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What is sociology?

Sociology is the study of society and social behavior. It examines how individuals interact with each other, groups, institutions, and cultures to understand why certain behaviors occur in different contexts. Through this process of studying people's interactions, sociologists develop theories that help explain why societies function as they do. By understanding these theories, we can better predict human behavior and gain insight into our own lives.


At its core, sociology focuses on two fundamental aspects: culture and structure. Culture encompasses all the beliefs, values, norms, and practices shared by a group or society, while structure refers to the ways in which power dynamics are organized within a given system or environment. Together, these two components form the basis for any type of social analysis, from exploring large-scale phenomena such as crime rates to examining individual experiences like bullying at school or workplace harassment.


The field of sociology has roots stretching back centuries; it was first formally introduced by the French philosopher Auguste Comte in 1838, who sought to apply scientific methods to observing human behavior in order to identify patterns across various populations around the world. Since then, numerous theorists have contributed their ideas about what causes specific outcomes among humans (for example, Karl Marx's theory on class struggle), leading up to today, where new research continues to explore topics like gender roles, family life, race relations, education systems, etc. Altogether, this body of knowledge allows us to not only make sense of current trends, but also anticipate future ones too.


Deviance in Sociology

Deviance is a broad concept that has been studied for centuries by many different disciplines, but it is most often associated with the field of sociology. Generally speaking, deviance refers to behavior that violates social norms and expectations and goes against accepted standards of conduct. It can refer to anything from minor transgressions such as failing to stand during the national anthem at a sporting event or being late for work to more serious violations like theft, assault, vandalism, or murder. While not all forms of deviant behavior are illegal, they may still be considered inappropriate by society's standards and cause harm either directly or indirectly.

Racism in Sociology

Racism is an issue that has been present for centuries, but only recently have sociologists begun to study it more closely. In sociology, racism refers to the beliefs and practices of one group towards another based on race or ethnicity. This includes both individual behavior as well as institutionalized systems of oppression such as segregation, discrimination, and exclusion. The goal of this article is to provide a brief overview of how racism manifests itself in society today, from a sociological perspective.

Functionalism in Sociology

Functionalism is a theory of sociology that views society as a complex structure with various parts working together to maintain order and stability. It sees the social world from an objective, macro-level perspective and emphasizes its functions rather than individuals or their behavior. This approach has been influential in the development of modern sociological thought since it was first introduced by the French philosopher Auguste Comte in 1822.

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