sociology in action part 1

8/11/2019 Sociology in Action Part 1

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SOCIOLOGY IN ACTION (PART 1)MUIS ASATIZAH COURSE

Dr. Noorman AbdullahNational University of Singapore



How Do We Know What We Know?

“Sociological Imagination”

Social Groups and Social Inequalities

Power and the State

Doing Sociology

Lecture Outline



How is our knowledge produced?

What are our sources of knowledge?

How is our knowledge disseminated?

What are the different ways of knowing?

What type of perspectives do we subscribe to?

How Do We Know What We Know?



Personalised narratives

Everyday life, unquestioned, non-reflective

Suspension of doubt

Taken-for-granted wisdom, “common sense”

Different agents of socialisation

Lay Perspectives



Abstract, reflexive

Questioning, critically-informed

Scrutinises taken-for-granted wisdom

Provides alternative sense-making

Disciplined Perspectives



How do we talkabout (…..)?

How do we analyse(….)?



Read: C.Wright Mills The Promise (pp.3-24)

The social provides a way of seeing the world

• “Sociological Imagination”

• The importance of broader social conditions

• Beyond the individual and description

• Questions taken-for-granted, “commonsense”experiences and opinions

“The Social”



The ability to see our privateexperiences and personal difficultiesas entwined with the structuralarrangements of our society and thetimes in which we live

An awareness of the relationshipbetween an individual and the widersociety and … the ability to view oursociety as an outsider might, ratherthan relying only on our individualperspective, which is shaped by ourcultural biases




The connection of seemingly impersonal andremote social forces to the most basic incidentsof an individual’s life

• Personal troubles vs. Public issues

• Biography vs. History

• Self vs. World




Why is a global perspective important to understandour social life in Singapore?

• An extension of the sociological perspective

• Where we live in the world shapes the lives we lead

• The effects of increasing interconnectivity

• Many social issues & problems are far more severeelsewhere

The Global Perspective



“Blaming the Victim” (Ryan, 1971)

Why do we often blame ourselves or others for theproblems that we encounter?

• Change the “victim” or individual, rather than focus

on the social conditions that shape their behaviour• Steers accountability away from other social agents

and social institutions who help to shape our socialenvironment

• Direct interventions to interrogate the root cause ofthe problem, rather than individually-based factors



Exercise

How would we now use the “sociological imagination” toexplain the following events?




Social group membership

• Race/Ethnicity

• Gender

• Socioeconomic status/social class

• Sexuality

• Religion

• Age

• Nationality




Social stratification and hierarchy

• Social stratification is the way society organises andranks categories of people in a hierarchy

• Ascription-based stratification system allocatesrank on the basis of the characteristics a person isborn with

• Achievement-based stratification system allocatesrank on the basis of the person’s accomplishments




Social inequalities refers to the uneven distributionand access of privileges, rights and resources based on

• Race/Ethnicity

• Gender• Socioeconomic status/social class

• Sexuality

• Religion

• Age

• Nationality



Power and the State

Power

• Power is the capacity of individuals or groups tomake their interests or concerns matter, even when

others resist (Weber)• Power is exercised in all social relationships

• Power is relational (i.e. involves two or more socialactors/groups)

• Power can be institutionalised and supported by abelief system, making its use legitimate (



Power and the State

Dimensions of Power

• Who makes decisions?

• Who establishes the agenda?

• Who stands to benefit?

• Who controls resources?

• Coercion and consent?

• Resistance?

• (



Power and the State

State

• State refers to complex institutions andorganisations within a specific territory

• Centralised government

• Sovereignty with clearly demarcated finite borders

• Monopolised control of power and force

• Control and distribution of resources (



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Doing Sociology

What image of society does thisapproach adopt?

What important questions does

this perspective probe into?

• Structural-Functionalism

• Conflict Perspective

• Symbolic Interactionism• Feminist Perspectives



Doing Sociology

Different methods to “do” social research

• Quantitative methods: large-scale surveys

•

Qualitative methods: ethnography andfieldwork, participant observation, in-depthinterviews, etc.

• Secondary data collection: archival work,ministerial speeches, newspaper articles,content analysis, etc.



The sociological perspective helps us criticallyappraise the truth of “common sense”. It furtherhelps us assess both opportunities and constraintsin our lives.

The sociological perspective empowers us to beactive participants in our society.

The sociological perspective invites us to realise that

society guides our thoughts and action.

The sociological perspective helps to guide publicpolicy and intervention.

Benefits of a Sociological Perspective



References

Durkheim, Emile (1897 [1951]) Suicide: A Study in Sociology ,Glencoe, Illinois: Free Press.

Macionis, John J. (2009). ‘Sociology: Perspective, Theory,

and Method,’ in John Macionis Society: The Basics , 10thedition, New Jersey: Pearson, pp. 1-22.

Mills, C. Wright. (1959). The Sociological Imagination ,

London & New York: Oxford University Press.

Ryan, William (1971). Blaming the Victim, New York:Pantheon Books

sociology in action part 1

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