Three Key sociological perspectives

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Three Key sociological perspectives

• What is Theory and Why is It Important?

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What is theory?

• An Analogy

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Considerpolitical parties

• Four active political parties
• Libertarians
• Republicans
• Democrats
• Communists
• What do you know about the basic philosophy of
  each?

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Libertarian Party

• Libertarians believe in, and pursue, personal
  freedom while maintaining personal
  responsibility.  The Libertarian Party itself
  serves a much larger pro-liberty community with
  the specific mission of electing Libertarians to
  public office.
• Libertarians strongly oppose any government
  interfering in their personal, family and
  business decisions.   Essentially, we believe all
  Americans should be free to live their lives and
  pursue their interests as they see fit as long as
  they do no harm to another.

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Republican Party

• A basic tenet of Republican philosophy is that
  the strength of a nation depends on the strength
  of each individual. Each individual is endowed by
  the Creator with the freedom to seek and achieve
  goals and is also obliged to respect the rights
  of others to seek and achieve goals. Each is
  endowed with free will which brings the
  responsibility to respect as well as compete. The
  purpose of government is to ensure that the
  rights of the individual are protected, and at
  the same time the government must restrict its
  activities to providing only the services that
  individuals cannot provide alone, such a highway
  contraction, postal service, or nation defense.
• Republican philosophy recognizes that the best
  place for government to operate is locally at the
  community and state level where it can more
  effectively offer services that help individuals
  who may be unable to provide for themselves.
  While offering individual service, the ideal goal
  is to help those in need to become independent.
  Total dependence on governmental services or the
  aid of others weakens the individuals abilities
  and self- esteem. Therefore, with equal rights
  and equality of opportunity secured by the
  government, the individual should be also to
  exercise his/her free will to achieve personal
  and economic goals.

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Democratic Party

• We believe that every American, whatever their
  background or station in life, should have the
  chance to get a good education, to work at a good
  job with good wages, to raise and provide for a
  family, to live in safe surroundings, and to
  retire with dignity and security. We believe that
  quality and affordable health care is a basic
  right. We believe that each succeeding generation
  should have the opportunity, through hard work,
  service and sacrifice, to enjoy a brighter future
  than the last.
• Democrats believe in people poor and wealthy,
  old and young, woman and man, immigrant and
  American-born. We believe that this is America's
  strength different people uniting, working
  together for the good of each and for the good of
  all. We believe that government's role is to
  protect the people and ensure justice, freedom
  and equal opportunity. We believe that by
  standing firm on these valuesAmerica can reclaim
  our vision as a land of optimism and unity.

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Communist Party

• We Communists believe that socialism is the very
  best replacement for a capitalist system that has
  served its purpose, but no longer meets the needs
  and requirements of the great majority of our
  people.
• What will be the goals of our socialist society?
• A life free of exploitation, insecurity, poverty
  an end to unemployment, hunger and homelessness.
• An end to racism, national oppression,
  anti-Semitism, all forms of discrimination,
  prejudice and bigotry. An end to the unequal
  status of women.
• Renewal and extension of democracy an end to the
  rule of corporate America and private ownership
  of the wealth of our nation. Creation of a truly
  humane and rationally planned society that will
  stimulate the fullest flowering of the human
  personality, creativity and talent.

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Bibliography

• http//www.google.com/search?hlenqrepublicanpa
  rtyphilosophy
• http//www.lib.umich.edu/govdocs/psusp.html
• http//www.lp.org/article_85.shtml
• http//www.cadem.org/site/c.jrLZK2PyHmF/b.1191021/
  k.228A/Preamble_Our_Blueprint_for_the_Golden_State
  .htm
• http//www.cpusa.org/

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Applying these Political philosophies

• Given the philosophy of each party, what kind of
  policies would each propose regarding TAXES?
• Libertarians
• Government hands off no taxes.
• Republicans
• Government provides services individuals cannot
  limited taxes.
• Democrats
• Government insures basic needs are met for all
  higher taxes
• Communists
• Government responsible for the complete
  redistribution of wealth rich taxed
  heavily/poor pay no taxes

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Sociological Theory
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Symbolic Interaction

• Nature of Society
• Society is marked by ongoing interaction which is
  based on symbolic communication. Society is
  constructed through interaction between
  individuals.
• Major Theorists
• George Herbert Mead Erving Goffman Charles
  Horton Cooley
• Level of Analysis
• Micro
• Assumptions
• Reality is a social construction.
• Belief Reality (Thomas Theorem)
• The meaning that one attributes to a situation is
  based on past experience thus change occurs when
  one improvises on a script.
• Key Questions
• How do individuals attribute meaning to...?
• Weaknesses
• Difficult to connect to larger institutions and
  larger social forces.

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Social Conflict

• Nature of Society
• Society is a system characterized by social
  inequality which tends to benefit some categories
  of people more than.
• Major Theorists
• Karl MarxMax WeberW.E.B. Du BoisC. Wright
  Mills
• Level of Analysis
• Macro
• Assumptions
• Societies are competitive arenas.
• Change is inevitable./The point of study to
  create change.
• Group in power strives to maintain the status
  quo.
• Key Questions
• How is society divided? Who benefits? How is the
  status quo challenged?
• Weaknesses
• Lacks strong explanation of social harmony and
  cohesion.

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Structural Functionalist

• Nature of Society
• Society is like an organism with interdependent
  parts (i.e. an integrated system). Society is a
  reality sui generis (more than the sum of its
  parts).
• Major Theorists
• Emile DurkheimAugust CompteTalcott
  ParsonsRobert Merton
• Level of Analysis
• Macro
• Assumptions
• All parts of society serve either a manifest or
  latent function.
• Truly dysfunctional parts of society will
  gradually cease to exist.
• Key Questions
• What are the functions of...? How does it serve
  the maintenance of society?
• Weaknesses
• Tautological
• Does not address power differential, inequality,
  or social change.