Sociology is defined as the scientific study of human society and social interactions. It was coined in 1839 by Auguste Comte and is derived from the Latin word for society and the Greek word for study. Sociology examines the social patterns and organization of human society. It can be divided into branches that study topics like social structures, social institutions, and social dynamics. There are two main schools of thought on the scope of sociology - the specialistic school views it as narrowly focused on forms of social relationships, while the synthetic school sees it as a broad, interdisciplinary study of all aspects of society and social life.

1. Meaning of Sociology
• The term Sociology was coined by Auguste Comte, a French philosopher, in 1839.
• The word Sociology is derived from the Latin word ‘societies’ meaning ‘society’ and the
Greek word ‘logos’ are meaning ‘study or science’. The etymological meaning of
‘sociology’ is thus the ‘science of society’.
• Prof. Ginsberg accordingly defines it “as the study of society, which is of the web or
tissue of human inter-actions and inter-relations.”
• Sociology is, on the one hand, a synthetic discipline, trying to unify from a central point
of view the results of separate disciplines; and on the other, an analytic and specialised
science with its own field of research.
• . ‘Sociology is the science of society or of social phenomena -L.F. Ward
• 2. ‘Sociology is the study of human inter-action and interrelation their conditions and
consequences’. -M. Ginsberg
• 3. ‘Sociology deals with the behaviour of men in groups.’ – Kimball Young
• 4.‘Sociology is the science which attempts the interpretive understanding of social
action.’ -Max Weber.
• Branches of sociology
• According to Durkheim, Sociology has broadly three principal divisions which he terms
as:
• (a) Social morphology, (b) Social physiology, and (c) General Sociology
• Social morphology covers the geographical settings, the density of population and other
preliminary data which is likely to influence the social aspects.
• Social physiology is concerned with such dynamic processes as religion, morals, law,
economic and political aspects, etc., each of which may be the subject matter of a
special discipline.
General Sociology is an attempt to discover the general social laws which may be
derived from the specialized social processes
• According to Sorokin, Sociology can be divided intotwo branches:
• (a) General Sociology-properties and uniformities common to all social and cultural
phenomena in their structural and dynamic aspects
• (b) Special Sociology-the inter-relationships between the socio-cultural and biological
phenomena.
• There are two schools of thoughts:-
1. Specialistic or Formalistic school of thought
2. Synthetic school of thought

2. • Sociologists of Formalistic school of thought say sociology should study only the form
of social relationship. Sociologist of this school of thought says sociology should only
study about the society. Some sociologists following this school of thought are George
Simmel, Max Weber, Von Wise, Tonnies, Vier Kandt.
• Sociologists of synthetic school of thought thinks all the organs of social life are inter
related and interdependent. So, sociology should study over all society and social life.
Some sociologists following this thought are Emmile Durkhaim, Hob House, Gins Bers,
P.A. Sorkin, Manntheins.
The main views of the school regarding the scope of Sociology are -
• (i) Sociology is a specific, pure and independent social science.
• (ii) Sociology studies the various forms of social relationships.
• (iii) Scope of Sociology is very narrow and limited.
• (iv) Sociology deals with specific form of human relationship.
• (v) Sociology need not study all the events connected with social science.
• (vi) Simmel believes that it is a specific social science and it should deal with social
relationships from different angles.
Criticism:
• (i) Sociologist alone does not study the forms of social relationships. Other social
scientists also do that.
• (ii) The distinction between the forms of social relations and their contents is not
practicable.
• (iii) Thirdly, the formalistic school has narrowed down the scope of Sociology.
• (iv) Finally, the conception of pure Sociology is imaginary.
• According to synthetic 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.