What Is Sociology?: Crash Course Sociology #1

Summary

Crash Course Sociology introduces viewers to the scientific study of society and human behavior, emphasizing its broad scope and the sociological perspective that seeks patterns in everyday life. Host Nicole Sweeney explores the influence of social location, marginalization, and power dynamics on individual choices, illustrating how societal norms can shape behavior and lead to inequality. The course aims to foster a deeper understanding of societal structures and their impact on personal lives, with the goal of informing better public policies.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Sociology is the scientific study of society and human behavior, encompassing a wide range of patterns and scales.
• 👥 It originated from Auguste Comte's vision for a systematic science to address societal issues, evolving into a broad discipline within the social sciences.
• 🏠 Society is defined as a group of people sharing culture and territory, influencing everything from politics to personal interactions.
• 🎭 Culture is omnipresent, affecting even solitary activities like singing, as it shapes our tastes and preferences through various societal influences.
• 🔍 The sociological perspective involves seeing the general in the particular and the strange in the familiar, to understand social behavior within its wider context.
• 👁️ This perspective challenges us to view everyday norms and practices with fresh eyes, recognizing the underlying social structures and patterns.
• 📊 Social location refers to an individual's position in society based on factors like race, class, gender, and more, affecting life choices and experiences.
• 🔗 Marginalization occurs when social groups are pushed to the periphery of power, often providing them with a clearer view of how power operates within society.
• ⚖️ Power and inequality manifest in various forms, including economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions, shaping societal interactions and structures.
• 🛠 Sociology aims to understand and potentially improve society by identifying and analyzing social issues, informed by historical and contemporary contexts.
• 🎓 The study of sociology is not just academic; it has practical implications for creating informed public policy and addressing societal challenges.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the Crash Course Sociology series?

The main focus of the Crash Course Sociology series is to explore the scientific study of society and human behavior, examining patterns and influences in social interactions and cultural phenomena.

Who is credited with the start of sociology as a systematic science for studying society?

Auguste Comte, a French philosopher from the 1800s, is credited with the start of sociology as a systematic science for studying society.

What does the term 'sociology' refer to in the context of this script?

In this script, 'sociology' refers to the scientific study of society and human behavior, encompassing a wide range of social phenomena from individual actions to large-scale societal structures.

What is the significance of the 'Thought Bubble' segment in the script?

The 'Thought Bubble' segment serves as a metaphorical tool to illustrate how even seemingly individual and isolated actions, such as singing alone in a room, are influenced by and connected to the broader society.

What is the definition of 'culture' as presented in the script?

In the script, 'culture' is defined as the shared beliefs, customs, and practices that permeate every aspect of society, from the largest political issues to the smallest interpersonal interactions.

How does the script explain the concept of 'social location'?

The script explains 'social location' as a person's position within society, classified by factors such as race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc., which influences their life experiences and choices.

What is the sociological perspective according to the script?

The sociological perspective, as described in the script, involves seeing the general in the particular, which means understanding social behavior within its wider social context, and seeing the strange in the familiar, which involves approaching everyday situations as if they were unfamiliar to uncover underlying social patterns.

What is the purpose of studying sociology?

The purpose of studying sociology is to understand society at all levels, identify patterns of behavior, and potentially address and improve societal issues, contributing to the development of sound public policy.

How does the script connect the study of sociology to the historical context of the late 18th and 19th centuries in Europe?

The script connects the study of sociology to the historical context by noting that the discipline arose during a time of significant economic, social, and political upheaval, with the aim of scientifically understanding and addressing the rapid changes in society.

What role does the script suggest that sociology plays in understanding societal problems and common sense?

The script suggests that sociology plays a crucial role in understanding societal problems by analyzing common sense beliefs and practices that may lead to policy mistakes or social issues, and by providing insights into the underlying structures and dynamics of society.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Introduction to Sociology

Nicole Sweeney introduces the concept of sociology as the scientific study of society and human behavior, emphasizing its broad scope and its focus on understanding the social context of individual actions. She explains that sociology looks for patterns in human behavior at all levels, from personal interactions to societal structures. The introduction also highlights the importance of the sociological perspective, which involves seeing the general in the particular and the strange in the familiar, to uncover the underlying social dynamics that shape our lives.

05:03

🔍 Sociological Concepts and Their Impact

This paragraph delves into key sociological concepts such as social location, marginalization, and power and inequality. It discusses how an individual's social location, defined by factors like race, class, gender, and sexual orientation, influences their life choices and experiences. The concept of marginalization is explored, showing how certain groups are pushed to the periphery of society, often gaining a clearer perspective on power dynamics. The paragraph also touches on the various forms of power and inequality, both overt and subtle, that exist within society. The goal of sociology is presented as understanding these dynamics to potentially improve societal functioning and public policy, with a historical context provided to show the origins of sociology in response to significant societal changes.

Keywords

💡Sociology

Sociology is the scientific study of society and human behavior. It is a core theme in the video, emphasizing the importance of understanding the patterns and structures that govern social interactions and institutions. The script uses the example of how people's choices, such as attending college or participating in social movements, are influenced by societal factors, showcasing the broad scope of sociology.

💡Auguste Comte

Auguste Comte is recognized as the founder of sociology. The video credits him with the desire to create a systematic science for studying society, aiming to investigate and solve its problems. His vision laid the groundwork for the modern discipline of sociology, which seeks to understand the social world through observation and analysis.

💡Culture

Culture is defined as the shared customs, beliefs, and practices of a group of people. In the video, culture is portrayed as pervasive, influencing everything from politics to personal interactions. The example of singing a Broadway song alone in a room illustrates how culture is present even in seemingly isolated activities, as the song and the music are products of societal culture.

💡Social Location

Social location refers to an individual's position within society based on factors such as race, class, gender, and sexual orientation. The video explains that a person's social location can limit their choices and influence their experiences and opportunities. It is used to illustrate how societal structures can create inequalities and affect individual life trajectories.

💡Marginalization

Marginalization is the process by which certain social groups are pushed to the periphery of society, often lacking access to power and resources. The video discusses how marginalized groups can have a clearer view of power dynamics, using the example of how heterosexual relationships are socially sanctioned in ways that LGBT relationships often are not.

💡Power and Inequality

Power and inequality are central concepts in sociology, referring to the distribution of resources and influence within a society. The video highlights various forms of power, including economic, political, and social/cultural, and how they contribute to different types of inequality, such as income disparities or social prejudice.

💡Sociological Perspective

The sociological perspective involves seeing the general in the particular and the strange in the familiar. It is a way of understanding social behavior by placing it within its wider social context and approaching everyday social norms as if they were new or unfamiliar. The video uses this perspective to analyze common practices, such as raising hands in class, to uncover underlying societal patterns.

💡Patterns

Patterns in sociology refer to recurring characteristics or events within society. The video explains that sociology seeks to identify these patterns at all levels, from individual interactions to large-scale societal trends. The declining marriage rate and the tendency for people to marry within their class and race are examples of patterns that sociologists study.

💡Common Sense

Common sense, in the context of the video, refers to the taken-for-granted understanding of society that individuals develop through socialization. While necessary for navigating daily life, sociology challenges common sense by examining social norms and practices critically to uncover underlying structures and power dynamics.

💡Public Policy

Public policy is mentioned in the video as an area where sociology can have a practical impact. Good sociology can inform the creation of effective public policies by providing insights into societal problems and understanding the consequences of different policy decisions.

💡Social Sciences

The social sciences are a group of disciplines that study society and social behavior, including economics, psychology, and sociology. The video distinguishes sociology from other social sciences by highlighting its broad scope and its focus on identifying patterns across all aspects of society, from micro to macro levels.

Highlights

Introduction to the world of sociology, exploring how the world of people operates beyond the scope of atoms and molecules to the behaviors and interactions within society.

The origin of sociology as a systematic science for studying society, initiated by French philosopher Auguste Comte in the 1800s.

Definition of sociology as the scientific study of society and human behavior, emphasizing its broad scope compared to other social sciences.

Explanation of society as a group of people sharing culture and territory, and how culture permeates every aspect of life from politics to personal interactions.

The concept of 'Thought Bubble' illustrating how individual actions, such as singing alone, are influenced by societal factors like music and cultural exposure.

The sociological perspective that involves seeing the general in the particular and the strange in the familiar to understand social behavior within a wider context.

The significance of individual choices being influenced by factors such as class, neighborhood, race, gender, and age in the study of sociology.

The role of sociology in identifying patterns in social behavior, from individual actions to societal trends like marriage rates and their impacts.

The challenge of perceiving the everyday world as unfamiliar to uncover societal norms and patterns, exemplified by the difference in raising hands in class versus at dinner.

The importance of the sociological perspective in understanding societal problems and the historical context of sociology's emergence during times of social upheaval.

The concept of 'social location' as a classification of individuals based on race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc., and its impact on life choices and societal perceptions.

Discussion on marginalization, the position of social groups outside the centers of power, and its effects on visibility and societal influence.

Examination of power and inequality in various forms, including economic, political, social, and cultural dimensions.

The potential of sociology to identify and address social inequalities, contributing to the improvement of public policy and societal functioning.

The historical context of the late 18th and 19th centuries in Europe that shaped the development of sociology, including industrialization, demographic changes, and political shifts.

The holistic approach of sociology in understanding both large-scale societal changes and small-scale individual behaviors and their interrelations.

The Crash Course Sociology series introduction, including the production team, animation by Thought Cafe, and the use of Adobe Creative Cloud.

Acknowledgment of Patreon supporters, highlighting the contribution of Headmaster of Learning David Cichowski to keeping Crash Course free for everyone.

Transcripts

Hello, I’m Nicole Sweeney and I have a question for you:

Have you ever wondered how the world works?

I’m not talking about atoms and molecules, or wave functions and chemical reactions;

I mean the world of people.

For example, have you ever wondered who goes to college, and why?

What is it that makes people march in the streets?

How do you know to raise your hand in math class, but not at the dinner table?

Why do some people like Broadway musicals, and some people like hip-hop, and some people like both?

Well, we're gonna find out about all of that stuff and so so much more.

Especially, you!

You’re going to learn about you, and your place in the world because this is Crash Course Sociology.

[Theme Music]

Sociology got its start thanks to a French philosopher named Auguste Comte in the 1800s.

He wanted there to be a systematic science for studying society, a way to investigate and solve its basic problems.

And while sociology today is very different from what Comte imagined, that’s still kind of what it is.

Sociology is the scientific study of society and human behavior.

But isn't society this great big thing?

I mean, society is whole cities; it's the economy; it's politics.

And what does all that have to do with raising your hand at the dinner table?

A lot, as it turns out.

A society is just a group of people who share a culture and a territory.

And culture is in everything, from the biggest questions in politics to the smallest interactions between people.

So yes, society is big, but it's also very small.

Want to see how? Let’s go to the Thought Bubble!

Imagine you're sitting alone in your room, singing along to your favorite Broadway show at the top of your lungs.

Not another person in sight.

Society isn’t anywhere to be found.

Except that it is.

Even if you ignore the house that you’re in – and the parents, siblings, or roommates you're probably bothering while you’re singing so horribly

– there’s still the song that you’re singing, and the music that goes with it.

Those things, along with literally every object in the room that you didn't make yourself, are all products of society.

And you might be all alone when you’re belting out Hamilton, but you weren't alone when a friend first introduced you to the musical, and its songs.

And for that matter, your taste in music isn't purely yours either.

What kind of music you like can be influenced by anything from what you were exposed to as a kid, to what your friends like now,

to what neighborhood you grew up in, or what schools you went to.

Society is tricky; it gets in places you might not expect.

Thanks Thought Bubble!

So when we say that sociology is the study of society and human behavior, that means that sociology is incredibly broad.

In fact, it may be the broadest of what we call the social sciences.

The social sciences include disciplines like economics and psychology, and while they all have different focuses and perspectives,

they're all trying to understand the social world objectively, through controlled and repeated observation.

So what makes sociology different from any of these other social sciences?

Well, like the others, sociology is looking for patterns – recurring characteristics or events.

But it looks for all kinds of patterns in all kinds of places.

Sociology looks at all aspects of society, and at all scales, from two people talking, to differences between nations.

It's this scope that really sets sociology apart, especially in what’s known as the sociological perspective.

And the sociological perspective means two things:

1, It means seeing the general in the particular, and 2, it means seeing the strange in the familiar.

Seeing the general in the particular is a way of saying that sociology tries to understand social behavior by placing it in its wider social context.

To go back to you belting out Broadway tunes in your room, the sociologist who overhears you from the sidewalk might notice not just your choice of what to sing,

but how that individual choice may have been influenced by your class, neighborhood, race, gender, or age.

To take another example, a sociologist might not care whether or not you, in particular, decide to get married,

but she might be interested in learning more about a declining marriage rate in your society –

and, say, what's causing it and whether it’s having any societal impacts.

Or maybe she’s more interested in the fact that, in the US, people tend to marry partners of the same class and race as them.

In both of these cases – what people sing or whom they marry –

the sociologist is interested in a general pattern, a pattern composed of a massive number of particular individual choices.

Each individual forms a part of the pattern, and in looking at their individual choices, a sociologist can see elements of the whole pattern, like seeing how a single stone fits into a mosaic.

Seeing the strange in the familiar is the second part of the sociological perspective, and it’s maybe more difficult to do.

To see the strange in the familiar is to approach the everyday world as though you were seeing it for the first time, as if you were from another world.

This is hard, but it's also incredibly important, and kinda cool.

When we asked, at the very beginning, why you raise your hand to ask a question in your math class but not at your dinner table, that’s a very small example of trying to see the strange in the familiar.

And this is so hard to do because your own society tends to look normal to you.

You take it for granted.

As you're socialized into it, you're taught a common-sense understanding of society, and that's not a bad thing!

After all, you need a common sense understanding of society in order to live in it, right?

You need to know that you shake hands when you meet someone new, and that red means stop, and that you should try to show up on time to things.

But if sociology is going to study society, it needs to be able to look at these things as strange and unfamiliar, in order to really understand how they work, and to uncover patterns of behavior in a culture.

Common sense has to just get us through the world; but sociology has to know what's true.

And this is important, because a society’s common sense doesn’t consist only of harmless conventions, like shaking hands.

Just 200 years ago in the US, it was common sense that only white men were capable of participating in society.

It was common sense that slavery was right, and that women shouldn't be allowed to vote.

These things were common sense then in the same way that their opposites are taken for granted now.

And the sociological perspective – seeing the general in the particular and strange in the familiar –

helps us to understand problems like this, because it helps us see some of the key concepts in the study of society.

Among these concepts: social location, marginalization, and power and inequality.

If you imagine a map of society, laying out all the different social groups and their relationships to each other, then your social location is your spot on that map.

Your social location is a way of classifying yourself, by race, social class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc.

Understanding social location is important because, just like the sociologist looks for the general in the particular,

a person’s life and choices will be influenced by their social location.

This is true in a bunch of ways: Most obvious is that your social location can limit your choices.

Some groups have legal rights and privileges that others don’t.

For instance, until a few years ago, gays and lesbians could not legally marry in the US, so their social location limited their choices.

But social location also impacts what you learn, and what you’re taught about society.

Whether or not you you go to college, for instance, can be heavily influenced by whether the social class you grew up in tends to see college as a real or valuable possibility.

And social location also affects what others have learned, and are taught, about you.

Take, for instance, the consistent finding that resumés with names that sound African-American tend to get called for interviews much less often than those with white-sounding names,

even though the resumés are otherwise identical.

In all these ways, social location can contribute to the marginalization of a social group.

If a social group is marginalized, it means that it occupies a position outside the centers of power.

Marginalized groups are often racial, ethnic, sexual, or religious minorities, and marginalized groups tend to have a clearer view of how power operates.

Heterosexual people, for example, often don’t recognize what a social power it is to have their relationships socially sanctioned,

and to be able to display affection in public, in ways that LGBT people often can’t.

If marginalization is a matter of being outside the centers of power, that draws our attention to another fact:

the fact that there are many different kinds of power, and many different kinds of inequality.

There are, of course, the obvious kinds, like economic power and income inequality, or political power and politically-enforced inequalities, like segregation or slavery.

But then there are the less obvious kinds, like social or cultural power and inequality.

For instance, people who speak with non-standard accents or dialects are often judged harshly for them and can be seen as less intelligent or less mature.

Sociology can help us identify and understand all of these things, and maybe even try and fix them.

And that’s the point: Sociology is about understanding society, and society's where we all live, so we'd like it to work as well as possible.

Good sociology can help us to create good public policy.

And if we think back to Comte, his desire was to do just this, to understand and maybe fix his society's problems.

The late 18th and 19th centuries were a time of massive economic, social, and political upheaval in Europe.

This was when industrialization really took off, with factories sprouting up like weeds, connected by larger and larger rail networks.

At the same time, the population of Europe exploded, growing faster than at any time in previous history.

This was especially true in cities, where industrial production was centralized.

And all of these massive economic and social changes came with political shocks, too:

This period saw the advent of mass democracy, the fall of kings, and the rise of the nation-state.

This, combined with the rise of science as a discipline, was the context in which sociology arose.

The first sociologists looked around at their quickly changing societies and were driven to try and scientifically understand them.

We said earlier that society wasn't just big things like revolutions, industrialization, demographics.

But it is also these things.

It's both the big and the small, because they’re related.

Sociology is about understanding the whole thing, at every level, and how those levels interact.

It's about understanding why you don’t have to raise your hand at the dinner table, and why so-called common sense can lead to massive policy mistakes.

Welcome to the science of sociology.

Today we talked about what sociology is and what it does.

We discussed what it means to be the study of society and why that's broader than you might think.

We introduced the sociological perspective and discussed how sociology differentiates itself from the other social sciences.

And finally we discussed what sociology can do, and how that concern with social problems was at the center of sociology's beginnings.

Next time, we'll introduce different theories of society, the basic paradigms of sociology.

Crash Course Sociology is filmed in the Dr. Cheryl C. Kinney Crash Course Studio in Missoula, MT, and it's made with the help of all these nice people.

Our animation team is Thought Cafe, and Crash Course is made with Adobe Creative Cloud

If you'd like to keep Crash Course free for everyone, forever, you can support the series at Patreon, a crowdfunding platform that allows you to support the content you love.

Speaking of Patreon, we'd like to thank all of our patrons in general, and we'd like to specifically thank our Headmaster of Learning David Cichowski.

Thank you for your support.