(a) Modernity and social changes in Europe and

emergence of sociology
Sociology has a long past, but only a short history. The study of human society in scientific way is said to
have begun with August Comte. The emergence of sociology as a discipline of academic interest is of
recent origin. Its emergence as a discipline can be attributed to the vast changes that took place in the
nineteenth century.

CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE EMERGENCE OFSOCIOLOGY ; INTELLECTUAL INPUTS . WORLD

REVOLUTIONS .SOCIAL CONDITIONS ( MODERNITY )

INTELLECTUAL INPUTS;PLATO . ARISTOTLE. J.J.ROUSSOU

PLATO ; First to attempt the systematic study of society

Argued New society must be based on equality . fellow feeling

State must respond to the people’s needs

Not in favor of democracy but empowered state

a) Philosopher kings to rule.

b ) warriors to fight and protect

b) artisans to produce

ARISTOTLE;

Societiesgovernance moves in cyclical order form monarchy to aristocracy to democracy

Man is a moral savage hence he must be disciplined

Ideal state is the one where laws are made and remade

There must be a harmony between individual and state

J J Rousseau;

society must be driven by general will citizens must have the right to choose the sovereign

Social contract theory

General will and equality

RENNAISANCE ;

WAR OF THOUGHTS CHALLENGING THE THEOCRACY

IDEOLOGIICAL TRANSFORMATION

CELEBRATING THE SPIRIT OF SCIENCE

UNDERSTANDING BY REASON AND LOGIC

IDEAS OF .EQUALITY . UNIVERSAL ADULT FRANCHISE SEPERATION FO POWER

WELFARE ADMINISTRATION. PEOPLE CENTRIC GOVERNANCE

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION ;

NEW ECONOMIC ORDER. FACTORY SYSTEM

NEW SOCIAL ORDERS NEW PROBLEMS IN THE SOCIETY

URBUL SLUMS INCREASED MIGRATION

NEW STRESS ON INDIVIDUAL .FAMILY AND SOCIETY

OLD IDEAS FAIL TO GIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE NEW PROBLEMS IN THE SOCITY

FRENCH REVOLUTION;

STORY OF A TRADITIONAL SOCIETY STRIVING FOR MODERNITY

AMERICAL REVOLUTIONS;

COLLECTIVE WILL FOR POLITICAL DEMOCRACY

QUSTIONING TRADITIONAL POLITICAL SETUP

MODERNITY ;RESULTED IN THE FALLOWING

1) individuality 2) spirit of science 3) rationality 4) new economic order

5) new society in old place 6) became root of frustration 7) increased social stress and strain

8) benefitting only minority 9) created the world of dissatisfaction and conflict 10) influenced
ideological .cultural .political .economic and social order

In order to address the social problems intellectuals begun to study society thus modernity and
subject matter of sociology are two sides of the same coin
 (b) Scope of the subject and comparison with other
social sciences.
Scope of Sociology

There are two main schools of thought regarding the scope of Sociology: (1) The Specialist or
Formalistic school and (2) the Synthetic school. There is a good deal of controversy about the scope of
Sociology between the two schools. The supporter of first school believe that Sociology is a specific
science and the scope should be limited whereas others believe that it is a general science and its
scope is very vast

SPCIALIST SCHOOL

(i) Sociology is a specific, pure and independent social science.

(ii) Sociology studies the various forms of social relationships.

(iii) Scope of Sociology is very narrow and limited.

(iv) Sociology deals with specific form of human relationship.

(v) Sociology need not study all the events connected with social science

Criticism:

(i) Sociologist alone does not study the forms of social relationships. Other social scientists also do
that.

(ii) the formalistic school has narrowed down the scope of Sociology.

(iii) the conception of pure Sociology is imaginary.

SYNTHATIC SCHOOL:

The supporter; Durkheim, Comte, Sorokin, Spencer, F. Ward, and L.T. Hobhouse.

ACCORDING TO THEM

(i) Sociology is a general and systematic social science.

(ii) Scope of Sociology is very vast.

(iii) Sociology needs help from other social sciences.

(iv) It is a synthesis of social science.

(v) Sociology is closely related with other social sciences.

Conclusion:

From the above discussion, we come to know that formalistic school believes in the study of the parts,
which makes up the society and synthetic school advocates the study of the whole society. However,
both the schools complement to each other. They are not opposed to each other. Thus, Sociology is a
general science of society and specialised discipline. Sociology is a growing science. Therefore, it is
neither possible nor desirable to restrict its scope.

HISTORY;

Study of the past

Studies specific society . individual ,

Generalization is not possible

Sociology studies also contemporary societies and generalization is possible

POLITICAL SCIENCE ;

Science of governance

Rules of governance

Distribution of power

Primacy with political institutions

Sociology studies all societies including stateless societies and no primacy to any institutions through
field work at micro level attempts to generalize at macro level

ECONOMICS ;

Aspect of production and distribution

Exchange and consumption

Focus on specific institution

Sociology economies institution is one among the many also focuses on contribution of society to
economic intuitions. Economy may be regarded as deductive approach where as sociology is
inductive approach

PSYCHOLOGY ;

Focuses on individual and psychic aspects

Sociology focuses on society and interrelationship of individuals in it

ANTHROPOLOGY;

Biological and socio cultural aspects

Comparative studies between different societies

Immensely contributing to sociology

c) Sociology and common sense

COMMENCE SENCE ;

Perception of collectivity
Used to regulate behavior
Used to gather truth about the situation
Early thinker ; common sense is speculative and primitive
Criticized it as dogmas and superstition

JOHN LOCKIE ; DEFENDING COMMON SENSE

Not antithetical
Not always collective
Offers foundation to scientific research

ALFRED MOOR AND THOMOS ;

Common sense offers foundation to thesis .antithesis and hypothesis

ROBERT MADGE ;

Both science and common sense are continuum

People believe in them and consider their knowledge as truth

Both pass on from generation to generation

People solve some problems by common sense and some by scientific knowledge

POSITIVISTS ;

Argued for liberation from common sense

Truth is verifiable .observable hence sociology can progress through scientific method only

ANTI POSITIVIST ( HERBERT MERCUSE) ;

Every society uses common sense to understand

demand of the situation

expected behavior

construct images .impressions

hence common sense is foundation to social reality

‘’ Men is reflexive .culturally bound at the same time he is law bound and rationale he uses both
common science and science in different proportions .. social world is created and recreated by
humans offering respect to both science and common sense
Emergence of Sociology –

 Modernity and social changes in Europe and emergence of sociology

 Enlightenment Period:
o The roots of the ideas developed by the early sociologists are grounded in the social
conditions that prevailed in Europe.
o Emergence of sociology as a scientific discipline can be traced to that period of
European history, which saw such tremendous social, political and economic changes as
embodied in the French Revolution and the Industrial Revolution.
o Enlightenment period embarked radical change from traditional feudal thinking to a
new way of thinking and looking at reality viz., Individuals started questioning each and
every aspect of life and nothing was considered sacrosanct
o The new outlook developed as a result of the Commercial Revolution and the Scientific
Revolution and crystallized during the French and the Industrial Revolutions gave birth
to sociology as a discipline.
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