Sociology: A Historical Overview
Authors and Their Contributions to Sociology
Auguste Comte (1798-1857)
Why Sociology?
Comte believed that sociology was the “mother of social science” and that it could be used to discover new laws to reorganize the world.
How?
He advocated for integrating the study of man and society to produce knowledge based on scientific data.
What?
Comte’s main contributions include the concept of positivism and the belief that science could be used to understand, predict, and control human behavior for the well-being of humanity.
Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Why Sociology?
Marx argued that economic influences, rather than ideas or values, were the main drivers of social change. He predicted that capitalism would eventually be replaced by a classless society.
How?
He focused on the conflict between classes (rich vs. poor) as the engine of historical development.
What?
Marx’s materialistic conception of history aimed to explain social changes during the Industrial Revolution. His works primarily focused on economic issues and their connection to social institutions.
Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)
Why Sociology?
Durkheim was concerned with the breakdown of traditional norms and values in modern societies, leading to a state of anomie (lack of clear rules).
How?
He proposed studying social facts as objective things, analyzing social life with the same rigor as natural phenomena.
What?
Durkheim’s concept of social facts aimed to give sociology a scientific basis by examining how aspects of social life (e.g., economy, religion) shape individual actions.
Max Weber (1864-1920)
Why Sociology?
Weber emphasized the role of status-based distinctions and party formation in social stratification, arguing that they could influence power dynamics regardless of class and position.
How?
Through comparative studies of different religions and societies, he concluded that Christian doctrine played a key role in the rise of capitalism.
What?
Weber’s analysis of capitalism highlighted the importance of both economic factors and ideas/values in social change. He also explored the impact of science and bureaucracy on capitalist development.
Claude Levi-Strauss (1908-2009)
Why Sociology?
Levi-Strauss believed that structuralism was more relevant for analyzing certain aspects of human behavior, such as communication and culture, than others, like economic and political activity.
How?
He focused on observing the symbolic interactions of individuals.
What?
His structuralist approach closely linked sociological analysis with the study of language.
Key Sociological Concepts
Positivism
A philosophical theory that asserts all genuine knowledge is derived from experience and logic, emphasizing empirical evidence and sensory data.
Structuralism
A theory and methodology that posits elements of human culture should be understood in relation to a broader system.
Consumerism and Tourism
Bauman’s Perspective
Tourism is seen as a form of consumerism linked to identity, driven by hedonistic desires and often lacking genuine interaction with local cultures.
Dean’s Perspective
Tourists seek experiences through inauthentic activities, and cultures are viewed as combinations of similar elements. Leisure is built from cultural experiences.
Urry’s Perspective
Travel serves as a means of distinction and social hierarchy. The “tourist gaze” impacts destinations, and the internet transforms consumption patterns. Services are intangible products consumed as representations of hospitality. Photography democratizes the tourist experience, and hospitality can shift towards hostility.
Dean vs. Urry
Urry focuses on the tourism industry as a system of production, while Dean emphasizes authenticity and the impact of tourism on local societies.