Unit- I

BASIC CONCEPTS OF SOCIOLOGY

Auguste Comte (1798-1857) a French philosopher was the first one to give the name
‘sociology’ to new social science in the first half of the 18 th century. The word sociology
is composed of two words Latin word ‘socious’ meaning society and Greek word ‘logos’
meaning study or science. Thus the etymological meaning of sociology is science of
society in other word it is the study of human behavior in groups or social interactions
that take place among human beings to establish social relationships. Comte who
named the discipline in 1838 was called as father of sociology.
Comte argued that society needs scientific knowledge based on facts and evidence to
solve its problems-not speculations and superstitions. Sociological knowledge is
necessary not only for understanding social life but also for improving the social
conditions. It is not possible to solve any social problem without the help of the
discipline. Social policies can be formulated and plans implemented effectively by using
sociological investigations and insights.
Comte viewed the science of sociology as consisting of two branches: dynamics, or the
study of the processes by which societies change; and statics, or the study of the
processes by which societies endure. Social static focuses on how order is maintained
in the society and social dynamic focuses on how society change over time.
Next to Comte it is Hebert Spencer (1820- 1903) who made significant contributions for
the development sociology as a discipline. Developed a theory of society parallel to
Darwin’s theory of Evolution of species. The fields of sociology according to him are
family, politics, religion, social control, and industry or work. He said that the parts of
society, although separate units, were not arranged haphazardly. The numerous parts
bear continuous interrelationship and these facts make society a meaningful ‘entity’
fitting for scientific inquiry.

Karl Marx (1818-1883) advocated Praxis i.e. practice to find solutions to human
problems. Marxism is more than a system of sociology, it is on the contrary a philosophy
of man and society as well as a political doctrine.
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) was interested in the study of social organization,
emphasized on research methods and statistics.
Max Weber (1864-1920) defined sociology as a science which attempts the
interpretative understanding of social action in order, thereby to arrive at a causal
explanation of its course and effects.

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Sociology is the academic study of social behavior, its origin, development,
organization, and institutions. It is a social science that uses various methods
of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about
social order, social disorder and social change. Many sociologists aim to conduct
research that may be applied directly to social policy and welfare, while others focus
primarily on refining the theoretical understanding of social processes. Subject matter
ranges from the micro level of individual agency and interaction to the macro level of
systems and the social structure.

Definitions:
Auguste Comte, the founding father of Sociology, defined Sociology "as the science of
social phenomena subject to natural and invariable laws, the discovery of which is the
object of investigation."
Kingsley Davis defines Sociology as a "general science of society."
Moris Ginsberg defines Sociology "as the study of human interactions and
interrelations, their condition and consequences."

The following are views expressed by different sociologists while defining sociology
according to their perceptions.
1. Sociology is science of society.
2. Sociology studies social interactions and relationships
3. Sociology is study of social life
4. Sociology studies human behavior in groups.
5. Sociology is study of social action
6. Sociology studies social systems
Above views suggest that sociology is concerned with the social aspect of human
relationships.
Foundations of the academic discipline:
Formal academic sociology was established by Émile Durkheim (1858–1917), who
developed positivism as a foundation to practical social research. While Durkheim
rejected much of the details of Comte's philosophy, he retained and refined its method,
maintaining that the social sciences are a logical continuation of the natural ones into
the realm of human activity, and insisting that they may retain the same objectivity,
rationalism, and approach to causality. Durkheim set up the first European department
of sociology at the University of Bordeaux in 1895, publishing his Rules of the
Sociological Method (1895). For Durkheim, sociology could be described as the
"science of institutions, their genesis and their functioning".
Sociology quickly evolved as an academic response to the perceived challenges
of modernity, such as industrialization, urbanization, secularization, and the process of
"rationalization".

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Nature of sociology: (Scientific approach)
1. Sociology is a social science: Sociology is a branch of the social sciences that
uses systematic methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to
develop and refine a body of knowledge about human social structure and
activity. It evolved to study human activities from different perspectives
2. Sociology is categorical not normative: It confines itself to what is and not
what ought to be
3. Sociology is pure science not applied: Goal of sociology is to gain knowledge
about human society but not the utilization of that knowledge.
4. Sociology is relatively an abstract science not a concrete science: In the
sense it is interested not in the concrete manifestation of human events but the
pattern they assume and form they take. It studies the society in an abstract
(Theoretical not physical) way. Like, Sociology is not interested in particular
families but in family as a social institution that exists in all societies.
5. It is generalizing not a particularizing science: Sociology seeks general laws
or principles about human interaction nature form and content and not in the
complete description of particular society or particular event. E.g. It is not
concerned with particular war, conflict or revolution but with war or revolution in
general as a social phenomenon.
6. It is a general not a special social science: Like Economy or Political Science,
Sociology does not focus on only one aspect of human activity. As it has to deal
with society it includes all aspects of human life in a general way.

Econmic a,b,c,d,e,f
Political a,b,c,g,h,i
Religious a,b,c,j,k,l
Legal a,b,c,m,n,o
Recreational a,b,c,p,q,r
In all the above a b c are factors that are commonly occurring in all faculties and
sociology is interested in common social factors no matter the context in which
they occur.
7. Sociology is both a rational and an empirical science. It studies the social
phenomena in scientific way. It is based on reason (logic), observation and
experimentation.
8. It is an independent science

Scope of sociology: Sociology was a late entrant in to the family of social

sciences, by the time it emerged as an independent discipline all the other discipline
like economy, polity, culture etc., have established their areas of study hence sociology
had to confine to residual aspects left by other sciences. But none of the existing social
sciences claimed to study society as a whole. There was need to study society in
general with a holistic perspective, hence sociology became general science of society.
Comte and Spencer conceived sociology as synthesizing discipline that encompasses

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the study of human race as a whole. Sociology is a systematic and objective study of
social life, which is created by a variety of interactions between individuals and groups.
When a similar behavior is repeated in a given situation it becomes a norm or institution.
People in different statuses and performing different roles interact with others formally
or informally. All these repetitive actions are part of the culture of a given group and
define the social organization.

Scope means the subject matter or the areas of study. Every science has its own field
of inquiry. It is necessary to draw boundaries and define the scope of any discipline to
have a systematic study and to understand it thoroughly. But sociologists could not
come to consensus with regard to the scope of sociology. Because it is such an elastic
science and difficult to say where its boundaries end or where the subject becomes
social psychology and where economic theory becomes sociological and so on.
However there are two main schools of thought regarding the scope of sociology.
1. The specialist or Formalistic school
2. The Synthetic school

There is a good deal of controversy about the scope of Sociology between the two
schools. The supporters of first school believe that Sociology is a specific science and
the scope should be limited whereas others believe that it is a general science and its
scope is very vast

(1) Specialistic school:
The supporters of this school of thought are George Simmel, Vierkandt, Max Weber,
Vonwise, and F. Tonnies. The main views of the school regarding the scope of
Sociology are -
(1) Sociology is a specific, pure and independent social science.
(2) Studies various forms of social relationships.
(3) Scope is narrow and limited.
(4) Sociology need not study all the events connected with social science.
(5) Simmel believes that it is a specific social science and it should deal with social
relationships from different angles.

Criticism:
(1) Sociologist alone does not study forms of social relationships other social scientists
also do that.
(2) The distinction between forms of social relations and their contents is not
practicable.
(3) Formalistic school has narrowed down the scope of Sociology.
(4) Conception of pure Sociology is imaginary.

(2) Synthetic school:

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 The supporters of synthetic school are the sociologists like Ginsberg, Durkheim, Comte,
Sorokin, Spencer, F. Ward, and L T. Hobhouse.
According to this school-
(i) Sociology is a general and systematic social science.
(ii) Scope of Sociology is very vast.
(iii) Sociology needs help from other social sciences.
(iv)It is a synthesis of social science.
(v) Sociology is closely related with other social sciences.

Conclusion: From the above discussion, we can know that formalistic school believes
in study of parts which makes up the society and synthetic school believes in the study
of the whole society. They complement each other and do not oppose each other.
Thus, Sociology is a general science of society and specialised discipline. Sociology is
a growing science. Therefore, it is neither possible nor desirable to restrict its scope.
Sociology, therefore is the study of social life as a whole. It has a wide range of
concerns and interests. It seeks to provide classifications and forms of social
relationships, institutions and associations relating to economic, political, moral,
religious and social aspects of human life.

Broadly speaking, Sociology studies all aspects of Human society, viz.,

 Social Behaviour
 Social Relationships
 Social Structure
 Social Institutions
 Social Processes
 Social Control
 Social Change
 Social Stratification
 Social System etc.

From the above discussion, we come to know that Sociology is a growing science.
Therefore, it is neither possible nor desirable to restrict its scope.

Subject matter of sociology: Ever since the beginning of sociology, sociologists

have shown a great concern in man and in the dynamics of society. It is quite natural
that sociologists have developed different approaches from time to time in their attempts
to enrich its study.

In its broader sense it is interested in the interconnections of different parts of the

society. As Weber puts it sociology is the study of human interactions and inter-relations

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and consequences. Sociology has for its field the whole life of man in society, all the
activities whereby men maintain themselves, the rules and regulations that define their
relation to each other, the systems of knowledge, culture, belief, art, values and any
other capacities, habits acquired by men as members of society.

Sociology is scientific study of society: It combines scientific methods with

humanistic perspectives and integrates the findings of social, political, economic or any f

Sociology is an all-embracing and expanding science growing fast. Some topics which
constitute the subject matter of sociology are: 1. Sociological analysis, 2. Primary units
of social life, 3. Social institutions, 4. Fundamental social processes, 5. Methods of
research, 6. Formulating concepts, hypotheses and theories and 7. Specializations or
special sociologies.

The main concern of sociology is sociological analysis. It means sociology seeks to

provide an analysis of human society and culture with sociological perspective. An
attempt is made to analyze the factors and forces underlying historical transformation of
society.
Sociology has given sufficient attention to the study of primary units of social life. It is
concerned with social acts and social relationships, individual personality, groups of all
varieties, communities, associations, organization and population.
Sociology has been concerned with the development, structure and function of a wide
variety of basic social institutions such as the family and kinship, religion and property,
economic, political, legal, educational and scientific, recreational and welfare, aesthetic
and expressive institutions.
Sociologists are concerned with the task of formulating concepts, propositions and
theories.
Sociology has placed high premium on the method of research also. Contemporary
sociology has tended to become more and more rational and empirical rather than
philosophical and idealistic.
The fundamental social processes such as cooperation and competition,
accommodation and assimilation, social conflict including war and revolution,
communication including opinion, formation, expression and change, social control and
deviance including crime, suicide, social integration and social change assume
prominence in sociological studies.
Many specialized studies such as sociology of knowledge, sociology of medicine,
sociology of law etc., have emerged.
Sociology focuses on mutual interaction which take place among people i.e., what
transpires between people but not on what is happening within an individual. That
means the focus of sociology is people as social beings and their relation with one
another.

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Sociology is one branch of social science meant to understand man and society and
gives the required knowledge to legal professionals to deal with the social issues
efficiently. Social system is the larger part and legal system is the sub system in that,
the whole and the parts i.e., the social system (whole) and the legal system (part) are
mutually dependent on each other. Law is a behavioral science and legal professionals
are considered as “social engineers” who are trained to facilitate changes and maintain
order in the society with minimum friction and maximum happiness for the maximum
number of people. The objective of a legal professional is same when he/ she operates
at any level i.e., local, regional, national or international level. Comprehensive
knowledge about society and its members is a prerequisite for legal professional to deal
with social issues effectively.