Thinking Sociologically

In the first term we look at one person's idea of what it is to "think sociologically". This is, Zygmunt Bauman, a man who is still alive and who you can visit on Facebook. The edition of Bauman's book we use has been revised by a younger man called Tim May.

In the second term we will talk about three dead social theorists who have different ideas about what it is to "think sociologically"

PART ONE (Autumn Term): THINKING SOCIOLOGICALLY THE ZYGMUNT BAUMAN WAY

Core text for first term: Zygmunt Bauman and Tim May 2000 Thinking Sociologically.

This should be referenced in you workbooks with a bibliography:

Bauman, Z. and May, T. 2001 Thinking Sociologically (Second edition) Oxford. Basil Blackwell.

And in-text references to (Bauman, Z. and May, T. 2000 p. -).

Make sure you give page numbers


Red headings go to the lecture notes.
Black heading go to the book notes

1.1: Module Introduction: Thinking Sociologically
(Bauman and May introduction)

In the section headed: 'Sociology and Common Sense' (pp. 5-12), what, according to Bauman and May, is (a) 'sociology' and (b) 'common-sense'?. In what key respects do they differ?

Another question for you to think about:

In what ways might 'thinking sociologically' make us question 'common sense' understandings of ourselves, others, and the world in which we live?

Can you explain this quotation in plain English?

"sociology" views "human actions as elements of wider figurations: that is of a non-random assembly of actors locked together in a web of mutual dependency" (Bauman, Z. and May, T. 2000 p. 5).

As well as the Introduction to Bauman and May, you should read the lecture notes on what they say about common sense, sociology, and how they differ.

1.2: Oneself with Others
(Bauman and May chapter 1)

"We often consider ourselves to be the authors of our destinies and so have the power to act in determining our conduct and controlling our lives... Yet is this really how life works?" (Bauman, Z. and May, T. 2000 p. 18).
What do Bauman and May say, in chapter one, about the constraints on our freedom and ability to choose?

Another quotation you could think about is

""When reflecting upon our actions, we often regard ourselves as being self-determined: that is, autonomous beings who have both the ability and capability of acting according to the ends we seek. Yet this presumes it is we who manipulate our environment. However, what if our environments manipulate us, or we are the product of the interaction between ourselves, others and the environment we inhabit?" (Bauman, Z. and May, T. 2000 p. 147).

1.3: Viewing and Sustaining Our Lives
(Bauman and May chapter 2)
.

Summarise the key points in the section headed "Segregation and Movement in the City" (pages 38-42).

The lecture notes include a begining of a summary

1.4: The Bonds that Unite
(Bauman and May chapter 3)

Distinguish between 'community' and 'organisation'. From this distinction, can you define a 'community organisation'? Give some examples.

Think of a community based organisation like a tenants association and explain how it relates to a community and how it is an organisation.

Bauman and May argue that what is necessary for community is "agreement, or at least the readiness and potential to agree" (page 43). How is such agreement secured?

How are feelings of 'community' created (a) amongst 'isolated people' (p. 44, para. 1) ; (b) in postulated, or hypothetical communities? (p. 44- 46)?

1.5: Decisions and Actions
(Bauman and May chapter 4)

What do Bauman and May mean by (a) 'power' and (b) 'authority'.

"Power is best understood as pursuing freely chosen ends towards which our actions are orientated and of then commanding the necessary means towards the pursuit of those ends" (Bauman and May 2001, p.62)
[WHEREAS]
"To become an authority for us, a person or an organization must produce a legitimation, or an argument, which demonstrates why their advice ought to be followed in preference to another" (Bauman, Z. and May, T. 2000 p. 65).

Discuss how is this done.

Another question for you to thinks about:

What is meant by the sociological concepts: power and bureaucracy? Discuss some of their most important effects in modern society.

1.6: Making it Happen: Gifts, Exchange and Intimacy in Relationships
(Bauman and May chapter 5)

I suggest everyone discuss the key quote "Love" [gifts] "and exchange are two extremes of a continuous line along which human relations may be plotted" (summary 91)

GROUP A
Summarise the key points of the section headed "The Personal & Impersonal: The Gift & Exchange" (pp. 78-84) and briefly indicate what, if anything, Bauman and May have contributed to your understanding of human relationships.

I suggest you discuss as a key quote: "we see human interaction being influenced by two principles: equivalent exchange and gift" [In exchange] "self-interest rules supreme" ... "the idea of the gift is another matter. In this case an obligation motivates the exchange of gifts in terms of the needs and the rights of others" (p.79)

GROUP B Summarise the key points of the section headed "In Pursuit of Ourselves" (pp. 84-88) and briefly indicate what, if anything, love and intimate relations can reveal about our 'self-identity'.

I suggest you discuss as a key quote: "None of the many impersonal exchanges in which we are involved will suffice to supply the identity we seek because it lies beyond any of these exchanges" (p.85) [IN CONTRAST:] "Being loved also means being understood... It concerns the validation of our self-portrayal." (p.85)

GROUP C Summarise the key points of the section headed "The Commodification of Identity" (pp. 88-91) and briefly indicate whether you think the possession of consumer objects can, for some, become a substitute for human love and relationships.

I suggest you discuss as a key quote: "Commercial advertisements take pains to show the commodities they try to sell as part of a particular lifestyle, so that the prospective customers can consciously purchase symbols of such self-identity as they would wish to possess" (p.88)

1.7: Care of our Selves
(Bauman and May chapter 6)

"... if something in our bodies, and especially in the appearance of our bodies, stops short of the ideal, the repairing of the situation seems to remain within our power to alter. In this way our bodies fluctuate between being objects of love and pride to sources of annoyance and shame" (Bauman, Z. and May, T. 2000 p. 105).

Why might we experience our bodies as "objects of love and pride" but also "sources of annoyance and shame"?

In what ways are bodies represented in the media and for what ends?

1.8: Time, Space and (Dis)Order
(Bauman and May chapter 7)

What is meant by the term 'risk society'?

"In this time of globalisation we need the knowledge that sociology can provide us with more than ever before" (Bauman, Z. and May, T. 2000 p. 116)
How do Bauman and May justify their view? Do you agree?

1.9: Drawing Boundaries
(Bauman and May chapter 8)


PART 2 (Spring Term): CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THOUGHT.

Core text for second term: John Hughes, Wes Sharrock, and Peter Martin Understanding Classical Sociology

THINKING SOCIOLOGICALLY THE KARL MARX WAY

Essay questions

  • Outline and discuss the key features of Marx's theory of history ('materialist conception of history'). Your discussion should include a consideration of some of its possible strengths and weaknesses.

  • Examine Marx's view that the interests of Capitalists and Workers are irreconcilable. In your opinion, how far is Marx's view justified? (N.B. Your opinion must be based on reasoned argument).

    2.1: The Sociology of Karl Marx

  • Summarise the key points of Marx's theory of history using the following extract from his "Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy", which he wrote (in German) in 1859:
    "In the social production of their life men enter into definite relations that are independent of their will, relations of production which correspond to a definite stage of development of their material productive forces. The sum total of these relations of production constitutes the economic structure of society, the real foundation on which arises a legal and political superstructure and to which correspond definite forms of social consciousness. The mode of production of material life conditions the social, political and intellectual life process in general. It is not the consciousness of men that determines their existence, but, on the contary, their social being that determines their consciousness. At a certain stage of their development, the material productive forces of society come into conflict with the existing relations of production or - what is but a legal expression for the same thing - with the property relations within which they have have been at work hitherto. From forms of development of the productive forces these relations turn into their fetters. Then begins an epoch of social revolution. With the changes of the economic foundations the entire immense superstructure is more or less rapidly tramsformed."

    This is the translation used in Hughes Marx, 1859: 38), reproduced in Hughes, Sharrock and Martin 2003, p. 45. Use their discussion to help you. The longer extract (a different translation) on this website may also help

    You should explain what Marx means by the terms:

  • mode of production

  • material productive forces

  • relations of production

  • legal and political superstructure

    How are they related in his theory of history?

    See Marx and Engels: Scientific Socialism, especially Marx's economics

    ADDITIONAL TEXTS:
    Hughes, J., Sharrock, W., & Martin, P., 2003, Understanding Classical Sociology, 2nd edn., Sage.
    Craib, I, 1997, Classical Social Theory, OUP.
    Swingewood, A., 2000, A Short History of Sociological Thought, 3rd edn., Palgrave
    Abbott P & Wallace C, 1996, An Introduction to Sociology: Feminist Perspectives, 2nd. edn., Routledge.
    Callinicos A., 1995, The Revolutionary Ideas of Karl Marx , Bookmarks. McLellan D (ed) , 1977, Karl Marx : Selected Writings. Oxford University Press
    Marx K, Engels F, 1998, The Communist Manifesto Oxford World's Classics Marx K, 1970, The German Ideology, Part 1 Arthur C J (Ed.) Lawrence & Wishart,
    http://www.marxists.org.uk
    Andrew Roberts: http://studymore.org.uk

    2.2: Marx: Capitalism, Social Class and Class Conflict

    2.3: Marx: Capitalist Production and Alienated Labour

    THINKING SOCIOLOGICALLY THE EMILE DURKHEIM WAY

    Durkheim Essay Questions

  • Discuss Durkheim's view of the relation between the individual and society, and examine his argument that within each of us there is always a tension between the claims of society and our own individual interests and desires.

    Bibliography
    [Some suggested entries]

    Durkheim 1893 The Division of Labour in Society. English translation by George Simpson 1933. Extracts at http://studymore.org.uk/xDur.htm

    Durkheim 1914 (English 1973) "The Dualism of Human Nature and its Social Conditions" Extracts at http://studymore.org.uk/xDur.htm

    Hughes, J.A., W. W. Sharrock and Martin, P.J. 2003 Understanding Classical Sociology : Marx, Weber, Durkheim London and Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.

    Richardson, M. and Roberts, A. 2011- Emile Durkheim. London: Middlesex University. Available at http://studymore.org.uk/ydur.htm

    Roberts, Andrew 1997 Social Science History for Budding Theorists. Middlesex University: London. Chapter six "Durkheim and Weber's Contrasting Imaginations" Available at http://studymore.org.uk/ssh6.htm

    Discussion

    In Division of Labour in Society what does Durkheim mean by

    "The question that has been the starting point for our study has been that of the connection between the individual personality and social solidarity. How does it come about that the individual, whilst becoming more autonomous, depends ever more closely upon society?"

    Durkheim says that we have two forces which represent us in his article 'Dualism of human nature': individual and altruism. Yet he attaches more significance to altruism by saying that individual sensations are inferior forms while collective ideas and sentiments are sacred. How would you explain this?


  • Outline and discuss the key features of Durkheim's sociological study of suicide. Your discussion should consider some possible strengths and weaknesses of his study, and whether or not you consider it has any relevance today.

    Suggestions:

  • Identify your key features in the introduction
  • Explain who Durkheim was and why he studied suicide
  • Explain what Durkheim means by "social facts" in order to explain why this is a "sociological study"
  • Explain how Durkheim's approach to the individual and society differs from Weber's
  • Explain the significance for sociology of suicide "rates"
  • Explain the significance Durkheim attached to different rates between protestants and catholics
  • Contrast egoistic and altruistic suicide and explain how they relate to Durkheim's theories of society
  • Contrast anomic and fatalistic suicide and explain how they relate to Durkheim's theories of society
  • Discuss possible strengths and weaknesses of his study, and whether or not you consider it has any relevance today.

    Bibliography
    [Some suggested entries]

    Durkheim 1897 Suicide Translated into English in 1952. Extracts at http://studymore.org.uk/xDur.htm

    Hughes, J.A., W. W. Sharrock and Martin, P.J. 2003 Understanding Classical Sociology : Marx, Weber, Durkheim London and Thousand Oaks, California: Sage.

    Richardson, M. and Roberts, A. 2011- Emile Durkheim. London: Middlesex University. Available at http://studymore.org.uk/ydur.htm

    Roberts, Andrew 1997 Social Science History for Budding Theorists. Middlesex University: London. Chapter six "Durkheim and Weber's Contrasting Imaginations" Available at http://studymore.org.uk/ssh6.htm

    I have had emails about planning the Durkheim essays. Here is one idea.

    All essays should start with an introduction that explains what the essay is about, outlines its structure, summarises its content and states its argument. Start with what you intend to do and alter and develop the introduction as you go along.

    I think it is a good idea to say who Durkheim was. In doing so, you may want to contrast him with his contemporary Weber who took a different approach to sociology.

    I would regard the two essays as starting in the same way, which would be with a discussion of the relationship, in Durkheim's theories, between the individual and society. For this, you could start by looking at the section on Durkheim in my Social Science History. Notice how the argument moves from Durkheim's theories of how the individual and society are related to suicide

    I would expect all essays to deal with the relation of the individual to society, and with the reality of society. Demonstrating your understanding about Durkheim's basic idea, in this way, would be the first part of your essay. Note the sentence in your core text:

    "Suicide... continued Durkheim's preoccupation with understanding the relationship between the individual and society." (Hughes, Sharrock and Martin, p.171)

    The second part would move on to discuss the particular application of your chosen essay:

    Either

    examine his argument that within each of us there is always a tension between the claims of society and our own individual interests and desires. (See discussion above)

    Or

    The other key features respecting suicide (apart from it being a demonstration of his argument about the relationship between the individual and society)

    and

    some possible strengths and weaknesses of his study, and whether or not you consider it has any relevance today

    I agree with those of you who have suggested that egoistic and altruistic suicide are an example of tensions between the claims of society and our own individual interests and desires and, as someone perceptively pointed out, "the relation between them". So suicide could be used as an illustration in the first essay as well as being the subject of the second.

    The second part of the suicide question says "your discussion should consider some possible strengths and weaknesses of his study, and whether or not you consider it has any relevance today". Your answer to this part could focus on the issues raised by Hughes, Sharrock and Martin in the discussion ("The internalisation of the moral order") of the significance of Durkheim's theory of suicide (pages 176-180). This relates Durkheim to modern (post Parsonian) sociology. You will notice that the discussion is relevant to both questions. I referred to modern sociology as post Parsonian because Hughes Sharrock and Martin's interpretation of Durkheim appears to me to be based on that of Talcott Parsons.


    2.4: The Sociology of Émile Durkheim.

  • According to Durkheim, what are 'social facts' and what are their two determining characteristics?

  • How do social facts differ from the kind of 'facts' studied by other sciences?

    2.5: Durkheim: Division of Labour, Social Cohesion and Conflict

  • Explain what Durkheim means by (i) mechanical solidarity (ii) organic solidarity; (iii) anomie.

  • According to Durkheim, why does the shift from a society based on mechanical solidarity to one based on organic solidarity produce anomie?

    2.6: Durkheim: Suicide and Social Solidarity

  • Summarise Durkheim's four types of suicide from the extracts presented in the "In their own words" section of Andrew Roberts' website: http://studymore.org.uk/.

    Use Hughes et. al to help you understand the extracts. You must provide some evidence that you have read and understood Durkheim in the original (e.g. quotes together with your own explanation).

  • Small group discussion: How is suicide related to Durkheim's theory of social solidarity?

    THINKING SOCIOLOGICALLY THE MAX WEBER WAY

    2.7: The Sociology of Max Weber

    The following include accessible introductions to Sociology in general, and to the ideas of Marx, Weber and Durkheim in particular. You are expected to use them for your essays. For other suitable texts, consult your seminar tutor.

    C W Mills, 1959, The Sociological Imagination, OUP.

    Giddens, A., 2006, Sociology, Polity.

    Fulcher J & Scott J, 2008, Sociology, OUP.

    Cohen R & Kennedy P, 2000, Global Sociology, Palgrave.

    Bruce, S., 1999, Sociology: a very short introduction, OUP.

    Berger, P., 1963, Invitation to Sociology, Penguin.

    Johnson A, 2000, The Blackwell Dictionary of Sociology, Blackwell.

    Craib, I, 1997, Classical Social Theory, OUP.

    Swingewood, A., 2000, A Short History of Sociological Thought, 3rd edn., Palgrave

    Morrison K., 2006, Marx, Durkheim & Weber: formations of modern social thought, 2nd. edn., Sage

    Ritzer, G., 2007, Classical Sociological Theory, 5th edn., McGraw Hill.

    Abbott P & Wallace C, 1996, An Introduction to Sociology: Feminist Perspectives, 2nd. edn., Routledge.

    O'Donnell M., 2001, Classical & Contemporary Sociology: Theory & Issues, Hodder & Stoughton.

    Taylor, S., (ed) 1999, Sociology: Issues & Debates, Macmillan.

    Callinicos A, 1995, The Revolutionary Ideas of Karl Marx , Bookmarks.

    Giddens, A, 1978, Durkheim, Fontana

    Parkin, F, 1982, Max Weber, Routledge.

    Marx, Weber and Durkheim (original texts)

    Your Part 2 essay should also demonstrate (with appropriate citation in the main body of your essay) that you have studied Marx, Weber and Durkheim in the original. The following are the most accessible.

    Durkheim E, 1984, The Division of Labour in Society Macmillan.

    Durkheim E, 1951, Suicide : A Study in Sociology Routledge.

    Giddens A, ed., 1972, Emile Durkheim: Selected Writings, CUP

    McLellan D (ed) , 1977, Karl Marx: Selected Writings. OUP

    Marx K, Engels F, 1998, The Communist Manifesto, Oxford World's Classics, OUP

    Marx K, 1970, The German Ideology, Part 1 Arthur C J (Ed.) Lawrence & Wishart,

    Gerth H, Wright Mills C (eds.) 1948, From Max Weber: Essays in Sociology,

    Routledge Runciman W G (ed.), 1978, Max Weber: Selections, Cambridge Univ. Press.

    Weber M, 2001, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Routledge.




    Picture Gallery



































    Study Link
    Andrew Roberts' web Study Guide
    Top of Page Take a Break - Read a Poem

    Andrew Roberts likes to hear from users:
    To contact him, please use the Communication Form

  • Home

    Introduction

    Bauman
    1.1 Sociology
    1.2 Oneself/Others Freedom?
    1.3 Viewing - City
    1.4 Bonds - Community
    1.5 Decisions - Power
    1.6 Gifts - Exchange
    [Presentations]
    1.7 Body - Media
    1.8 Time - Globalisation - Risk
    1.9 Boundaries

    Marx

    Durkheim

    Weber

    Reading

    Essays