies only
 Sociology is the science of
the politically organized
society. societies .
 Sociology studies all kinds of  Political science is a narrow
societies organized as well filed.
as un organized.  Political science concentrates
 Sociology has a wider only the human relationships
scope. which are political in character.
 Finally sociology is quite  Political science is an another
young. It is not even two science comparatively. It has
centuries old. centuries of history.
 Anthropology
Definitions:-
The study of human beings and their
ancestors through time and space and in
relation to physical character,
environmental relation and culture
Theology dealing with the origin, nature
and destiny of human beings
According to Eric Wolf:
‘’Anthropology is less a subject matter
than a bond between subject matters. It
is part history, part literature; in part
natural science, part social science; it
strive to study men both from within and
without; it represent both a manner of
looking at man and a vision of man-the
most scientific of the humanities, the
most humanist of sciences.’’
Western Washington University:

‘’Anthropology explores what it

means to be human.
Anthropology is the scientific
study of humankind in all the
cultures of the world, both past
and present’’
Similarities b/w Sociology & Anthropology

Sociology and Anthropology involve the

systematic study of social life and culture in
order to understand the causes and
consequences of human action.
Sociologists and Anthropologists study the
structure and processes of traditional
culture and modern, industrial societies in
both western and non-western cultures.
Sociology and Anthropology combine scientific
and humanistic perspective in the study of
society. Drawing upon various theoretical
perspectives, Sociologists and
Anthropologists study areas such as
Culture, Socialization, Deviance, Inequality,
Health & illness, Family patterns, Social change
& race and Ethnic relations.
 Difference b/w Sociology & Anthropology

Sociology Anthropology
 Sociology is the study of  Anthropology concerns with
modern civilized and un-civilized or primitive and
complex societies. non literate societies.
 Sociologists studies small as  Anthropologists study
well as large societies . human primitive cultures.
 Sociology makes use of  Anthropologists directly go
observation, interview, social and live in the communities
survey, questionnaires and they study. They make use of
other method of technique direct observations and
in investigations. interviews.
Sociology focuses Anthropology
on social problems focuses culture
and institutions. and community.
Subfields such as: Subfields such as:
Gender studies, Linguistic
Criminology, social anthropology,
work. Archaeology and
forensic
anthropology.
THANK YOU