Module 8.

Task 1 (in pairs) Read the following definitions of sociology and decide in what format they can be given (define the speaker, his characteristics (sex, age, education level, status), the place and time, the addressee, the conditions of the situation). What words used in the definitions made you think so?

a) Sociology (from Latin: socius, "companion"; and the suffix -ology, "the study of", from Greek λόγος, lógos, "knowledge") is the scientific or systematic study of society, including patterns of social relationships, social interaction, and culture.

b) Sociology involves the systematic examination of human social activity, from everyday face-to-face encounters to the movements of civilizations throughout history.

c) Sociology is the study of group life.

d) Sociology is the study of human social interaction. 

e) Sociology is the study of human behaviors as they are affected by social interactions within groups, organizations, societies, and the planet.

Which of these definitions is closer to the way sociology was defined at your University classes?

Task 2 Before you read the texts given in this unit, study the following words.

- to occur (to occur in a societal context) - to shape smth (issues shape the context within which troubles arise) - to be inspired by smth (sociology is inspired by fascination people have for thoughts and actions of other people) - to share (to share the interest) - to evolve - to define smth - to affect smth (to influence smth) - to have origins in smth откуда-л. - to arise - to comprehend (the specific task of sociology is to comprehend the whole of human society) - observation (to observe smth, to build an observation) - reasoning (to reason smth) - logical analysis (to analyze smth, reliable analysis) - tools - specific research techniques - theoretical and analytical work - well-tested theories - the societal patterns - problems and issues - objective (objective point of view) - accurate - endless (endless opinions) - bizarre - empirical (empirical discipline) - careful unprejudiced (careful unprejudiced observations)

– иметь место, происходить – придавать форму, делать, создавать – быть вдохновленным ч-л. – разделять (разделять интерес) – разворачиваться - определять - влиять - иметь начало, происходить - возникать - понимать - наблюдение - рассуждение, аргументация, довод - логический анализ – инструменты (методы) - объективный - точный - бесконечный – странный, причудливый - эмпирический - тщательный (точный), без предубеждений

^{(See the theory on dealing with unfamiliar words, p8 from “English for Psychologists”)}

Task 3 ^{When approaching a text, you should first understand the purpose of your reading. This purpose will help you formulate the way you are going to deal with it.}

^{Read Text 1 and answer the following questions:}

• ^{What do sociologists study in society?}

• ^{How is the way they study society different from other approaches?}

• ^{What tools do sociologists use in their research?}

^{Text 1. What Is Sociology?}

Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers. --Voltaire (1694-1778)

Sociology is the study of human behavior in society. So­ciologists are interested in the study of people and have learned a fundamental lesson: All human behavior occurs in a societal context. That context—the institutions and culture that surround us—shapes what people do and think.

Sociology is a scientific way of thinking about soci­ety and its influence on human groups. Observation, rea­soning, and logical analysis are the tools of the sociolo­gist, coupled with knowledge of the large body of theoretical and analytical work done by previous sociolo­gists and others. Sociology is inspired by the fascination people have for the thoughts and actions of other people, but it goes far beyond casual observations. It attempts to build on observations that are objective and accurate to create analyses that are reliable and that can be validated by others.

Every day, the media in their various forms (televi­sion, film, video, and print) bombard us with social com­mentary. Media commentarors provide endless opinion about the various and sometimes bizarre forms of behavior in our society. Sociology is different. Sociologists may study the same subjects that the media examine—such as domestic violence, religious cults, and interracial dating. Many sociologists make appearances on the media, but sociolo­gists use specific research techniques and well-tested theories tо explain social issues. Indeed, sociology can provide the tools for testing whether the things we hear about society are actually true. Much of what one hears in the media and elsewhere about society, delivered as it may be with perfect earnestness and sincerity, is misstated and sometimes completely wrong.

Task 4 (see ^{the theory on academic definitions, pp 46-49 from “English for Psychologists”)}

^{(individually) Using the patterns from the boxes “Structure and vocabulary aid” (p.49) write down the definitions of sociology. Take into accont the following formats:}

^{a) define sociology to your friend who is majoring in medicine and wants to know about your major;}

^{b) define sociology to your granny who is happy to know that you are a 1-year student and wants to know about your major;}

^{c) define sociology to another sociology student who is american and wants to know how this science’s scope is understood in Belarus.}

(in pairs) Compare your definitions with those of your group-mates. In which way are they similar? Why?

Text 2. Sociology and Social Sciences

A definition is no proof. --William Pinkney, American diplomat (1764-1822)

Task 1 Read the next passage to learn about the differences between sociology and its adjacent sciences. Work in pairs and draw the picture map of the subject-matters of sociology and its adjacent sciences.

The subject matter of sociology is everywhere. Social behavior and social change—these are the topics of soci­ological study. Psychologists, anthropologists, political scientists, economists, social workers, and others also study social behavior and social change. Along with so­ciologists, these disciplines make up what are called the social sciences.

Psychology analyzes individual behavior. Sociologists share the interest of psychologists in individuals, but the unit of analysis for psychology is the individual, whereas for sociologists, it is the whole of society.

Anthropology is the study of human cultures. Anthro­pology sees culture as the basis for society and tries to see how different human societies have evolved and changed. Sociologists also see culture as a piece of a complex con­figuration of other social systems that together compose society. Generally, anthropologists tend to study cultures other than their own, whereas sociologists are more likely to study a society of which they are a part.

Political science and economics are the other pillars of the social sciences. Political science is the study of poli­ties, including political behavior, political philosophy, and the organization of government and political patties. Economics studies the production, distribution, and con­sumption of goods and services.

Social work and sociology are closely allied, but they are not the same. Social work is an applied field that makes use of the lessons of all the social sciences to serve people in need. Studying sociology is a good way to pre­pare for a career in social work because it delivers a per­spective that will help the social worker better under­stand the plight of various individuals and how they are influenced by society.

Task 2 (in small groups) Look through the list of empirical facts and decide the discipline in terms of which they can be studied. Prove your supposition with the description of the subject-matter of the chosen science.

a) Abama’s presidential campaign;

b) green consumption;

c) memory for faces;

d) sleep and academic performance;

e) marriage customs in India;

f) ageing;

g) smoking among teenagers.

"Actually, Lou, 1 think it was more than Just my being in the right place at the right time. I think it was my being the right race, the right religion, the right sex, the right socioeconomtc group, having the right accent, the right clothes, going to the right schools. . ."

Task 3 (individually) ^{Understanding the scope of sociology as a science, now you can try to figure out what qualities a good sociologist should have. Read the list of qualities and tick those that you belive are important for a professional in sociology.}

	^pragmatical		^intelligent
	^delicate		^clever
	^kind-hearted		^independent
	^gentle		^brave
	^faithful		^sincere
	^joyful		^sensible
	^curious		^rational
	^open-minded		^changeable
	^objective		^accurate
	^dedicated		^easy-going

^{Work in small groups (3-4). Compare your list with those of your group-mates. Make one list for the group, be ready to explain your choice.}

You can use the hints given in the chart, matching the word combinations from the columns and developing them with further examples.

Sociologist must be	^pragmatical	because he/she must	analyse
	^open-minded		define	problems and issues
	^rational		comprehend	the societal patterns
	^objective		observe
	...		use	specific research techniques
			interact with	people from various social groups

Task 4 (home task, individually) Read an abstract from Wikipedia and fill in the gaps with some missing words/word combinations that you can borrow from the box below.

evidence assumptions sociological imagination

individuals common sense sociological paradigm

social patterns observation objectivity

The sociological perspective is a particular way of approaching a phenomena common in sociology. It involves maintaining _____________ , not by divesting oneself of values, but by critically evaluating and testing ideas, and accepting what may be surprising or even displeasing based on the __________. The sociological perspective often assumes that “official” explanations are incomplete or self-serving. It involves a conscious effort to go beyond the obvious and question what is accepted as true or ________ . This is important because common sense _____________ are usually based on very limited ___________ . Moreover, the premises on which common sense assumptions are based are seldom examined. While sociological research might confirm common sense observation, its broader observation base and theoretical rational provide a stronger basis for conclusions.

The sociological perspective helps us to see general __________ in the behaviour of particular individuals and offers insights about the social world that extend far beyond explanations that rely on individual quirks and personalities. Essential to the sociological perspective is the __________ . This term, attributed to C. Wright Mills, means “...the vivid awareness of the relationship between experience and the wider society.” It means going beyond the individual and understanding how structural forces shape _________ and their action.

The sociological perspective, as a broad way of approaching phenomena, is different to a ____________ , which is a specific set of assumptions that frame a sociologist's theories and findings.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociological_perspective

New Words:

To divest smbd of smth – лишать, отнимать

Premis - посылка (в логике)

quirks - причуды, остроты

^{Where do you think you might come across this text? In your opinion, who is it addressed to? In which way will this text be different, if it were addressed to:}

1. ^{high school pupils interested in social sciences?}

2. ^{3-year students of philosophy?}

Task 5 (in written form) Look through the list you have worked out together with your groupmates (in Task 4). Which of these qualities you already have and which of them you are going to study in the course of your University studies? How are you planning to do that?

^{Look through the list of activities below.}

^{Which of them might help you develop the qualities that you mentioned?}

Make a plan of the development of the qualities important for you as a professional in sociology.

Text 3. Benefits of the Sociological Perspective

Task 1 ^{Jogn J. Macionis and Linda M. Gerber suppose that applying the sociological perspective in our daily lives benefits us in a number of ways. Read the text from the book “Sociology” (Pearson. Prentice Hall, Toronto) and find the ways you believe sociological persective might benefit you personally.}

^{Applying the sociological perspective in our daily lives benefits us in four ways:}

1. The sociological perspective challenges familiar understanding of ourselves and of others, so that we can critically assess the truth of commonly held assumptions.

^{Thinking sociologically, we may realize that ideas we have taken for granted are not always true. A good example of a widespread but misleading “truth” is that Canada is populated with “autonomous individuals” who are personally responsible for their lives. Thinking this way, we are sometimes too quick to praise partcularly successful people as superiour to others whose more modest achievements mark them as personally deficient. A sociological approach prompts us to ask whether these beliefs are actually true and, to the extent that they are not, why they are so widely held.}

2. The sociological perspective enables us to assess both the opportunities and the constraints in our lives.

^{Sociological thinking leads us to see that, in the game of life, we may decide how to play our cards, but it is society that deals us the hands. The more we understand the game, the better players we will be. Sociology helps us “size up” our words so that we can pursue our goals most effectively.}

3. The sociological perspective empowers us to be active partcipants in our society.

^{Without an awareness of how society operates, we are likely to accept the status quo. The greater our understanding of the operation of society, however, the more we can take an active part in shaping social life. Some people will embrace society as it is; others will attempt to change the world in some way. The discipline of sociology advocates no one particular political orientation ,a nd sociologists themselves weigh in at many points across the political spectrum. But evaluating any aspect of social life – whatever one’s eventual goal – depends on the ability to identify social forces and to assess their consequences.}

^{Some forty years ago, C.Wright Mills (1959) wrote that the “sociological imagination”, an understanding of the interplay between the individual and society, is a key source of change. By thinking sociologically, Mills maintained, people recognize that many others grapple with the same problems that they do. In this way, people can join together, turning personal problems into political issues.}

4. The sociological perspective helps us to recognize human diversity and to confront the challenges of living in a diverse world.

^{Sociological thinking highlights our world’s remarkable social variety, revealing that the vast majority of our fellow human beings live in societies dramatically different from our own. While we tend to define our way of life as proper and “natural” and to dismiss the lifestyles of those who differ from ourselvesm the sociological perspective encourages us to think critically about the relatvie strengths and weaknesses of all ways of life – including our own.}

Task 2 Read the definitions of the word “perspective”. In the text that you have read, which meaning of the word was implied?

a) perspective perspectives

A particular perspective is a particular way of thinking about something, especially one that is influenced by your beliefs or experiences.

He says the death of his father 18 months ago has given him a new perspective on life.

...two different perspectives on the nature of adolescent development...

Most literature on the subject of immigrants in France has been written from the perspective of the French themselves.

b) perspective

If you get something in perspective or into perspective, you judge its real importance by considering it in relation to everything else. If you get something out of perspective, you fail to judge its real importance in relation to everything else.

Remember to keep things in perspective.

It helps to put their personal problems into perspective.

Labor economist Harley Shaekin argues the cost needs to be viewed in perspective.

I let things get out of perspective.

c) perspective

Perspective is the art of making some objects or people in a picture look further away than others.

(c) HarperCollins Publishers

Task 3 Read the entry from the ABBYY Lingvo Dictionary. Go back to the examples given in Task 2. How would you translate this word in each of the cases given. Find some examples of the statements containing the word “perspective” in the article. Translate them into Russian.

1) перспектива, ракурс, проекция

from a perspective — с точки зрения

in perspective — в перспективе

to look at, see smth. in perspective — смотреть на/видеть что-л. в перспективе

to view a situation from a new perspective — увидеть ситуацию под новым углом

the proper, right, true perspective — верная, правильная перспектива

the wrong perspective — неправильная, неверная перспектива

2) вид; вид на будущее, перспектива

Task 4 Read the synonyms to the word “perspective” given in HarperCollins Publishers Dictionary and in Oxford Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms. Translate them into your language and then match them with their definitions.

a) outlook	1. the way you deal with it or think about a task, problem, or situation
b) attitude	2. this is when you can refer to the opinions or attitudes that you have about something
c) context	3. the way people think about things in general, or the way they think about a particular thing.
d) frame of reference	4. From a particular _______ means looking at an event, situation, or idea in a particular way.
e) approach	5. the way that you think and feel about it, especially when this shows in the way you behave
f) point of view	6. your general attitude towards life
g) standpoint	7. the general situation that relates to an idea or event, and which helps it to be understood
h) viewpoint	8. a particular set of beliefs or ideas on which you base your judgement of things

Task 5 Fill in the gaps with the synonyms to the word “perspective” from Task 4. Translate into Russian.

1. We know we're dealing with someone with a different _________ .

2. The novel is shown from the girl's ________ .

3. Being unemployed produces negative _________to work.

4. Quotes can be manipulated and used out of _______ .

5. We will be exploring different _________ to gathering information.

6. From my _________, you know, this thing is just ridiculous.

7. I adopted a positive _________ on life.

8. I would like to offer a historical ___________ .

9. Thanks for your __________ , John.

10. To include as many _________ as possible, the editor reserves the right to shorten letters.

^ROLE-PLAY:

^{Role-play a meeting: a group of Sociology graduates are discussing the agenda of the “open doors day” at the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences. They need to work out the ad of Sociology Department to motivate applicants to choose it among other departments.}

^{(see additional material on how to conduct a meeting, pp 16-22, “Horizons” by Y.Stulov, etc)}

Module 9.

^{Task 1 (individually, then in pairs)} Read the text presenting a number of sociological approaches and fill in the chart:

^Classical paradigm	^Representatives	^Image of society	^Illustrative questions
	^Auguste Comte ^Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) ^Emile Durkheim ^Talcott Parsons ^(1902-1979)
	^Karl Marx
	^Max Weber (1864-1920) ^George Herbert Mead ^(1863-1931) ^Ervin Goffman ^(1922-1982)	^An ongoing process of social interaction in specific settings, based on symbolic communications; individual perceptions of reality are variable and changing
^Recent paradigms
	^Michel Foucault (1926-1984)		^How does power permete social relations or society and change with circumstances? How do we understand societies or interpersonal relations while rejecting the theories and methods of the social sciences and our assumptions about human nature?

^{Text 1.} Sociological Theory

The founders of sociology have established theoretical traditions that ask basic questions about society and inform sociological research For many students, the idea of theory seems dry because it connotes something that is only hypothetical and divorced from “real life”. To the contrary, sociological theory is one of the tools that sociologists use to interpret real life. Sociologists use theory to organize their emperical observations, to produce logically related statements about observed behaviour, and to relate observed social facts to the broad questions sociologists ask: How are individuals related to society? How is social order maintained? Why is there inequality in society? How does social change occur?

Within sociology, there is not one single overriding theoretical perspective. Different theoretical frameworks within sociology make different assumptions about the nature of society. Answering to the questions: What issues should we study and how should we connect the facts? Sociologists are guided by one or more theoretical “road maps” or paradigms. For them, a theoretical paradigm is a basic image of society that guides thinking and research. These differences in perspective have contributed to the development of three major paradigms in sociology: the structural-functional paradigm, the social-conflic paradigm, and the symbolic interaction paradigm.

THE STRUCTURAL-FUNCTIONAL PARADIGM

Functionalism interprets each part of society in terms of how it contributes to the stability of the whole. Each part of the society is seen as “functional”- that is, contributing to the stability of the whole. The different parts are primarily the institutions of society, each of which is organized to fill different needs, and each of which has particular consequences for the form and shape of society. The parts are each then dependent on one another. The functionalist framework emphasizes the consensus and order that exist in society, focusing on social stability and shared public values.

THE SOCIAL-CONFLICT PARADIGM

Conflict theory emphasizes the role of coercion and power, a person’s or group’s abilities to exercise influence and control over others, in producing social order. Conflic theory pictures society as fragmented into groups that compete for social and economic reasons. Social order is maintained not by consensus, but by domination, with power in the hands of those with the greatest political, economic, and social resources. When consensus exists, according to conflic theories, it is attributable to people being united around common interests, often in opposition to other groups.

THE SYMBOLIC INTERACTION PARADIGM

Symbolic interactionists consider immediate social interaction to be the place where “society” exists. Because of the human capacity for reflection, people give meaning to their behaviour, and this is how they interpret the different behaviours, events, or things that are significant for sociological study. Because of this, symbolic interaction relies extensively on the symbolic meaning that people develop and rely upon in the process of social interaction. It analyses society by addressing the subjective meanings that people impose on objects, events, and behaviours. People interpret one another’s behavior, and it is these interpretations that form the social bond.

OTHER PARADIGMS

Feminist sociology encompasses both the micro and the macro levels of analysis. Both levels focus on women’s lives. The micro level examines the “re-production” of gender through such things as talk, body language, and emotional management. The macro level examines the myriad of constraints and forms of resistance in women’s lives in such institutions as politics, economics, schooling, religion, and the family.

Postmodernnism, at its core, is both anti-theory and anti-methods as applied by the social sciences: human sciences, accorden to postmodernism, cannot be scientific because of human subjectivity, which makes it impossible to discover objective truth. Proponents argue that they are not trying to create systematic new knowledge, but are writing so as to permit multiple interpretations by their readers. Postmodernists observe the society with the goal of achieving understanding and a vision rather than data collection. Deconstruction (taking apart) of existing text allows them to demystify (uncover or identify) the assumptions, hierarchies of knowledge, and ideological motivation of the social sciences.

^{Task 2 (individually) Read the following assumptions and define whether they have been made in terms of functional, conflict symbolic, feminist or postmodern paradigm:}

^{a) Sport encourages competition and the pursuit of success, both of which are central to our way of life.}

^{b) Each player understands the game a little differenctly: some thrive in a setting of stiff competition, for others – love of the game may hold greater rewards than the thrill of victory.}

^{c) African American mothers mistrust the medical system, so they choose not to have their children vaccinated.}

^{d) Women are not given the same wages as men earn in comparable positions.}

^{e) Some sports – including tennis, golf, and skiing – are expensive, so participation is largely limited to the well-to-do.}

^{f) Within family infants receive protection and sustenance.}

^{Task 3 (work in groups of 3) Analyse the picture of Peter Bruegel “Hunters on the Snow” from the point of view of various sociological paradigmas.}

^{Task 4} (in written form^{) Guided by the discipline’s three major theoretical paradigms, what kinds of questions might a sociologist ask about (choose one from the list suggested):}

1. ^television;

2. ^war;

3. ^humour;

4. ^{universities.}

^{Text 2.} Is Sociology Nothing More Than Stereotypes?

^{Task 1 (individually) Read the following text and try to answer the following questions:}

1. ^{Do you think taking a sociology course erodes people’s stereotypes? Does it generate new ones?}

2. ^{Can you cite a stereotype of your own that sociology challenges?}

“Protestants are the ones who commit suicide!”

“People in Canada? They’re dull as dishwater and won’t stand up for themselves!”

“Everyone knows that you have to be black to play professional basketball!”

It can’t be denied that sociologists make generalizations about categories of people. Recognizing this fact, some students who begin the study of sociology may wonder whether statements like those above are sociological insights or simply stereotypes. What, exactly, is the difference between the two?

All three statements above illustrate the stereotype – an exaggerated description that one applies to all people in a given category. Rather than describing averages, each statement paints every individual in a category with the same brush. Further, each ignores facts and distorts reality (even though each contains some element of truth), and each sounds more like a “put down” than an unbiased assertion.

Crafting a sociological insight, by contrast, does involve making generalizations, but with these important conditions. Instead of indiscriminately applying these generalizations to individuals, we ensure that a generalization squares with available facts. We also offer a geberalization fair-mindedly, with an interest in getting at the truth.

Recall that the sociological perspective reveals “the general in the partcular”; therefore, a sociological insight is a generalization about some category of people. An example is the assertion, that the suicide rate among Protestants is higher that that among Catholics or Jews. However, the way the statement above is phrased -“Protestants are the ones who commit suicide!” – is unreasonable because the vast majority of Protestants do no such thing.

Sociologists base their generalizations on available facts. A more facual and accurate version of the second statement above would be that historically Canadians have placed a high value on the role of consensus in decision making, both among themselves and in their dealings with other nations.

Lastly, sociologists strive to be fair-minded; that is, they are motivated by a passion for learning and for truth. The third statement above about Black athlets and basketball fails as good sociology not only because it doesn’t square with the facts, but because it seems motivated by bias rather than truth-seeking or understanding.

Good sociology, then, stands apart from sterotyping. One of the most valuable aspects of a sociology course is that, through it, we learn how to collect the factual information that we need to assess the truth of popular wisdom.

SUGGESTIONS FOR DISCUSSIONS

^{Task 2 Read the theory on conducting discussion from “English for Psychologists” by A.Dolgachiova (pp 43-45)/ Work in groups of 4: assign the roles as suggested on p.43 and discuss possible answer to the following critical-thinking question:}

^{Sociology would not have arisen if human behaviour were biologically programmed (like that of, say, ants); nor could sociology exist if our behaviour were chaotic. Why?}

^{Task 3} (home task, individually) Spend several hours moving around your local community. Are there clear residential patterns? That is, does each neighbourhood contain certain categories of people? As best you can, identify who lives where. What social forces explain such patterns?

Text 3. The Tools of Sociological Research

^{Task 1} While reading fill in the gaps with the missing words from the box:

analysis observation collect

experiments techniques historical

There are several tools or … sociologists use to … data. Among the most widely used are survey research, participant … , controlled … , content …, … research and evaluation research.