Arba Minch University

Arbaminch Institute of Technology

Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning

…people & space …

Sense, space & place

+ Sociology
Course:-Urban
Adisu .G
[email protected]
+251916482975 1
Conceptual understanding

 Defining

 Subject Matter Delineation

Impression:
 common sense
 sociological imagination
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Chapter 1: Defining & Delineation of the Subject Matter
Sociology cab be defined from three perspectives:
Historic perspective – use common sense
contemporary sociologists thinking
Effective zoning delineation – specific field of studies
1. Historical perspective (founding fathers thinking?) Sociology is study of :
•study of society ;

•science of social life;

•social relationships;

•human behavior in groups; Social concept

•forms of social institutions;

•social action – re-action;

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 … social concept … (cont’d)
Sociology as a study of social concept:
 social membership or friendship (science of
companionship - Bhushan, 2000);

 Social interaction for mutual benefits or existence -

social process (structure & functions) (benefit b/n two or more
individuals &/or groups) – unit of social interaction
analysis (at 3 levels):
- societal context level; structure & functions?
- education system
- Groups/associations/communities; - economy system
- family system
- individuals who make up groups/communities - religion system

- politics system
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 … understanding of subject matter … (cont’d)
2. Contemporary perspective (modern social thinkers)?
– Develop scientific methods with better clarity as discipline;
– Dev’t research/publications informed of own unique definition &
concept;
Sociology is a study of social life using a sociological scientific
method focusing on:
(i) urban & rural community life;
(ii) personality & culture in society;
(iii) social problems & social change;
(iv) social & economic institutions;
Contribution of textbooks & methods production:
 Enable to Dev’t:
- shared field of competence & increase acceptance
- easily diffusion of the profession in scope - value addition in
sociological theories and practice.
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 … understanding sociology of subject matter … (cont’d)
3. Boundary Delineating of Sociology from Other Social Sciences
– Efforts in Deving proper/neat master plan/boundary zoning;
– Domain distinguishing by logical analysis – criteria social &
human behavioral branch of science;
– Research enable Dev’t specialized social theory (specialization
vs – generalization - entered into a right position (e.g.
criminology, urban sociology, demography, sociology of religion,
social arts);

:- Sociology is analytical study of molecules of social life (social

interaction & relationship) and smallest unit – social act that
is true atom of analysis of social life;
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…Sociology & Other social sciences….

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…Sociology & Other social sciences….

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…Sociology & Other social sciences….

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 … Verified conceptual understanding & definition of sociology …
2.3. What is Sociology in general? as Summarized from 3 Paths:
Sociology:
– … as an interlocking system of action “…is the study of
systems of social action and of their interrelations …”;
– … “is not merely a collection of sub – disciplines on all
realms of life, but rather is the study of those aspects
of social life which are present in all social forms …”;

 Studying sociology embodied within a context of:

(i) sociological analysis;
(ii) primary units of social life – interaction;
(iii) basic social institutions;
(iv) fundamental social process & change, etc;
:- Post lecture: create companionship & test your knowledge of
understanding in defining subject matter of sociology? 10
 … distinction b/n sociology & other social sciences
…
2.4. Distinguishing b/n natural & sister social sciences:
– social sciences – center of analysis is man within a society & given social environment;

– mapping out territory/terrain or boundary of sociology;

Natural
Social sciences
sciences
sociology

2.4.1. Major Fields’ of Social Sciences/Methods:

– anthropology (social, cultural, pre-historic physical);

– economics (macro – large scale and micro – small scale levels)

– political science (theoretical and applied branches);

– psychology (social, clinical and experimental psychology);

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– Sociology (quantitative and qualitative branches)
… Overview distinguishing sociology with social sciences …
2.4.2. Background to Differences and Similarities:
– It is complex to have clear demarcation, ‘red line’
because of overlapping but also must to identify their
unique feature & knowledge of independent sciences;
– No one will deny also other social sciences serve as
utilities to sociology & sociology is a synthesis of
sciences because of dealing with human/behavioral sciences;
– Possible issues which will help to distinguish sociology
from other social sciences:
- unit/methods of analysis (unique concern);
- inner - logical structure & conceptual apparatus;
- sphere of its area of practical application, etc
 … Overview distinguishing of …(cont’d)
2.4.3. Possible dimensions of difference exist in b/n:
• Psychology mainly concerns to study mental processes: intelligence,
emotions, perception, and memory of individual man within ‘skin bound
of organism’; while sociology deals mainly with man’s social life, process,
social values /norms … within a given social system;
• Anthropology mainly deal with study of total way of past life of
tribal/traditional peoples which include study of culture – hand tools &
human anatomy…; while sociology deals with present - modern way
social life;
• Economics mainly deals with economic relationships in production &
distribution of material goods & service among societies - analysis; while
sociology deals with study of impacts of social factors/behavior in
increasing production…,
• Political science mainly deals with political society - forms of
governments, how people attain ruling positions in their society - voting
behavior; while sociology deals with social participation and conflict in
politics, etc;
 … Overview distinguishing of …(cont’d)
2.4.4. Possible dimensions of similarities exist in b/n:
• Like political scientists, sociologists study how people govern one
another, look at the impact of various forms of government on
people’s way of lives;
• Like economists, sociologists are concerned with what happens to
the goods and services of a society with a special emphasis or focus
on the social impacts and consequences of
production/distribution;
• Like anthropologists, sociologists study culture; social
consequences of material goods, group structure, and belief
systems, as well as how people communicate with one another -
language;
• Like psychologists, sociologists’ are also concerned with how
people adjust themselves with the difficulties of social life;
[Group work: see separate point next to this slide & discuss it]
 … test of own knowledge through group work … cont’d
“… the physical science can be more liberal because we are sure
that foolish opinions will be reality to eliminate soon by the
shock of facts; while in social fields no one carefully tell what
harm may come of foolish ideas before the foolishness is
finally, if ever, demonstrated …”, Cohen as cited in Alex Inkles
synthesis of what is sociology, 1999, p.46): Discuss it in your
group & come up with different reasons to urge:
- notify “yes” or “no” & identify clear discussion points that
enable to differentiate b/n field of natural and social sciences;
- discuss/demonstrate the complexity social life sociological
dimension and generate discussion results within not < 1 +1/2
pages;
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 … Conceptual understanding to urban sociology…
2.5. Concept of urban sociology as compare with rural setting
– study of human interaction and way of social life in urban
communities, suburbs, neighborhoods, etc;
– loss of primary social relationship and weaker social control,
greatest division of labor (e.g. extend family);

– heterogeneous as compare with homogenous way of life with

more specialization - division of labor;
– New social network & urban social capital: stocks of social trust,
norms & networks to solve common problems;
Q. Look at your self & identify your own position from:-
1. individual way of life --------------------------
2. social way of life -------------------------------
 … Overview the importance of the subject matter …

2.6. Importance of learning sociology–baseline to sleep over it?

– Give clear understanding about society so as to design effective urban plan for action
(e.g. overlay settlement plan);

– enable to understand group, community & societal behaviors & problems as applied in
different areas of application e.g. human social life, cultural values; adaptation with
environ;

– Update us on change of social way life in building better & healthy socio-economic living
situation in communities;

– Integration Enable revitalize & add sociological professional knowledge, skills/practice

& values among students in integrating with own professional ethics & day to day
personal/social life;

– Tradition-Enable to see/recognize/document/maintaining the traditional values and practice &

integrate with a changing - social life; etc

= Enable students to properly overlay land use plan over the social environment (e.g.
mirror to see human dimension, community concern or needs /strengths, structure-
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functions, dimensions & services;
… Urban sociology responsible to study overlooked human dimensions …

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Sociology is an enabler to see social & human dimension (e.g. use of aria photo, as
data acquisition tool do have limitation to see human dimension from distance

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 … test your knowledge through group exercise… cont’d
1. Group Exercise:
• Since endorsement of the new Ethiopia renaissance man’s way of
social life in Arbaminch & Hawassa towns is becoming more
heterogeneous. This trend bothers city managers and urban
planners to re-set out its scope and level of service Dev’t
intervention of their cities:
- What does it mean by city renaissance and its indicators?
- Identify homogeneity-heterogeneity factors & discuss them in
relation with the process of urban planning & neighborhood Dev’t;
- identify & discuss value shift (sociological value change) & their
implications in preparing the new urban design outputs for cities;
- Impacts of heterogeneity in changing concept & practice in
urban design, community Dev’t (design with & without, how? Why?)
possible ‘without’ sociological consideration ‘With’ sociological consideration
 Group work: …urban way of social life

2. Make sub – groups among you who born/grown at urban & rural:
1. rural born/grown = as rural sub - group;
2. urban born/grown = as urban sub - group;
Discuss man’s way of social life (similarities & difference) in both context:
Points of discussion Rural setting urban setting

• population & way of social structure ---------------------- -------------------------

• Occupation & dependency; ------------------- --------------------

• Basic concerns (belief) & life style; ------------------- --------------------
• Way of social interaction & mode of relationship; ------------------- --------------------
• Groups/institutional power setting ------------------------- --------------------------

• Social bonding & social network; ------------------- --------------------

• Family settings & interaction; -------------------- --------------------

• Settlement planning & design -------------------- --------------------

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 … test your knowledge through group exercise… cont’d
3. Group Exercise (1 point for each group):-
• Unique social interaction that can be applied among
urban societies or communities context:
– sport game (e.g. football) as one way of expressing urban
social interaction and building social capital?
– occupational specialization in broker as one way of
social life/interaction & source of income;
– street resident – homeless communities social way of
life & interaction – thinking & communication or
language style (act against accepted norms);
– Change of new symbolic values and living styles –
implication on urban planning;
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