Theoretical Perspectives In Sociology

Sociology

Table of Contents
Sociology 1
Key theoretical Perspectives in Sociology 2
Issues and Problems Concerned With Sociology 2
Research and Methodologies in Sociology 3
References 4

Sociology
Sociology is considered to be new amongst the academic disciplines of the social sciences. Relatively when compared to the other disciplines such as anthropology, psychology and political sciences, etc., Sociology has the shortest history. The term was first used by Emmanuel Joseph Sieyes, a French essayist. Later, Augustus Comte re-conceptualise the term and introduced it as it now known by many.
Most of the scholars and the thinkers of sociology have approached the study of the social phenomenon as the part of natural sciences.

In the quest to explain and classify the new social life dynamics, a number of theories and research methods were developed by the scholars to explain the social life. It is through this process that the development of discipline of sociology had started (Van Krieken, et al., 2013).
Key theoretical Perspectives in Sociology
Sociologist observes and analyses the social phenomenon from different perspectives and at different level. From the generalisations of various elements of the society to the concentrate interpretations and social behaviours, sociologists analyse and study everything and consider details from the micro level of analysis to macro level of analysis of the society. The three key perspectives in sociology include:
The symbolic interactionism perspective directs the scholars of sociology to consider the details and symbols of the everyday life activity including the interpretation of the symbols and the interaction of people with one another. It is also referred as symbolic

Sociology takes a different approach for issues and problems and stresses that the problems that are concerned with the individual often stemmed from the society itself. Sociology is concerned with the public issues that lies and is fuelled from the social structure and culture and that ultimately become the social problem (Davis, 2008).
Research and Methodologies in Sociology
In order to gather empirical evidence there are several methods that sociologists utilise which includes interviews, statistical research, participation observation and questionnaires. There are six widely used research methods that are undertaken by the sociologists are discussed below.
Case study research is the research method in which the researcher investigates small group or individuals or individual with the rare situation or condition. This method is clinical in approach.
In survey research the questionnaire, interviews or written surveys are conducted from a large number of people. Through this data the researcher analyses the similarities, trends and difference and made the prediction about the population which is under