This slide is for BS students an introduction to Sociology

1. .

2. Meanings of Sociology :
Sociology is derived from two words ..
Socious (Latin) mean People and logos ( Greek) mean study .
So according to its meaning it is study of people/society.

3. Definitions:
• “Sociology is the study of social action” (W.G. Sumner)
• “Sociology is the science of society” (Max Weber)
• “Sociology is the science of men interdependence” ( Timasheff)
• “Sociology is the science of social institutions” ( Durkheim)

4. Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
 Responsible for coining the term “sociology”
 Set out to develop the “science of man” that would be based on empirical
observation
 Focused on two aspects of society:
• Social Statics—forces which produce order and stability
• Social Dynamics—forces which contribute to social change

5. Origin of Sociology:
• Originated from France August Comte was the first who coined this term.
• August Comte called it(Sociology) as Social Physics.
• An Islamic Philosopher/ Historian Ibn e Khaldoon also discussed this
subject even 500 years before August Comte, and name it Science of
Society.

6. Causes of Origin
• Industrial revolution in France 1789.
• Advancement in science
• Afresh social troubles
• Changing social circumstances
• Capitalism

7. Importance of sociology
People facing social problems, Problems are product of social change, To address these
problems new science of society was required, So sociology emerged.
Developing societies were facing many problems….
Diseases , party faction , illiteracy , Mass failure in education , poor standard in education ,
unemployment , Pollution , unrest among students , Street crimes , terrorism, poverty ,
Sectarianism , Suicide , Divorce, Labor strikes , no confidence in government , drug
addiction.

8. What is Sociology importance?
• Above mentioned problems need research , planning and solution in the light
of Sociological knowledge.
• The more industrialization and urbanization the more crime and unrest,
therefore attention of sociologists is seriously required for the solution of
such problems.

9. Scope of Sociology
• All the aspects of social life are discussed in Sociology, it is a comprehensive and
basic Social Science, it is the reason it is called mother of Social Sciences
actually Sociology is like a tree and other social Subjects are like its branches.
This Subject discuss all the economic, political, religious, moral and cultural
traits of a society it also debate about the origin and evolution of society,
institutions, customs, values and economics.

10. Arguments of Scope
Study of State
Study of social aspects ( social animal , family , tribe)
Mother of Social Sciences ( Political Science, History , Economics, Psychology, Ethics
, Civics )
Study of Rights and Duties
Study of economic aspects
Study of Political Aspects
Local Self Government
Human Attitudes
Human institutions

11. The Scientific Method
Sociology and Science
• Science is “..a body of systematically arranged
knowledge that shows the operation of general
laws.”
• As a science, sociology employs the scientific
method
Formulate hypotheses
Choose research design
Gather Data
Analyze Data
Review of literature

12. Fields of sociology
 Sociology is a fast growing subject. Sociologists are at work to bring into its
range of study almost all aspects of man’s social life Sociology has a tendency
to breakdown into an endless list of Specialties.
 These are such boundaries within which the students of Sociology learn,
examine, inspect and survey about the society around them.

13. Fields of Sociology
• Sociology of Family
• Sociology of Religion:
• Sociology of Knowledge:
• Sociology of Politics
• Sociology of Law:
• Industrial Sociology
• Sociology of economics
• Historical Sociology

14. Sociology and the Social Sciences

15. The Development of Sociology
• Sociology emerged as a separate discipline in the nineteenth
century
• This was a time of great social upheaval due largely to the
French and Industrial Revolutions
• Several early sociologists shaped the direction of the
discipline

16. Thank you