The Sociological Imagination, Sociological Thought and Research
Sociology as a way of seeing
The Sociological Imagination
What is a Theory?
What is a Paradigm?
A few Sociological Paradigms
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Q: What is a Theory?
A: A theory is a specific statement that posits an explanation
of the relationship between two or more events (including the
conditions under which the relationship occurs).
All scientific disciplines employ theories. A theory is the same
thing in sociology as it is in archaeology, biology,
chemistry,….or any other natural or social science (just the
subject matter differs).
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What is Sociological Theory?
A sociological theory is a template containing definitions and
relationships used to organise and understand the social world.
• attempts to explain events, forces, materials, ideas or
behaviour in a comprehensive manner
• theory may have explanatory power, predictive power, or
both
• help us see the relationships among seemingly isolated
phenomena and to understand how one type of change in an
environment leads to other changes
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Not theory for theory’s sake
Theory is the start of the relationship
Theory provides the elements that allow us to develop a
research plan
Research tests the theory and guides us to policy
development
Research that is based on theory, guides the development
of policy
Policy can be evaluated with research which may indicate
theory needs to be revised
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What is a Paradigm? (sometimes they are referred to as “Perspectives”)
All scientific discipline have paradigms
Paradigms are sets of absolutes (or “knowns” or “givens”)
that are shared by members of a scientific community,
and which serve as a guide for future research
Paradigms serve as a conceptual framework, and are the
basis of any theory-building endeavour
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Sociological Paradigms
Structural Functionalism
Social Conflict
Symbolic Interactionism
Feminism
Cultural Studies
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Structural Functionalism
a society is like a living organism; each part of the organism contributes to
its survival
• emphasises the way parts of a society are structured to remain stable,
orderly, predictable and understandable
• manifest functions - open, stated, overt functions
• latent functions unintended functions and may reflect hidden
purposes of an institution
• Social dysfunctions - a type of latent function – an element or a process
that may actually disrupt (i.e., be dysfunctional) to a social system or lead
to a decrease in stability
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Social Conflict
Society is characterised by conflict (not stability)
social behaviour best understood in terms of conflict or tension amongst
competing groups
• social institutions and practices persist because powerful groups have
ability to maintain control over them
• change is needed to correct social injustices and inequalities through
loosening the grip of the powerful members of society
• conflict and change need not be violent
• take form of labour negotiations, gender relations, party politics, 8
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competition between religious groups for members, budget disputes