Key sociologists have helped us understand today's world with their important research and ideas. Here are some main areas of their work:
Foundational Theories:
Émile Durkheim: He is often called the father of sociology. Durkheim studied "social facts," or things that impact society. One of his famous studies looked at suicide rates. He found that more Protestants died by suicide (about 135 per 100,000) compared to Catholics (about 60 per 100,000). This showed how social connections matter to people's well-being.
Karl Marx: He introduced the idea of conflict theory. This theory talks about the struggles between different social classes. Marx believed that the way economies work can create unfairness. For example, about 1% of the population owns 40% of the world's money, showing a big gap in power and wealth.
Methodologies:
Max Weber: He created a method called verstehen. This means understanding actions by seeing things from another person's point of view. Weber’s studies helped us understand the meaning behind people's actions. He also studied bureaucracy, which is when large organizations run in a very structured way. Today, more than 80% of employees in developed countries work in these kinds of organizations.
Harriet Martineau: She is often seen as the first female sociologist. Martineau pushed for a feminist viewpoint in sociology. She believed it was important to study people’s private lives to understand big society issues.
Contemporary Contributions:
These theorists and their ideas help us understand how society functions today. They give us important tools for studying and thinking about social issues.
Key sociologists have helped us understand today's world with their important research and ideas. Here are some main areas of their work:
Foundational Theories:
Émile Durkheim: He is often called the father of sociology. Durkheim studied "social facts," or things that impact society. One of his famous studies looked at suicide rates. He found that more Protestants died by suicide (about 135 per 100,000) compared to Catholics (about 60 per 100,000). This showed how social connections matter to people's well-being.
Karl Marx: He introduced the idea of conflict theory. This theory talks about the struggles between different social classes. Marx believed that the way economies work can create unfairness. For example, about 1% of the population owns 40% of the world's money, showing a big gap in power and wealth.
Methodologies:
Max Weber: He created a method called verstehen. This means understanding actions by seeing things from another person's point of view. Weber’s studies helped us understand the meaning behind people's actions. He also studied bureaucracy, which is when large organizations run in a very structured way. Today, more than 80% of employees in developed countries work in these kinds of organizations.
Harriet Martineau: She is often seen as the first female sociologist. Martineau pushed for a feminist viewpoint in sociology. She believed it was important to study people’s private lives to understand big society issues.
Contemporary Contributions:
These theorists and their ideas help us understand how society functions today. They give us important tools for studying and thinking about social issues.