Crash Course Sociology Lecture Notes

Introduction to Sociology

• Presenter: Nicole Sweeney
• Topic: How the world of people works
• Main Focus: Understanding human behavior and society

Key Questions

• Who goes to college and why?
• Why do people participate in protests?
• Social norms in different settings (e.g., classroom vs. dinner table)
• Personal preferences in culture (e.g., musicals vs. hip-hop)

What is Sociology?

• Definition: Scientific study of society and human behavior
• Origins: Auguste Comte, 1800s
  • Aimed to create a systematic science for studying society

Concepts of Society

• Society: Group sharing culture and territory
• Culture: Encompasses politics, economy, and social interactions
• Society's Scope: From large-scale cities to individual interactions

Sociological Perspective

• "General in the Particular":
  • Understand social behavior by its wider social context
  • Example: Individual music preferences influenced by social factors
• "Strange in the Familiar":
  • Viewing everyday actions as seen for the first time
  • Example: Raising hands in class vs. social settings

Importance of Understanding Society

• Social Location:
  • Classification by race, class, gender, etc.
  • Influences life choices and societal perspectives
  • Limits and biases based on social location
• Marginalization:
  • Being outside centers of power
  • Provides insight into societal power structures
• Power and Inequality:
  • Economic, political, social, and cultural inequalities
  • Example: Discrimination based on dialects or accents

Sociology’s Role and Origins

• Objective: Understanding and addressing societal problems
• Historical Context:
  • 18th/19th-century European economic and social upheaval
  • Industrialization, democracy, and nation-state emergence
• Sociology’s Approach:
  • Examines both individual and societal levels
  • Connects everyday behaviors with broader social contexts

Conclusion

• Focus: Study of society and its broad scope
• Next Steps: Introduction to theories and paradigms in sociology

Supporting Crash Course

• Production: Filmed in Dr. Cheryl C. Kinney Crash Course Studio
• Support: Via Patreon, with special thanks to David Cichowski