essay on sociological perspective

How to Write a Sociological Essay: Explained with Examples

This article will discuss “How to Write a Sociological Essay” with insider pro tips and give you a map that is tried and tested. An essay writing is done in three phases: a) preparing for the essay, b) writing the essay, and c) editing the essay. We will take it step-by-step so that nothing is left behind because the devil, as well as good grades and presentation, lies in the details.

Writing is a skill that we learn throughout the courses of our lives. Learning how to write is a process that we begin as soon as we turn 4, and the learning process never stops. But the question is, “is all writing the same?”. The answer is NO. Do you remember your initial lessons of English when you were in school, and how the teacher taught various formats of writing such as formal, informal, essay, letter, and much more? Therefore, writing is never that simple. Different occasions demand different styles and commands over the writing style. Thus, the art of writing improves with time and experience. 

Those who belong to the world of academia know that writing is something that they cannot escape. No writing is the same when it comes to different disciplines of academia. Similarly, the discipline of sociology demands a particular style of formal academic writing. If you’re a new student of sociology, it can be an overwhelming subject, and writing assignments don’t make the course easier. Having some tips handy can surely help you write and articulate your thoughts better. 

[Let us take a running example throughout the article so that every point becomes crystal clear. Let us assume that the topic we have with us is to “Explore Culinary Discourse among the Indian Diasporic Communities” .]

Phase I: Preparing for the Essay  

Step 1: make an outline.

So you have to write a sociological essay, which means that you already either received or have a topic in mind. The first thing for you to do is PLAN how you will attempt to write this essay. To plan, the best way is to make an outline. The topic you have, certainly string some thread in your mind. They can be instances you heard or read, some assumptions you hold, something you studied in the past, or based on your own experience, etc. Make a rough outline where you note down all the themes you would like to talk about in your essay. The easiest way to make an outline is to make bullet points. List all the thoughts and examples that you have in find and create a flow for your essay. Remember that this is only a rough outline so you can always make changes and reshuffle your points. 

[Explanation through example, assumed topic: “Explore Culinary Discourse among the Indian Diasporic Communities” . Your outline will look something like this:

• Importance of food
• Definition of Diaspora 
• Relationship between food and culture
• Relationship between food and nation
• Relationship between food and media 
• Relationship between food and nostalgia 
• How food travels with people 
• Is food practices different for different sections of society, such as caste, class, gender ]

Step 2: Start Reading 

Once you have prepared an outline for your essay, the next step is to start your RESEARCH . You cannot write a sociological essay out of thin air. The essay needs to be thoroughly researched and based on facts. Sociology is the subject of social science that is based on facts and evidence. Therefore, start reading as soon as you have your outline determined. The more you read, the more factual data you will collect. But the question which now emerges is “what to read” . You cannot do a basic Google search to write an academic essay. Your research has to be narrow and concept-based. For writing a sociological essay, make sure that the sources from where you read are academically acclaimed and accepted.  

Some of the websites that you can use for academic research are: 

• Google Scholar
• Shodhganga 

[Explanation through example, assumed topic: “Explore Culinary Discourse among the Indian Diasporic Communities” . 

For best search, search for your articles by typing “Food+Diaspora”, “Food+Nostalgia”, adding a plus sign (+) improves the search result.]

Step 3: Make Notes 

This is a step that a lot of people miss when they are preparing to write their essays. It is important to read, but how you read is also a very vital part. When you are reading from multiple sources then all that you read becomes a big jumble of information in your mind. It is not possible to remember who said what at all times. Therefore, what you need to do while reading is to maintain an ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY . Whenever you’re reading for writing an academic essay then have a notebook handy, or if you prefer electronic notes then prepare a Word Document, Google Docs, Notes, or any tool of your choice to make notes. 

As you begin reading, note down the title of the article, its author, and the year of publication. As you read, keep writing down all the significant points that you find. You can either copy whole sentences or make shorthand notes, whatever suits you best. Once you’ve read the article and made your notes, write a summary of what you just read in 8 to 10 lines. Also, write keywords, these are the words that are most used in the article and reflect its essence. Having keywords and a summary makes it easier for you to revisit the article. A sociological essay needs a good amount of research, which means that you have to read plenty, thus maintaining an annotated bibliography helps you in the greater picture.  

Annotate and divide your notes based on the outline you made. Having organized notes will help you directly apply the concepts where they are needed rather than you going and searching for them again.] 

Phase II: Write a Sociological Essay

A basic essay includes a title, an introduction, the main body, and a conclusion. A sociological essay is not that different as far as the body of contents goes, but it does include some additional categories. When you write a sociological essay, it should have the following contents and chronology: 

• Subtitle (optional)
• Introduction

Conclusion 

• References/ Bibliography 

Now let us get into the details which go into the writing of a sociological essay.  

Step 4: Writing a Title, Subtitle, Abstract, and Keywords 

The title of any document is the first thing that a reader comes across. Therefore, the title should be provocative, specific, and the most well-thought part of any essay. Your title should reflect what your essay will discuss further. There has to be a sync between the title and the rest of your content. The title should be the biggest font size you use in your essay. 

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: A title preferably should not exceed 5 to 7 words.  

This is an optional component of any essay. If you think that your title cannot justify the rest of the contents of your essay, then you opt for a subtitle. The subtitle is the secondary part of the title which is used to further elucidate the title. A subtitle should be smaller in font than the Title but bigger than the rest of the essay body.  

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: Make the font color of your subtitle Gray instead of Black for it to stand out. 

The abstract is a 6 to 10 line description of what you will talk about in your essay. An abstract is a very substantial component of a sociological essay. Most of the essays written in academia exceed the word limit of 2000 words. Therefore, a writer, i.e., you, provides the reader with a short abstract at the beginning of your essay so that they can know what you are going to discuss. From the point of view of the reader, a good abstract can save time and help determine if the piece is worth reading or not. Thus, make sure to make your abstract as reflective to your essay as possible using the least amount of words.  

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: If you are not sure about your abstract at first, it is always great to write the abstract in the end after you are done with your essay. 

Your abstract should highlight all the points that you will further discuss. Therefore your abstract should mention how diasporic communities are formed and how they are not homogeneous communities. There are differences within this large population. In your essay, you will talk in detail about all the various aspects that affect food and diasporic relationships. ]

Keywords are an extension of your abstract. Whereas in your abstract you will use a paragraph to tell the reader what to expect ahead, by stating keywords, you point out the essence of your essay by using only individual words. These words are mostly concepts of social sciences. At first, glance, looking at your keywords, the reader should get informed about all the concepts and themes you will explain in detail later. 

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: Bold your Keywords so that they get highlighted.

Your keywords could be: Food, Diaspora, Migration, and so on. Build on these as you continue to write your essay.]   

Step 5: Writing the Introduction, Main Body, and Conclusion 

Introduction 

Your introduction should talk about the subject on which you are writing at the broadest level. In an introduction, you make your readers aware of what you are going to argue later in the essay. An introduction can discuss a little about the history of the topic, how it was understood till now, and a framework of what you are going to talk about ahead. You can think of your introduction as an extended form of the abstract. Since it is the first portion of your essay, it should paint a picture where the readers know exactly what’s ahead of them. 

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: An apt introduction can be covered in 2 to 3 paragraphs (Look at the introduction on this article if you need proof). 

Since your focus is on “food” and “diaspora”, your introductory paragraph can dwell into a little history of the relationship between the two and the importance of food in community building.] 

This is the most extensive part of any essay. It is also the one that takes up the most number of words. All the research and note-making which you did was for this part. The main body of your essay is where you put all the knowledge you gathered into words. When you are writing the body, your aim should be to make it flow, which means that all paragraphs should have a connection between them. When read in its entirety, the paragraphs should sing together rather than float all around. 

The main body is mostly around 4 to 6 paragraphs long. A sociological essay is filled with debates, theories, theorists, and examples. When writing the main body it is best to target making one or two paragraphs about the same revolving theme. When you shift to the other theme, it is best to connect it with the theme you discussed in the paragraph right above it to form a connection between the two. If you are dividing your essay into various sub-themes then the best way to correlate them is starting each new subtheme by reflecting on the last main arguments presented in the theme before it. To make a sociological essay even more enriching, include examples that exemplify the theoretical concepts better. 

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: Though there is no word limit to the length of the paragraphs, if you keep one paragraph between 100 to 200 words, it makes the essay look more organized. 

The main body can here be divided into the categories which you formed during the first step of making the rough outline. Therefore, your essay could have 3 to 4 sub-sections discussing different themes such as: Food and Media, Caste and Class influence food practices, Politics of Food, Gendered Lens, etc.] 

This is the section where you end your essay. But ending the essay does not mean that you lose your flair in conclusion. A conclusion is an essential part of any essay because it sums up everything you just wrote. Your conclusion should be similar to a summary of your essay. You can include shortened versions of the various arguments you have referred to above in the main body, or it can raise questions for further research, and it can also provide solutions if your topic seeks one. Hence, a conclusion is a part where you get the last chance to tell your reader what you are saying through your article. 

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: As the introduction, the conclusion is smaller compared to the main body. Keep your conclusion within the range of 1 to 2 paragraphs. 

Your conclusion should again reiterate all the main arguments provided by you throughout the essay. Therefore it should bind together everything you have written starting from your introduction to all the debates and examples you have cited.]

Step 6: Citation and Referencing 

This is the most academic part of your sociological essay. Any academic essay should be free of plagiarism. But how can one avoid plagiarism when their essay is based on research which was originally done by others. The solution for this is to give credit to the original author for their work. In the world of academia, this is done through the processes of Citation and Referencing (sometimes also called Bibliography). Citation is done within/in-between the text, where you directly or indirectly quote the original text. Whereas, Referencing or Bibliography is done at the end of an essay where you give resources of the books or articles which you have quoted in your essay at various points. Both these processes are done so that the reader can search beyond your essay to get a better grasp of the topic. 

There are many different styles of citations and you can determine which you want to follow. Some of the most common styles of citation and referencing are MLA, APA, and Chicago style. If you are working on Google Docs or Word then the application makes your work easier because they help you curate your citations. There are also various online tools that can make citing references far easier, faster, and adhering to citation guidelines, such as an APA generator. This can save you a lot of time when it comes to referencing, and makes the task far more manageable. 

How to add citations in Google Doc: Tools → Citation

How to add citations in Word Document: References → Insert Citations 

But for those who want to cite manually, this is the basic format to follow:

• Author’s Name with Surname mentioned first, then initials 
• Article’s Title in single or double quotes
• Journal Title in Italics 
• Volume, issue number 
• Year of Publication

Example: Syrkin, A. 1984. “Notes on the Buddha’s Threats in the Dīgha Nikāya ”, Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies , vol. 7(1), pp.147-58.

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: Always make sure that your Bibliography/References are alphabetically ordered based on the first alphabet of the surname of the author and NOT numbered or bulleted. 

Phase III: Editing 

Step 7: edit/review your essay.

The truth of academic writing is that it can never be written in one go. You need to write, rewrite, and revisit your material more than once. Once you have written the first draft of your essay, do not revise it immediately. Leave it for some time, at least for four hours. Then revisit your essay and edit it based on 3 criteria. The first criteria you need to recheck for is any grammatical and/or spelling mistakes. The second criteria are to check the arguments you have posed and if the examples you have cited correlate or not. The final criteria are to read the essay as a reader and read it objectively. 

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: The more you edit the better results you get. But we think that your 3rd draft is the magic draft. Draft 1: rough essay, Draft 2: edited essay, Draft 3: final essay.

Hello! Eiti is a budding sociologist whose passion lies in reading, researching, and writing. She thrives on coffee, to-do lists, deadlines, and organization. Eiti's primary interest areas encompass food, gender, and academia.

What is the Sociological Perspective – Understanding Sociology

The sociological perspective is a way of understanding society that emphasizes the interconnectedness of social structures, institutions, and cultural norms. At its core, sociology seeks to explain how society works and why it operates the way it does. By analyzing social phenomena through a sociological lens, we can gain new insights into issues such as power dynamics, inequality, and cultural values .

Table of Contents

In this article, we will explore what the sociological perspective is and why it’s important for understanding society. We will define key concepts such as social structure, culture, institutions, power, and inequality. Additionally, we will provide real-life examples to illustrate how the sociological perspective can be applied in practice. Finally, we will address common criticisms of sociology and conclude with a summary of the key takeaways from this discussion.

Defining the Sociological Perspective

Sociology is the scientific study of human society and social behavior. It seeks to understand how individuals interact with one another, as well as how groups and societies are structured and function.

The sociological perspective is a way of understanding society that emphasizes the interconnectedness of social structures, institutions, and cultural norms. Unlike other ways of understanding society, such as psychology or economics, sociology takes a holistic approach that considers multiple factors when analyzing social phenomena.

For example, while psychology might focus on individual behavior and motivations, sociology would examine how larger societal forces shape those behaviors and motivations. Similarly, while economics might focus on market dynamics and financial systems, sociology would examine how those systems affect different groups within society in terms of income inequality or access to resources.

Overall, the sociological perspective provides a unique lens through which we can analyze complex social issues and understand the interconnectedness of various societal factors.

Key Concepts of the Sociological Perspective

Social Structure, Power and Culture are the key concepts used by sociologists to analyze society through a variety of different lenses. For example, they might examine how social structures like race or gender impact individuals’ experiences within institutions like education or healthcare. Alternatively, they might study cultural norms and practices in order to understand how they shape behavior and attitudes.

By considering these concepts together, sociologists can gain a deeper understanding of how different aspects of society are interconnected and how they contribute to larger patterns of inequality or power dynamics. Through this analysis, sociologists can identify potential areas for change and work towards creating more equitable societies.

Social Structure

Social structure is a central concept in sociology that refers to the patterns of relationships and social arrangements that shape society. These structures can take many forms, including formal institutions like governments or schools, as well as informal social norms and expectations.

One important aspect of social structure is social hierarchy, which refers to the ranking of individuals or groups within society based on factors like wealth, status, or power. These hierarchies can be based on a variety of characteristics such as race, gender, age, or occupation. For example, in many societies men have traditionally held higher status and power than women.

Institutions are also very important. These are established systems or organizations within society that serve specific purposes such as education (schools), government (political institutions), healthcare (hospitals), or finance (banks). Institutions play a crucial role in shaping social structure by providing frameworks for behavior and expectations for individuals.

Another important aspect of social structure is roles. Roles are sets of expectations for how individuals should behave in different situations based on their position within society. For example, parents are expected to provide for and raise their children while teachers are expected to educate and mentor students.

Social norms also play a key role in shaping social structures. Norms refer to the unwritten rules and expectations for behavior that govern interactions between individuals and groups within society. They can vary widely across different cultures and communities.

Social structure provides a framework for understanding how different aspects of society work together to create larger patterns of behavior and inequality. By analyzing these patterns through a sociological lens, researchers can gain insights into how societies function.

Culture is a complex and multi-faceted concept that refers to the shared beliefs, values, practices, and symbols that define a particular group or society. It encompasses everything from language and social customs to art, music, and literature. Culture is not fixed or static but rather evolves over time as people interact with each other and their environment.

One important aspect of culture is its role in shaping individuals’ identities and worldviews. Cultural norms and traditions can influence how people perceive themselves and others, as well as how they approach various aspects of life like work, family, or religion.

Institutional structures often reflect cultural values and norms. For example, educational institutions may prioritize academic achievement as a reflection of cultural values around the importance of knowledge and learning.

Power is a fundamental concept in sociology that refers to the ability to influence or control others. It can be exerted through various means, including physical force, economic leverage, or social norms and expectations. It can also be exercised at different levels, from individual interactions to broader social structures and institutions.

Social structures and institutions often play a key role in determining power dynamics within society. For example, political institutions may hold significant power over citizens by regulating laws and policies.

Economic institutions like corporations and banks may have significant influence over individuals through their control of resources and wealth.

Inequality is another important concept related to power in sociology. Inequality refers to differences in access to resources, opportunities, and power among different groups within society. These differences can be based on a variety of factors such as race, gender, class, or age.

Inequalities are often reinforced through social structures and institutions that perpetuate disparities in power and privilege. For example, gender inequality may be reinforced through institutionalized norms that place greater value on traditionally masculine traits or roles.

Applying the Sociological Perspective to Real-Life Examples

Example 1: covid-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a current event that can be analyzed through a sociological perspective. This global crisis has had significant impacts on individuals, communities, and societies around the world.

By applying a sociological framework, we can gain insights into how social structures and institutions have shaped the spread of the virus and its impact on different groups within society. For example, research has shown that individuals from marginalized communities like low-income neighborhoods or racial minorities are more likely to be affected by the pandemic due to pre-existing inequalities in access to healthcare and other resources.

Additionally, analyzing the pandemic through a sociological lens can provide insights into how individuals and communities respond to crises. Sociologists have studied how social norms and expectations influence behaviors like mask-wearing or social distancing during pandemics.

Example 2: Black Lives Matter Movement

The Black Lives Matter movement is another example where the sociological perspective can be applied in practice. This social movement aims to address systemic racism and violence against Black individuals in America.

By analyzing this movement through a sociological framework, we can gain insights into how power dynamics shape social structures and institutions that perpetuate racial inequality. Sociologists have studied how institutionalized racism operates at various levels of society, including education, criminal justice systems, and political institutions.

Additionally, studying the Black Lives Matter movement through a sociological lens provides insights into how collective action can bring about change within society. Sociologists have studied how social movements develop over time and what factors contribute to their success or failure.

Criticisms of the Sociological Perspective

Sociology, like any other field of study, has faced criticism and challenges over time. Some common critiques of sociology include:

Lack of objectivity . Critics argue that sociology is not an objective science because it is influenced by the researcher’s own biases and values.

Limited scope . Some argue that sociology focuses too much on macro-level social structures and institutions, neglecting the experiences of individuals and their agency.

Inadequate methods . Others criticize sociology for relying too heavily on quantitative methods at the expense of qualitative research, which can provide more in-depth insights into social phenomena.

Political bias . Some have accused sociologists of having a political bias, either towards liberal or conservative ideologies.

However, it’s important to note that sociology has evolved over time and continues to adapt to new challenges. For example:

Objectivity . While complete objectivity may be impossible, sociologists strive to minimize bias through rigorous research methods and peer review processes.

Scope . Sociology has expanded its scope over time to include micro-level analyses of individual experiences and agency as well as macro-level analyses of social structures and institutions.

Methods . Sociologists now use a variety of both quantitative and qualitative research methods to gain a more comprehensive understanding of social phenomena.

Political bias. Sociologists are trained to maintain objectivity in their research regardless of their personal beliefs or political affiliations.

While there are valid criticisms of sociology as a field, it continues to evolve and adapt in response to new challenges. By addressing these critiques head-on and continuing to refine its methods and theories, sociology can continue to provide valuable insights into how society operates.

Final Thoughts the Sociological Perspective

In this article, we explored the sociological perspective and its application in practice. We used examples from current events like the COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter movement to illustrate how analyzing social phenomena through a sociological framework can provide new insights and perspectives.

We also acknowledged some common critiques of sociology, including lack of objectivity, limited scope, inadequate methods, and political bias. However, we explained how sociology has evolved over time to address these critiques and continues to adapt to new challenges.

Understanding society through a sociological perspective is valuable for individuals and society as a whole because it allows us to see beyond individual experiences and recognize the larger social structures and institutions that shape our lives. By understanding these forces at work within society, we can identify areas where change may be needed to promote greater equity and justice for all individuals.

In conclusion, the sociological perspective provides a unique lens through which we can analyze social phenomena and gain a deeper understanding of society. By continuing to refine our methods and theories, sociology can continue to provide valuable insights into how society operates and how we can work towards building a more just and equitable world.

Anthropology Glossary Terms starting with S

Social Contract Theory

Sociological Perspective

Substantivist Formalist Debate

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1.1 The Sociological Perspective

Learning objectives.

• Define the sociological perspective.
• Provide examples of how Americans may not be as “free” as they think.
• Explain what is meant by considering individuals as “social beings.”

Most Americans probably agree that we enjoy a great amount of freedom. And yet perhaps we have less freedom than we think, because many of our choices are influenced by our society in ways we do not even realize. Perhaps we are not as distinctively individualistic as we believe we are.

For example, consider the right to vote. The secret ballot is one of the most cherished principles of American democracy. We vote in secret so that our choice of a candidate is made freely and without fear of punishment. That is all true, but it is also possible to guess the candidate for whom any one individual will vote if enough is known about the individual. This is because our choice of a candidate is affected by many aspects of our social backgrounds and, in this sense, is not made as freely as we might think.

To illustrate this point, consider the 2008 presidential election between Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. Suppose a room is filled with 100 randomly selected voters from that election. Nothing is known about them except that they were between 18 and 24 years of age when they voted. Because exit poll data found that Obama won 66% of the vote from people in this age group ( http://abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/ExitPolls ), a prediction that each of these 100 individuals voted for Obama would be correct about 66 times and incorrect only 34 times. Someone betting $1 on each prediction would come out $32 ahead ($66 – $34 = $32), even though the only thing known about the people in the room is their age.

Young people were especially likely to vote for Barack Obama in 2008, while white men tended, especially in Wyoming and several other states, to vote for John McCain. These patterns illustrate the influence of our social backgrounds on many aspects of our lives.

Wikimedia Commons – CC BY 3.0; Wikimedia Commons – public domain.

Now let’s suppose we have a room filled with 100 randomly selected white men from Wyoming who voted in 2008. We know only three things about them: their race, gender, and state of residence. Because exit poll data found that 67% of white men in Wyoming voted for McCain, a prediction can be made with fairly good accuracy that these 100 men tended to have voted for McCain. Someone betting $1 that each man in the room voted for McCain would be right about 67 times and wrong only 33 times and would come out $34 ahead ($67 – $33 = $34). Even though young people in the United States and white men from Wyoming had every right and freedom under our democracy to vote for whomever they wanted in 2008, they still tended to vote for a particular candidate because of the influence of their age (in the case of the young people) or of their gender, race, and state of residence (white men from Wyoming).

Yes, Americans have freedom, but our freedom to think and act is constrained at least to some degree by society’s standards and expectations and by the many aspects of our social backgrounds. This is true for the kinds of important beliefs and behaviors just discussed, and it is also true for less important examples. For instance, think back to the last class you attended. How many of the women wore evening gowns? How many of the men wore skirts? Students are “allowed” to dress any way they want in most colleges and universities, but notice how few students, if any, dress in the way just mentioned. They do not dress that way because of the strange looks and even negative reactions they would receive.

Think back to the last time you rode in an elevator. Why did you not face the back? Why did you not sit on the floor? Why did you not start singing? Children can do these things and “get away with it,” because they look cute doing so, but adults risk looking odd. Because of that, even though we are “allowed” to act strangely in an elevator, we do not.

The basic point is that society shapes our attitudes and behavior even if it does not determine them altogether. We still have freedom, but that freedom is limited by society’s expectations. Moreover, our views and behavior depend to some degree on our social location in society—our gender, race, social class, religion, and so forth. Thus society as a whole and our own social backgrounds affect our attitudes and behaviors. Our social backgrounds also affect one other important part of our lives, and that is our life chances —our chances (whether we have a good chance or little chance) of being healthy, wealthy, and well educated and, more generally, of living a good, happy life.

The influence of our social environment in all of these respects is the fundamental understanding that sociology —the scientific study of social behavior and social institutions—aims to present. At the heart of sociology is the sociological perspective , the view that our social backgrounds influence our attitudes, behavior, and life chances. In this regard, we are not just individuals but rather social beings deeply enmeshed in society. Although we all differ from one another in many respects, we share with many other people basic aspects of our social backgrounds, perhaps especially gender, race and ethnicity, and social class. These shared qualities make us more similar to each other than we would otherwise be.

Does society totally determine our beliefs, behavior, and life chances? No. Individual differences still matter, and disciplines such as psychology are certainly needed for the most complete understanding of human action and beliefs. But if individual differences matter, so do society and the social backgrounds from which we come. Even the most individual attitudes and behaviors, such as the voting decisions discussed earlier, are influenced to some degree by our social backgrounds and, more generally, by the society to which we belong.

In this regard, consider what is perhaps the most personal decision one could make: the decision to take one’s own life. What could be more personal and individualistic than this fatal decision? When individuals commit suicide, we usually assume that they were very unhappy, even depressed. They may have been troubled by a crumbling romantic relationship, bleak job prospects, incurable illness, or chronic pain. But not all people in these circumstances commit suicide; in fact, few do. Perhaps one’s chances of committing suicide depend at least in part on various aspects of the person’s social background.

In this regard, consider suicide rates—the percentage of a particular group of people who commit suicide, usually taken as, say, eight suicides for every 100,000 people in that group. Different groups have different suicide rates. As just one example, men are more likely than women to commit suicide ( Figure 1.1 “Gender and Suicide Rate, 2006” ). Why is this? Are men more depressed than women? No, the best evidence indicates that women are more depressed than men (Klein, Corwin, & Ceballos, 2006) and that women try to commit suicide more often than men (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2008). If so, there must be something about being a man that makes it more likely that males’ suicide attempts will result in death. One of these “somethings” is that males are more likely than females to try to commit suicide with a firearm, a far more lethal method than, say, taking an overdose of sleeping pills (Miller & Hemenway, 2008). If this is true, then it is fair to say that gender influences our chances of committing suicide, even if suicide is perhaps the most personal of all acts.

Figure 1.1 Gender and Suicide Rate, 2006

Source: Data from U.S. Census Bureau. (2010). Statistical abstract of the United States: 2010 . Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab .

In the United States, suicide rates are generally higher west of the Mississippi River than east of it ( Figure 1.2 “U.S. Suicide Rates, 2000–2006 (Number of Suicides per 100,000 Population)” ). Is that because people out west are more depressed than those back east? No, there is no evidence of this. Perhaps there is something else about the western states that helps lead to higher suicide rates. For example, many of these states are sparsely populated compared to their eastern counterparts, with people in the western states living relatively far from one another. Because we know that social support networks help people deal with personal problems and deter possible suicides (Stack, 2000), perhaps these networks are weaker in the western states, helping lead to higher suicide rates. Then too, membership in organized religion is lower out west than back east (Finke & Stark, 2005). Because religious beliefs help us deal with personal problems, perhaps suicide rates are higher out west in part because religious belief is weaker. Thus a depressed person out west is, all other things being equal, at least a little more likely than a depressed person back east to commit suicide.

Although suicide is popularly considered to be a very individualistic act, it is also true that individuals’ likelihood of committing suicide depends at least partly on various aspects of their social backgrounds.

Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 2.0.

Figure 1.2 U.S. Suicide Rates, 2000–2006 (Number of Suicides per 100,000 Population)

Source: Adapted from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Division of Violence Prevention. (2009). National suicide statistics at a glance. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/suicide/statistics/suicide_map.html .

Key Takeaways

• According to the sociological perspective, social backgrounds influence attitudes, behavior, and life chances.
• Social backgrounds influence but do not totally determine attitudes and behavior.
• Americans may be less “free” in their thoughts and behavior than they normally think they are.

For Your Review

• Do you think that society constrains our thoughts and behaviors as the text argues? Why or why not?
• Describe how one aspect of your own social background has affected an important attitude you hold, a behavior in which you have engaged, or your ability to do well in life (life chances).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2008). Suicide: Facts at a glance. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pdf/Suicide-DataSheet-a.pdf .

Finke, R., & Stark, S. (2005). The churching of America: Winners and losers in our religious economy (2nd ed.). New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

Klein, L. C., Corwin, E. J., & Ceballos, R. M. (2006). The social costs of stress: How sex differences in stress responses can lead to social stress vulnerability and depression in women. In C. L. M. Keyes & S. H. Goodman (Eds.), Women and depression: A handbook for the social, behavioral, and biomedical sciences (pp. 199–218). New York, NY: Cambridge University Press.

Miller, M., & Hemenway. D. (2008). Guns and suicide in the United States. New England Journal of Medicine, 359, 989–991.

Stack, S. (2000). Sociological research into suicide. In D. Lester (Ed.), Suicide prevention: Resources for the millennium (pp. 17–30). New York, NY: Routledge.

Sociology Copyright © 2016 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Understanding the Sociological Perspective

How Sociologists See the World

• Key Concepts
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• Ph.D., Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara
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Sociology can be defined as the study of society, but in practice, it is much more. It is a way of seeing the world through the evaluation of social structures and forces. This field of study uses historical context to examine the present day and a society that is constantly in flux. At its core, sociology fosters critical thinking, poses analytical questions, and pursues solutions. To truly grasp sociology and the research sociologists conduct, an understanding of social theory is necessary.

Examining Social Relationships

When sociologists examine the world in a bid to better understand it, they look for relationships between individuals and the social groups they belong to based on race , class, and gender , among others. They also consider people's ties to communities and institutions, be they religious, educational, or municipal, such as a church, school, or police department. In sociology, the individual aspects of social life are known as the "micro," and the large-scale groups, relationships, and trends that make up society are known as the "macro" .

Social Structures and Forces

Sociologists look for relationships between the micro and marco to recommend ways to address the trends and problems that arise in society. The recognition that social structures and forces shape a person’s beliefs, values, norms , and expectations lie at the heart of sociology. These forces influence our experiences, interactions with others , and ultimately, the outcomes of our lives .

While most people remain unaware of how social structures affect them, they are likely to recognize these forces while taking a critical look at society. Introducing students to the field, Peter Berger wrote, “It can be said that the first wisdom of sociology is this—things are not what they seem.” Hence, the sociological perspective urges students to ask the unasked questions about "normal" things to illuminate the underlying social structures and forces at work.

Asking Sociological Questions

Sociologists seek complex answers to what many would consider simple questions. Berger asserted that four key questions allow sociologists to see the connections between everyday life and the overarching social structure and forces that shape it. They are:

• What are people doing with each other here?
• What are their relationships to each other?
• How are these relationships organized in institutions?
• What are the collective ideas that move men and institutions?

Berger suggested that asking these questions transforms the familiar into something otherwise unseen, leading to “a transformation of consciousness.” C. Wright Mills called this transformation “ the sociological imagination .” When individuals examine the world this way, they see how their present-day experiences and personal biographies sit within the trajectory of history. Using the sociological imagination to examine our own lives, we might question how social structures, forces, and relationships have given us certain privileges , like access to wealth and prestigious schools. We might also consider how social forces like racism might disadvantage us in comparison to others.

The Importance of Historical Context

The sociological perspective always includes historical context, because if we want to understand why things are the way they are, we have to understand how they got there. So, sociologists often take the long view, looking at the shifting nature of the class structure over time, the evolution of the relationship between the economy and culture , and the limited access to rights and resources that continue to impact historically marginalized people today.

The Sociological Perspective

Mills believed that the sociological imagination could empower people to change their lives and society because it allows us to see perceived “personal troubles," like not making enough money to support ourselves , in context. Rather than personal problems, these troubles are “public issues,” as they stem from social structure flaws such as inadequate wages.

The sociological imagination points to the crux of the sociological perspective—that society is a social product, and, as such, its structures and institutions are changeable. Just as social structures and forces shape our lives, our choices and actions influence the nature of society. Throughout our daily lives, our behavior either validates society or challenges it to improve. The sociological perspective allows us to see how both outcomes are possible.

• Introduction to Sociology
• Definition of Idiographic and Nomothetic
• All About Marxist Sociology
• Macro- and Microsociology
• Definition of Cultural Materialism
• The Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
• How Do Sociologists Define Consumption?
• Sociology of Work and Industry
• Sociology of Health and Illness
• Famous Sociologists
• Definition of Aggregate and Social Aggregate
• What is a Norm? Why Does it Matter?
• Understanding Socialization in Sociology
• Units of Analysis as Related to Sociology
• Definition of the Sociological Imagination and Overview of the Book
• Biography of Patricia Hill Collins, Esteemed Sociologist

Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Sociological Perspective

Essays on Sociological Perspective

The importance of writing an essay on sociological perspective.

Writing an essay on sociological perspective is important because it allows you to analyze and understand society from a broader and more critical point of view. Sociological perspective helps you to see the world through a different lens, and writing an essay on this topic can help you to develop a deeper understanding of social issues and the ways in which they impact individuals and groups.

When writing an essay on sociological perspective, it's important to consider the various sociological theories and concepts that are relevant to the topic you are exploring. This might include structural functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism, or feminist theory, among others. By incorporating these theories into your essay, you can provide a more comprehensive and nuanced analysis of the social issues at hand.

Additionally, it's important to use evidence and examples to support your arguments and demonstrate the relevance of sociological perspective to real-world situations. This might involve citing empirical studies, historical events, or current social trends to illustrate the ways in which sociological perspective can help us to understand and address social problems.

Writing an essay on sociological perspective also requires critical thinking and the ability to consider multiple perspectives. It's important to acknowledge the complexities and contradictions inherent in social issues, and to recognize that there are often no easy answers or simple solutions. By engaging with different viewpoints and considering the broader social context, you can develop a more well-rounded and informed analysis in your essay.

Writing an essay on sociological perspective is important because it allows you to deepen your understanding of social issues and the ways in which they are shaped by larger social forces. By incorporating sociological theories, using evidence and examples, and engaging with multiple perspectives, you can develop a more comprehensive and insightful analysis of the social issues at hand.

• The sociological perspective on crime and deviance
• The impact of social class on educational attainment
• Gender inequality in the workplace: a sociological perspective
• The sociological perspective on media and its influence on society
• The role of religion in society from a sociological perspective
• The sociological perspective on family dynamics and relationships
• The impact of globalization on society from a sociological perspective
• The sociological perspective on health and healthcare disparities
• The effects of technology on society from a sociological perspective
• The sociological perspective on racial and ethnic inequality
• The role of social institutions in shaping individual behavior
• The sociological perspective on social movements and activism
• The impact of urbanization on society from a sociological perspective
• The sociological perspective on mental health and illness
• The influence of social norms and values on individual behavior
• The sociological perspective on environmental issues and sustainability
• The role of socialization in shaping individual identity
• The impact of social change on society from a sociological perspective
• The sociological perspective on immigration and its effects on society
• The influence of social networks on individual behavior and relationships

The sociological perspective provides a unique lens through which to examine and understand the complexities of society. By analyzing social structures, institutions, and interactions, sociologists are able to uncover the underlying patterns and processes that shape human behavior and societal dynamics.

One of the key areas of focus within the sociological perspective is the study of crime and deviance. Sociologists seek to understand the social factors that contribute to criminal behavior and the ways in which society responds to deviant acts. By examining the influence of social class, race, and gender on crime rates and the criminal justice system, sociologists are able to shed light on the broader social implications of criminal behavior.

Another important topic within the sociological perspective is the impact of social class on educational attainment. Sociologists study the ways in which social and economic inequalities affect access to quality education and opportunities for academic success. By examining the disparities in educational outcomes based on social class, sociologists are able to identify the structural barriers that perpetuate inequality and limit social mobility.

Gender inequality in the workplace is also a significant focus within the sociological perspective. Sociologists analyze the ways in which gender roles and stereotypes influence employment opportunities, wages, and career advancement. By examining the social and cultural factors that contribute to gender inequality, sociologists are able to advocate for policies and practices that promote gender equity in the workplace.

The sociological perspective also offers valuable insights into the role of media in shaping societal attitudes and behaviors. Sociologists study the ways in which media messages and representations influence public opinion, consumer behavior, and social norms. By examining the impact of media on society, sociologists are able to identify the potential for media to perpetuate stereotypes and promote social change.

Religion is another important area of study within the sociological perspective. Sociologists seek to understand the ways in which religious beliefs and practices shape individual and collective identities, as well as the ways in which religion intersects with other social institutions. By examining the role of religion in society, sociologists are able to uncover the diverse ways in which religious beliefs and practices influence social behavior and cultural practices.

The sociological perspective also provides valuable insights into family dynamics and relationships. Sociologists study the ways in which family structures and roles are shaped by social and cultural factors, as well as the ways in which family dynamics influence individual development and well-being. By examining the complexities of family life, sociologists are able to identify the ways in which social institutions and processes impact the ways in which families function and evolve over time.

Globalization is another important area of study within the sociological perspective. Sociologists seek to understand the ways in which economic, political, and cultural forces shape global interconnectedness and the ways in which globalization influences individual and collective identities. By examining the impact of globalization on society, sociologists are able to identify the ways in which global processes and trends shape local communities and individual lives.

Health and healthcare disparities are also a significant focus within the sociological perspective. Sociologists study the ways in which social and economic factors influence access to healthcare, as well as the ways in which social inequalities contribute to disparities in health outcomes. By examining the social determinants of health, sociologists are able to advocate for policies and practices that promote health equity and improve the well-being of individuals and communities.

The influence of technology on society is another important topic within the sociological perspective. Sociologists seek to understand the ways in which technological advancements shape social interactions, cultural practices, and economic structures. By examining the impact of technology on society, sociologists are able to identify the ways in which digital technologies influence social behavior and cultural practices.

Racial and ethnic inequality is also a significant focus within the sociological perspective. Sociologists study the ways in which race and ethnicity intersect with social institutions and processes to produce and perpetuate social inequalities. By examining the impact of race and ethnicity on society, sociologists are able to advocate for policies and practices that promote racial and ethnic equity and challenge systemic discrimination and prejudice.

Social institutions also play a critical role in shaping individual behavior and societal dynamics. Sociologists study the ways in which social institutions such as education, family, religion, and government influence the ways in which individuals interact with one another and participate in collective life. By examining the role of social institutions in society, sociologists are able to uncover the ways in which social structures and processes shape the ways in which individuals experience and navigate the world around them.

Social movements and activism are also important areas of focus within the sociological perspective. Sociologists study the ways in which social movements and collective action shape social change and challenge existing power structures. By examining the dynamics of social movements, sociologists are able to identify the ways in which social movements and activism influence public opinion and policy outcomes.

Urbanization is another important area of study within the sociological perspective. Sociologists seek to understand the ways in which urbanization influences social interactions, cultural practices, and economic structures. By examining the impact of urbanization on society, sociologists are able to identify the ways in which urban environments shape social behavior and cultural practices.

Mental health and illness are also significant areas of focus within the sociological perspective. Sociologists study the ways in which social and cultural factors influence mental health outcomes and the ways in which mental illness is stigmatized and marginalized within society. By examining the social determinants of mental health, sociologists are able to advocate for policies and practices that promote mental health equity and challenge the stigma associated with mental illness.

Social norms and values also play a critical role in shaping individual behavior and societal dynamics. Sociologists study the ways in which social norms and values influence social interactions, cultural practices, and institutional structures. By examining the influence of social norms and values on society, sociologists are able to uncover the ways in which cultural practices and collective beliefs shape the ways in which individuals experience and navigate the world around them.

Environmental issues and sustainability are also important areas of study within the sociological perspective. Sociologists seek to understand the ways in which social and economic factors influence environmental degradation and the ways in which environmental issues intersect with social institutions and processes. By examining the impact of environmental issues on society, sociologists are able to advocate for policies and practices that promote environmental sustainability and challenge the systemic factors that contribute to environmental degradation.

Socialization is another important area of focus within the sociological perspective. Sociologists study the ways in which socialization influences individual development and the ways in which individuals learn and internalize cultural norms and values. By examining the process of socialization, sociologists are able to identify the ways in which social structures and processes shape the ways in which individuals develop and participate in social life.

Social change is also a significant focus within the sociological perspective. Sociologists study the ways in which social change shapes societal dynamics and the ways in which individuals and communities adapt to and resist social transformations. By examining the impact of social change on society, sociologists are able to identify the ways in which social structures and processes influence the ways in which individuals experience and navigate the world around them.

Immigration and its effects on society is another important area of study within the sociological perspective. Sociologists seek to understand the ways in which immigration influences social interactions, cultural practices, and economic structures. By examining the impact of immigration on society, sociologists are able to identify the ways in which immigrant communities shape social behavior and cultural practices.

Social networks also play a critical role in shaping individual behavior and relationships. Sociologists study the ways in which social networks influence social interactions, cultural practices, and economic structures. By examining the influence of social networks on society, sociologists are able to uncover the ways in which social structures and processes shape the ways in which individuals experience and navigate the world around them.

The sociological perspective offers valuable insights into the complexities of society and the ways in which social structures and processes shape individual behavior and societal dynamics. By examining the influence of social institutions, cultural practices, and social norms, sociologists are able to uncover the underlying patterns and processes that shape human behavior and societal dynamics. Through the study of crime and deviance, social class, gender inequality, media, religion, family dynamics, globalization, health, technology, racial and ethnic inequality, social institutions, social movements, urbanization, mental health, social norms and values, environmental issues, socialization, social change, immigration, and social networks, sociologists are able to identify the ways in which social structures and processes influence the ways in which individuals experience and navigate the world around them.

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95 Sociological Perspectives Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best sociological perspectives topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on sociological perspectives, 📌 simple & easy sociological perspectives essay titles.

• 🔎 Most Interesting Sociological Perspectives Topics to Write abouts
• Alice in Wonderland: Theory and Post-Structuralism Examples Post-structuralism theory is one of those that is perfectly applied to the Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland by means of pure relation between language and social organization, between different kinds of feminism and power, and the […]
• Structuralism and Post-Structuralism in Media The simple meaning in such settings shows that the head of state is the president, followed down to the ordinary citizen. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: Structuralism and Post-Structuralism In the fields of literature, and design, architecture, in addition to marketing business and the interpretation of culture, history and law are started to analyze on the basis of post-structuralism in the nineteen sixties of […]
• The Role of Structuralism in Linguistics However, the works by Ferdinand de Saussure remain to be the most significant sources which define the nature of structuralism and the development of structural linguistics.
• Sociological Perspectives on the Mass Media In the conflict theory, it is stated that the mass media may appear autonomous but it is really focused on the capitalists who have monopolized media houses. Functionalism, interactionism and conflict theories all accept that […]
• Functionalism, Conflict and Interactionism in Sociological Theories According to the views of the conflict theory, the main purpose of education in the society is maintaining social inequality as well as the power of those who rule in the society.
• Difference Between Structuralism and Post-structuralism In its turn, the post-structuralism movement criticizes strict adherence to theoretical foundations and focuses more on the study of the object, as well as on knowledge that is directly associated with the object produced. Specifically, […]
• Symbolic Interactionism on Drug Addiction Genetic factors in addiction include the number of receptors in the brain that influence the perception of drugs and other substances.
• Comparison of Structural-Functionalism and Critical Sociology Really as members of the community work together to meet the needs of society, culture exists to satisfy the fundamental requirements of its members.
• Emile Durkheim’s Theory of Functionalism A change in any part is seen as leading to a certain degree of imbalance, which in turn results in changes in other parts of the system and, to some extent, to a reorganization of […]
• Youth Crime in Functionalism and Conflict Theories The analysis will focus on determining factors contributing to youth engagement in criminal acts, examining the types of delinquencies they are likely to commit, and establishing the socio-psychological facets associated with the teenagers in the […]
• Views on Graffiti From Sociological Perspectives He intimates that graffiti drawing is a sign of deviance and has a corroding effect on the character of an individual.
• How Durkheim’s Functionalism May Help With Violence The first example is internal, and the second is external, but both of them are social facts, as they are formed and maintained by societal structure.
• Sociological perspectives of Gender Inequality The events taking place in the modern world and the occurrence of the feminist movements during the past few decades can be used to offer a deeper understanding on the subject of gender inequality and […]
• Inequality in Society: Conflict and Functionalism Theories Functionalism theory views inequality as unavoidable and important to the society while conflict theory considers inequality to result from conflict and coercion in the social system.
• Post Structuralism in Modern Day Society Post structuralism in teaching can be regarded as critical in the modern world since it is diversified and ideas are used in respect to the way they are expressed or brought to existence.
• Sociological Perspectives: Employer/Employee Relations In addition, such issues determine not only the success of the individual employees of the organization but also the success of the whole society.
• Society in Terms of Structural Functionalism Approach According to the theory, the society is taken as a living organism, with different organs, which are mandated to perform different duties for the general welfare of the community.
• Todorov’s View on Structuralism In this article, Todorov argued that the manifestation of the “repetition and difference” aspect of the narrative requires the application of a specific formula.
• Sociological Perspectives and Their Approaches to Research For example, in capitalism, the social conflict stems from the inequalities between the working class and the bourgeoisie, and it is assumed to lead to social change in the future.
• The Adoption of Structuralism and Post-Structuralism Basics in Feminist Cultural Theory On the contrary, post structuralism is opposite to such an assumption and uses the concept of deconstruction in order to explain the relations and the position of women in the society.
• Conflict Perspective of the Immigrants Most of the immigrants are required to learn new languages or culture and these requirements are too tasking for some of the immigrants and they prefer to stay in foreign lands only for a particular […]
• Structural Functionalism and Symbolic Interactionism Structural functionalism and symbolic interactionism are concepts that enable comprehension of the nature of the interaction between society and the individual and explain the educational process.
• Functionalism School of Psychology John Dewey, the founder of functionalism, was the first to apply functionalism to social education and addressing social problems. James Angel, a student of Dewey, studied the functions of the mind and mental processes.
• “On Functionalism and Materialism” by Paul Churchland That being the case, the concept mainly focuses on the relationships between outputs and the targeted inputs. This knowledge explains why the two aspects of materialism will make it easier for individuals to redefine their […]
• Development of Structuralism as a Systemic Movement in Psychology However, in his attempts to expand the ideology, Titchener deviated from some of his mentor’s teachings and misrepresented some parts of it.
• Structuralism, Functionalism and Cognitive Theory in Psychology This was done by Ferdinand de Saussure, the French psychologists firmly believed that the theory of Structuralism was not restricted to linguistics alone and later this theory was also applied to various other subjects. Structuralism […]
• Sociological Perspectives on Crimes of Power: Enron Selfish ambitions of people are dangerous to the organization because this will lead to the downfall of the company in the long run as it happened with Enron.
• Apple’s Advertisements From Sociological Perspectives In this case, a group of individuals argues that not everyone can access the iPhone and television for social stability. Through businesses and entertainment, a society is made, thus symbolizing the positivity of this advertisement.
• Durkheim’s Functionalism and Marx’s Conflict Theory According to Durkheim, there is vital interconnectivity of all the elements of any society that share common ideas and principles, and the sum of these elements is not as great as the society itself.
• Symbolic Interactionism and Freud’s Theory of Personality According to Mead, the self, being a part of one’s personality, consists of self-image and self-awareness and results from social experience.
• Marketing Theories: Symbolic Interactionism and Looking Glass Self According to Reynolds and Herman-Kinney, symbolic interactionism theory explains that people behave in accordance to the ascribed meanings of the products. For instance, symbolic interactionism theory helps MacDonald Company to design products that match the […]
• Medical Care Crisis From Conflict Perspective The ways that these diseases are managed by the healthcare systems across the board, such as quarantine and social distancing measures, result in the deteriorated mental health state of the patients.
• The Functionalism Theory Assumptions of Terrorism The functionalism theory echoes the candid assumptions of terrorism and further resonates with the evolving terrorism threat. As Barkan outlines, the functionalism perspective postulates that terrorism creates social bonding and solidarity within societies at war.
• Institution of Marriage: The Sociological Perspectives However, sociological studies played a pivotal role in defining the main tendencies of marriage as a social institute development from the end of World War II to the current realities.
• Sociological Perspectives: Functional, Conflict, or Symbolic Interaction The conflict perspective examines inequalities among those groups, and the most common criteria of the analysis on that topic are psychological and social.
• How Sociological Perspectives Approach Social Problems Family breakups are a threat to the society and in an effort to seek for corrective measures; the sociologists can employ the three approaches.
• Functionalism, Social Exchange and Rational Choice The functionalist theory seeks to analyze the significance of each of the constituents of the society and establish the purpose they serve to ensure that social stability is maintained.
• Functionalism in the Marxist Venezuelan State This is already a good example of the use of the diplomatic organs of state to promote the survival of the Chavez regime.
• Sociological Imagination, Functional Analysis, and Sociological Perspectives It could also be seen in terms of the fact whether the visitors are seriously intended on the purchase or just to look around the place and spend time.
• Sociological Perspectives in Organizational Set-Up The interest of the owners lies in maintaining their authority and control over economic decisions, whereas the interest of the workers lies in overthrowing that class in order to be able to reap the profits […]
• European Integration: Neo-Functionalism of the 1960s In responding to this pertinent question concerning the validity of spillover in the political integration of the European states, it is important to comprehend that the political spillover is evaluated to be less impractical compared […]
• Symbolic Interactionism and Socialization These basic functions initiate from our biological life cycle, and fulfil the necessity to be fully utilised to that extent where they are useful to the members of any society who teach the young how […]
• Functionalism Today in Putnam’s Perspectives Nowadays, millions of people are interested in developing discussions about the role of the philosophy of mind in human behaviour, the quality of the relationships between mind and brain, and the way of how the […]
• Structuralism and Its Principles in Psychology The given paper delves into the basic principles of structuralism and the impact it has on the analysis and understanding of certain issues.
• European Integration: Intergovernmentalism and Neo-functionalism The formation of the Council of Europe among Western European countries in 1949 marked the beginning of the establishment of the European Union.
• Structural Functionalism and Social Conflict Theories This paper discusses the structural functionalism and social conflict theories to give a detailed explanation of the controversial understandings of human life about the role taken by the environment in creating social cohesion in the […]
• The Connection Between Totemism and Structuralism For instance, according to the biological linkages, kinship systems are constructed from the relationship between the father and the son, the mother and the daughter, and the father and the mother.
• Inflation Causes: Structuralism and Monetarism One of the features of this kind of inflation is a rapid rise in the price level with the currency loosing its value.
• Social Issue: Concepts of Sociological Imagination and Sociological Perspectives Sociology is a subject that offers insight into behavior of individuals and groups of people in a society and its scope covers established relationships between people in a society, the effects of such relationships on […]
• Income Inequality in Marxism, Structuralism, Neoliberalism, and Dependency Theory The peculiar features of every country’s development should be discussed from the point of the character of the economic relations within the country and from the point of the country’s position within the global economic […]
• Structural Functionalism and Yard Sales The theory uses the analogy of the human body, which is composed of various organs like the heart, the lungs, eyes, nose among others.
• Definition of the Functionalism Theory in Society The underlying principle behind the functionalism theory is to relate the working of a society as one whole being that depends on several other organs and sub-organs for a complete compatibility and functioning of a […]
• Sociological Perspectives on Religion Poor members of the society cling to religion and the political systems may tend to support it so as to acquire social control.
• Impact of Functionalism, Conflict, and Interactionism on a Social Institution The laws ought to protect the property of those who are in power at the same time control the behavior of those who do not conform to the needs of the elite of the society.
• Home Schooling and Its Sociological Perspectives
• Gays and Hate Crimes From Sociological Perspectives
• Same-Sex Marriages and Its Sociological Perspectives
• Explaining the Sociological Perspectives in Health and Social Care
• Understanding War Through Sociological Perspectives
• Youth and New Sociological Perspectives on Youth Experiences
• Family Through the Different Sociological Perspectives
• Major Theoretical Sociological Perspectives: Similarities and Differences
• Explaining the Principle of Sociological Perspectives
• Deviance and Crime From a Sociological Perspective
• Sociological Perspectives and How Despite Their Differences, They Are Use
• Application of Sociological Perspectives in the Practice of Social Service Professionals
• Gangs From Different Sociological Perspectives and Theories
• Deviance and the Three Sociological Perspectives
• Differences Between Three Sociological Perspectives: Functionalism, Marxism, and Symbolic Interactionism
• Sociological Perspectives of Sexual Orientation and Inequality
• Comparing Different Sociological Perspectives on Religion
• The Meaning of the Sociological Perspective and the Sociological Theories
• Hostile Behavior From Sociological Perspectives
• Explaining Crime and Deviance Using Sociological Perspectives

🔎 Most Interesting Sociological Perspectives Topics to Write about

• Explanation for Criminality from a Sociological Perspective
• Comparing and Evaluating the Sociological Perspectives on the Role of Education
• The Sociological Perspectives on Crime Prevention
• Gender Roles Analyzed Through Four Major Sociological Perspectives
• Explaining the Key Sociological Perspectives
• Climate Change and Society: Sociological Perspectives
• The Three Major Sociological Perspectives: Functionalism, Symbolic Interactionism, and Conflict Theory
• Explaining Teen Pregnancy From a Sociological Perspective
• Quest for Alternative Sociological Perspectives on Corporate Social and Environmental Reporting
• Explaining the Four Sociological Perspectives: Functionalist, Conflict Theory, Interactionism, and Feminism
• Sociological Perspectives and the Education System
• Sociological Perspectives and the Social Institution of the Family
• Psychological and Sociological Perspectives on Smoking
• Neoclassical and Sociological Perspectives on Segmented Labor Markets
• The Causes of Prejudice and Discrimination From Sociological Perspectives
• The Functions of Mass Media From the Sociological Perspective
• Observing Different Sociological Perspectives of Deviance
• Nursing Shortage: Three Sociological Perspectives
• Comparing of Sociological Perspectives and the Functionalist Perspectives
• Sociological Perspectives and Research Governing Sex and Gender
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What this handout is about

This handout introduces you to the wonderful world of writing sociology. Before you can write a clear and coherent sociology paper, you need a firm understanding of the assumptions and expectations of the discipline. You need to know your audience, the way they view the world and how they order and evaluate information. So, without further ado, let’s figure out just what sociology is, and how one goes about writing it.

What is sociology, and what do sociologists write about?

Unlike many of the other subjects here at UNC, such as history or English, sociology is a new subject for many students. Therefore, it may be helpful to give a quick introduction to what sociologists do. Sociologists are interested in all sorts of topics. For example, some sociologists focus on the family, addressing issues such as marriage, divorce, child-rearing, and domestic abuse, the ways these things are defined in different cultures and times, and their effect on both individuals and institutions. Others examine larger social organizations such as businesses and governments, looking at their structure and hierarchies. Still others focus on social movements and political protest, such as the American civil rights movement. Finally, sociologists may look at divisions and inequality within society, examining phenomena such as race, gender, and class, and their effect on people’s choices and opportunities. As you can see, sociologists study just about everything. Thus, it is not the subject matter that makes a paper sociological, but rather the perspective used in writing it.

So, just what is a sociological perspective? At its most basic, sociology is an attempt to understand and explain the way that individuals and groups interact within a society. How exactly does one approach this goal? C. Wright Mills, in his book The Sociological Imagination (1959), writes that “neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both.” Why? Well, as Karl Marx observes at the beginning of The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (1852), humans “make their own history, but they do not make it just as they please; they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly encountered, given and transmitted from the past.” Thus, a good sociological argument needs to balance both individual agency and structural constraints. That is certainly a tall order, but it is the basis of all effective sociological writing. Keep it in mind as you think about your own writing.

Key assumptions and characteristics of sociological writing

What are the most important things to keep in mind as you write in sociology? Pay special attention to the following issues.

The first thing to remember in writing a sociological argument is to be as clear as possible in stating your thesis. Of course, that is true in all papers, but there are a couple of pitfalls common to sociology that you should be aware of and avoid at all cost. As previously defined, sociology is the study of the interaction between individuals and larger social forces. Different traditions within sociology tend to favor one side of the equation over the other, with some focusing on the agency of individual actors and others on structural factors. The danger is that you may go too far in either of these directions and thus lose the complexity of sociological thinking. Although this mistake can manifest itself in any number of ways, three types of flawed arguments are particularly common: 

• The “ individual argument ” generally takes this form: “The individual is free to make choices, and any outcomes can be explained exclusively through the study of their ideas and decisions.” While it is of course true that we all make our own choices, we must also keep in mind that, to paraphrase Marx, we make these choices under circumstances given to us by the structures of society. Therefore, it is important to investigate what conditions made these choices possible in the first place, as well as what allows some individuals to successfully act on their choices while others cannot.
• The “ human nature argument ” seeks to explain social behavior through a quasi-biological argument about humans, and often takes a form such as: “Humans are by nature X, therefore it is not surprising that Y.” While sociologists disagree over whether a universal human nature even exists, they all agree that it is not an acceptable basis of explanation. Instead, sociology demands that you question why we call some behavior natural, and to look into the social factors which have constructed this “natural” state.
• The “ society argument ” often arises in response to critiques of the above styles of argumentation, and tends to appear in a form such as: “Society made me do it.” Students often think that this is a good sociological argument, since it uses society as the basis for explanation. However, the problem is that the use of the broad concept “society” masks the real workings of the situation, making it next to impossible to build a strong case. This is an example of reification, which is when we turn processes into things. Society is really a process, made up of ongoing interactions at multiple levels of size and complexity, and to turn it into a monolithic thing is to lose all that complexity. People make decisions and choices. Some groups and individuals benefit, while others do not. Identifying these intermediate levels is the basis of sociological analysis.

Although each of these three arguments seems quite different, they all share one common feature: they assume exactly what they need to be explaining. They are excellent starting points, but lousy conclusions.

Once you have developed a working argument, you will next need to find evidence to support your claim. What counts as evidence in a sociology paper? First and foremost, sociology is an empirical discipline. Empiricism in sociology means basing your conclusions on evidence that is documented and collected with as much rigor as possible. This evidence usually draws upon observed patterns and information from collected cases and experiences, not just from isolated, anecdotal reports. Just because your second cousin was able to climb the ladder from poverty to the executive boardroom does not prove that the American class system is open. You will need more systematic evidence to make your claim convincing. Above all else, remember that your opinion alone is not sufficient support for a sociological argument. Even if you are making a theoretical argument, you must be able to point to documented instances of social phenomena that fit your argument. Logic is necessary for making the argument, but is not sufficient support by itself.

Sociological evidence falls into two main groups: 

• Quantitative data are based on surveys, censuses, and statistics. These provide large numbers of data points, which is particularly useful for studying large-scale social processes, such as income inequality, population changes, changes in social attitudes, etc.
• Qualitative data, on the other hand, comes from participant observation, in-depth interviews, data and texts, as well as from the researcher’s own impressions and reactions. Qualitative research gives insight into the way people actively construct and find meaning in their world.

Quantitative data produces a measurement of subjects’ characteristics and behavior, while qualitative research generates information on their meanings and practices. Thus, the methods you choose will reflect the type of evidence most appropriate to the questions you ask. If you wanted to look at the importance of race in an organization, a quantitative study might use information on the percentage of different races in the organization, what positions they hold, as well as survey results on people’s attitudes on race. This would measure the distribution of race and racial beliefs in the organization. A qualitative study would go about this differently, perhaps hanging around the office studying people’s interactions, or doing in-depth interviews with some of the subjects. The qualitative researcher would see how people act out their beliefs, and how these beliefs interact with the beliefs of others as well as the constraints of the organization.

Some sociologists favor qualitative over quantitative data, or vice versa, and it is perfectly reasonable to rely on only one method in your own work. However, since each method has its own strengths and weaknesses, combining methods can be a particularly effective way to bolster your argument. But these distinctions are not just important if you have to collect your own data for your paper. You also need to be aware of them even when you are relying on secondary sources for your research. In order to critically evaluate the research and data you are reading, you should have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the different methods.

Units of analysis

Given that social life is so complex, you need to have a point of entry into studying this world. In sociological jargon, you need a unit of analysis. The unit of analysis is exactly that: it is the unit that you have chosen to analyze in your study. Again, this is only a question of emphasis and focus, and not of precedence and importance. You will find a variety of units of analysis in sociological writing, ranging from the individual up to groups or organizations. You should choose yours based on the interests and theoretical assumptions driving your research. The unit of analysis will determine much of what will qualify as relevant evidence in your work. Thus you must not only clearly identify that unit, but also consistently use it throughout your paper.

Let’s look at an example to see just how changing the units of analysis will change the face of research. What if you wanted to study globalization? That’s a big topic, so you will need to focus your attention. Where would you start?

You might focus on individual human actors, studying the way that people are affected by the globalizing world. This approach could possibly include a study of Asian sweatshop workers’ experiences, or perhaps how consumers’ decisions shape the overall system.

Or you might choose to focus on social structures or organizations. This approach might involve looking at the decisions being made at the national or international level, such as the free-trade agreements that change the relationships between governments and corporations. Or you might look into the organizational structures of corporations and measure how they are changing under globalization. Another structural approach would be to focus on the social networks linking subjects together. That could lead you to look at how migrants rely on social contacts to make their way to other countries, as well as to help them find work upon their arrival.

Finally, you might want to focus on cultural objects or social artifacts as your unit of analysis. One fine example would be to look at the production of those tennis shoes the kids seem to like so much. You could look at either the material production of the shoe (tracing it from its sweatshop origins to its arrival on the showroom floor of malls across America) or its cultural production (attempting to understand how advertising and celebrities have turned such shoes into necessities and cultural icons).

Whichever unit of analysis you choose, be careful not to commit the dreaded ecological fallacy. An ecological fallacy is when you assume that something that you learned about the group level of analysis also applies to the individuals that make up that group. So, to continue the globalization example, if you were to compare its effects on the poorest 20% and the richest 20% of countries, you would need to be careful not to apply your results to the poorest and richest individuals.

These are just general examples of how sociological study of a single topic can vary. Because you can approach a subject from several different perspectives, it is important to decide early how you plan to focus your analysis and then stick with that perspective throughout your paper. Avoid mixing units of analysis without strong justification. Different units of analysis generally demand different kinds of evidence for building your argument. You can reconcile the varying levels of analysis, but doing so may require a complex, sophisticated theory, no small feat within the confines of a short paper. Check with your instructor if you are concerned about this happening in your paper.

Typical writing assignments in sociology

So how does all of this apply to an actual writing assignment? Undergraduate writing assignments in sociology may take a number of forms, but they typically involve reviewing sociological literature on a subject; applying or testing a particular concept, theory, or perspective; or producing a small-scale research report, which usually involves a synthesis of both the literature review and application.

The critical review

The review involves investigating the research that has been done on a particular topic and then summarizing and evaluating what you have found. The important task in this kind of assignment is to organize your material clearly and synthesize it for your reader. A good review does not just summarize the literature, but looks for patterns and connections in the literature and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of what others have written on your topic. You want to help your reader see how the information you have gathered fits together, what information can be most trusted (and why), what implications you can derive from it, and what further research may need to be done to fill in gaps. Doing so requires considerable thought and organization on your part, as well as thinking of yourself as an expert on the topic. You need to assume that, even though you are new to the material, you can judge the merits of the arguments you have read and offer an informed opinion of which evidence is strongest and why.

Application or testing of a theory or concept

The application assignment asks you to apply a concept or theoretical perspective to a specific example. In other words, it tests your practical understanding of theories and ideas by asking you to explain how well they apply to actual social phenomena. In order to successfully apply a theory to a new case, you must include the following steps:

• First you need to have a very clear understanding of the theory itself: not only what the theorist argues, but also why they argue that point, and how they justify it. That is, you have to understand how the world works according to this theory and how one thing leads to another.
• Next you should choose an appropriate case study. This is a crucial step, one that can make or break your paper. If you choose a case that is too similar to the one used in constructing the theory in the first place, then your paper will be uninteresting as an application, since it will not give you the opportunity to show off your theoretical brilliance. On the other hand, do not choose a case that is so far out in left field that the applicability is only superficial and trivial. In some ways theory application is like making an analogy. The last thing you want is a weak analogy, or one that is so obvious that it does not give any added insight. Instead, you will want to choose a happy medium, one that is not obvious but that allows you to give a developed analysis of the case using the theory you chose.
• This leads to the last point, which is the analysis. A strong analysis will go beyond the surface and explore the processes at work, both in the theory and in the case you have chosen. Just like making an analogy, you are arguing that these two things (the theory and the example) are similar. Be specific and detailed in telling the reader how they are similar. In the course of looking for similarities, however, you are likely to find points at which the theory does not seem to be a good fit. Do not sweep this discovery under the rug, since the differences can be just as important as the similarities, supplying insight into both the applicability of the theory and the uniqueness of the case you are using.

You may also be asked to test a theory. Whereas the application paper assumes that the theory you are using is true, the testing paper does not makes this assumption, but rather asks you to try out the theory to determine whether it works. Here you need to think about what initial conditions inform the theory and what sort of hypothesis or prediction the theory would make based on those conditions. This is another way of saying that you need to determine which cases the theory could be applied to (see above) and what sort of evidence would be needed to either confirm or disconfirm the theory’s hypothesis. In many ways, this is similar to the application paper, with added emphasis on the veracity of the theory being used.

The research paper

Finally, we reach the mighty research paper. Although the thought of doing a research paper can be intimidating, it is actually little more than the combination of many of the parts of the papers we have already discussed. You will begin with a critical review of the literature and use this review as a basis for forming your research question. The question will often take the form of an application (“These ideas will help us to explain Z.”) or of hypothesis testing (“If these ideas are correct, we should find X when we investigate Y.”). The skills you have already used in writing the other types of papers will help you immensely as you write your research papers.

And so we reach the end of this all-too-brief glimpse into the world of sociological writing. Sociologists can be an idiosyncratic bunch, so paper guidelines and expectations will no doubt vary from class to class, from instructor to instructor. However, these basic guidelines will help you get started.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Cuba, Lee. 2002. A Short Guide to Writing About Social Science , 4th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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4.8: Introduction to Sociological Perspectives

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• Lumen Learning

What you’ll learn to do: differentiate between the three main theoretical paradigms in sociology and describe how they are used

In this section, you’ll learn about how sociologists use paradigms to understand the social world. A paradigm is a broad viewpoint, perspective, or lens that permit social scientists to have a wide range of tools to describe society, and then to build hypotheses and theories. You can also consider paradigms to be guiding principles or belief systems. In the text, you’ll sometimes see the word paradigm used interchangeably with perspective, theory, or approach.

In sociology, there are three main paradigms: the functionalist paradigm, the conflict paradigm, and the symbolic interactionist paradigm. These are not all of the paradigms, however, and we’ll consider others as well as more specific topic-based variations of each of the “Big Three” theories. As you read through the material in this section, consider which paradigm resonates the most with your own views about society.

• Introduction to Sociological Perspectives. Provided by : Lumen Learning. License : CC BY: Attribution
• The Three Sociological Paradigms/Perspectives. Authored by : Ruth Dunn. Located at : http://cnx.org/contents/M_RkLtXv@2/The-Three-Sociological-Paradig . License : CC BY: Attribution
• Theoretical Perspectives. Authored by : OpenStax CNX. Located at : https://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]:QMRfI2p1@11/Theoretical-Perspectives . License : CC BY: Attribution . License Terms : Download for free at http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected]
• People crossing street in Vienna. Authored by : Jacek Dylag. Provided by : Unsplash. Located at : https://unsplash.com/photos/PMxT0XtQ--A . License : CC0: No Rights Reserved . License Terms : https://unsplash.com/license

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Sociological Perspective, Essay Example

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A discussion of my family and the roles, functions and influences that can be identified using “sociological perspective / sociological imagination”

In lieu of family in the context of roles, the functions and influences that it has in the light of ‘sociological imagination’, it is clear the holistic ideas and ideals identified through the laid perspective of sociology has had an effect on the way I perceive the family. While thinking about the family, it is not easy to unravel it from the whole picture of sociology, which stresses on ‘human society and social interaction’, tenets that put it right at the middle of sociology and sociological imagination. As elaborated by C. Wright Mills the sociological imagination or perspective enables us to rightly distinguish our own troubles and those that are public issues. It is where the influence of the family on its entirety is manifested (Mills, 1959).

From a distinct standpoint, my family has been shaping the way I associate and socialize with whomever I have come across. When you think about the family, you cannot understand it until you look at the issue of socialization. It is generally what makes the family such a force to reckon with that has cumulative and utmost effects on the entire life of a person today, as well as shaping the future interaction and engagement on a social scale. In the light of the integrationist perspectives, where the focus is on how people try to make sense of their current and everyday social interactions, the socialization dimension from a family standpoint is even made clear. There is no way I would have understood myself, or I can understand myself today without the family ideals to help me in making sense of the world I find myself in at every given moment.

Come to think of it, the family was the first society I first came into contact with and as time progressed and I learnt the ideals that shaped the expectations of the family on my part, I realized that it is through the experience of my large family, the everyday struggles that sometimes became fist fights and word lashing, continued everyday counsel from my parents and the punishment that always followed any action that I carried out but contravened the accepted family values. It was through the family set standards and scales that governed the way I interacted with my neighbors, school mates from as early as kindergarten, where calling certain names was seen as taboo but when my kindergarten friend and immediate neighbor uttered them in their home, it was an acceptable behavior. It made me to finally start creating a distinction between the family and other realms within the wider society, since as I saw from my family standpoint; they seemed weaker ideals that might not be sufficient in dealing with my immediate demanding society at school.

Within the school the family ideals sometimes became a living guide upon which I drew the right direction to follow as well as the necessary motivation to endure and cater for the struggles that came with school life and other humanity within my neighborhood. At first it was impossible to realize the importance of the family interactive proportions that I went through everyday within the wider society, but come to think about it now, the family was everything in the way I handled the society with impeccable ease. This is evident in the line of language where being the vehicle upon which the struggles and ideals of a family and society are felt and depicted; I was able to blossom with the demands of the family and the wider society.

At home the struggle to be heard was not only a requirement but a necessity, since with brothers and sisters older than you it was only logical to be impeccable and effective in your communication, for you to beat the ensuing competition. My parents stressed the need to speak succinct English and to dissuade ourselves from the wider neighborhood ‘unique language’ that they detested vehemently. To them, the neighborhood language spoken a lot in a way that would make any grammar teacher furious had them judging the whole neighborhood as up to ‘no good’ simply because of the level of slang in use. But since the outside society represented so much in life, from the way I interacted with the opposite gender to the level of my friends, I had to balance between the family standards of language and the expectations of the society.

The gender and race part of my life was directly under the effect of the family. The family seemed to be the paradigm through which I reacted to the people I met outside our family home in terms of gender and ethnicity. With the love and appreciation I had for my mother, I never at any time viewed anybody as a weakling as an account of their gender affiliations, as compared to my neighborhood friends who associated different triumphs and challenges according to gender and ethnicity. In the question of ethnicity, my mother’s social demeanor seemed to cloud any negative stereotypes associated with ethnicity. She always entertaining different people from distinct racial backgrounds and until I was past high school did the question of race and ethnicity crop up in my mind, where until now, I always thank my family for the inculcated ideals and behaviors that I got from it and are still affecting me from viewing other people as from another ethnic entity rather than themselves as individuals. In fact, the question of race and socio-economic background were directly opposite each other, which depicts one of my family’s weaknesses. Since we were a modest second class family, the rich seemed to be well accepted within the realm of family ideals, from the desires of the future, the interaction of the moment to the response we had to those within the echelons of economic status. Needless to say, my family’s most friends were rich individuals or people with good jobs and good education.

In the case of culture, norms and morals, my family had an effect that still lasts to the present day, sometimes reinforcing many decisions I make today while at the same time panel-beating my judgment on most issues. Within the norms of the family, the idea of following what my parents passed as the laid out rules and norms made me resent some while most of the ideals I came to respect not a long time ago. With such family norms as discipline being severe, such as being grounded for a week for bringing shame to the family after the grade teacher had complained about my carelessness with school work, they had a lasting effect to how hard I worked to make sure I never faced the wrath of the family or lost face in front of my siblings with whom ours was an intense competition. Moral standards were an expectation my family laid out clearly, succinctly and with straightforward out rightness as if our lives depended on it. Being grounded for a week for name calling and bad behavior at school made the moral atmosphere at home very strong and somehow can be associated to the different paths we took after the clamor for independence was rife, mostly between my elder siblings, who achieved moral degradation after leaving home while some maintained their good ranks in morality. Personally, the effect of my family hammering the importance of respect and responsibility still echo in my mind, mostly when I am about to go contrary to those wishes.

In conclusion, the sociological imagination makes it so clear in the line of my family and the immediate context of society I always find myself in, that the development of our personal imagination does require that we take into account the perspectives of different individuals from diverse backgrounds, with the family being the basic background that shapes all the others (Ashley & Orenstein, 2005).

Ashley, D. & Orenstein, D.M. (2005). Sociological theory: Classical statements . Boston: Pearson Education.

Jay, M. (1996). The Dialectical Imagination: A History of the Frankfurt School and the Institute for Social Research 1923-1950 . Berkeley: University of California Press.

Mills, C. W. (1959). The Sociological Imagination . London: Oxford University Press.

Wilson, D. R. (2004). Researching Sociology on the Internet . Wadsworth: Thomson.

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Exploring Sociological Perspective

A society can be looked at from different perspectives and using different theories as coined by renowned socialists. There are different lenses through which a society and its structures can be studied. The three main sociological perspectives are conflict theory, functionalism, and symbolic interactionalism. All these three theories/perspectives explain and account for the prevailing social structure. However, the conflict theory is going to be explored in this paper to explain how explain how race and social class can be embedded in different social institutions. According to the conflict theory, the pervasive inequality in society can be caused by the glaring inequality in gender, race, social class, class superiority, and ethnic hostility, among other factors. Max went on to claim that the glaring inequality in the above factors has the potential to cause conflict in society, thereby leading to significant inequality in most social institutions and, by extension, society as a whole. Karl Max, who is the father of this theory, felt that capitalism was to blame for the polarization and breakdown of society. Accordingly, the conflict theory portends that capitalism leads to a breakdown in society since it potentially polarizes society into classes. Hence, in a capitalist society, two main social classes will arise. One of these social classes is the bourgeoisie, who are the owners of the means of production. These people are at the top of the social ladder and are inclined to rule the others. These people are economically and control major factors of production like land industries and have political power. For this reason, these people are at the helm of most social institutions. They have headed these institutions because they have the requisite economic power and political influence to control these institutions. Then, there is another social class, which is at the bottom of the pyramid. This social class is called the proletariat, who are responsible for the provision of labor services and do not enjoy the ownership of any means of production.

It is vital to appreciate that the proletariat, or the working class, is oppressed by the class that owns the means of production by being paid low wages for their labor services. The bourgeoisie or the ruling class are scared of the security of their social class. They fear that through revolution, they can be dislodged from that social class by having their means of production taken away by the subjects. This is why this class of people in society will do whatever is at their disposal to capture various social institutions firmly. The fear here is that when the proletariat is allowed to control these social institutions, they may change the status quo by dislodging the ruling class from their positions through conflict and taking away their factors for production. This is only when explained by the conflict theory as coined by Karl Max. Max argues that it is the social inequality and stratification that have given rise to social clashes, as the bourgeoisie has struggled to maintain the status quo (Turner 7). Max further explained that it is capitalism that ensured that the social classes proliferated since it led to unequal distribution of resources, thereby ensuring that some were perpetually poor while others were perpetually rich. With the proliferation of social classes, as explained by the conflict theory, different social institutions had to be led by the bourgeoisie to maintain their superior social status.

Race and racial inequality are embedded in different social institutions like the US. According to the conflict theory, racial inequality has the potential to cause racially-borne tensions. Through racial capitalism, the ownership of means of production is placed in the hands of the majority race, with the minorities left to languish in poverty and to provide cheap labor. Racial capitalism ensures that social and economic value is derived from racial identity (Leong 1). This racial capitalism explains why the non-whites or the minority communities in the US were related to the bottom of the social pyramid while most whites who owned factors of production became filthy rich and controlled various social institutions since they had the requisite economic and political influence needed to stamp their control in such social institutions. This further embedded race and racial inequality in these institutions. For example, through the racial inequality that was pervasive in the US society, blacks were relegated to inferior jobs in which they were paid poor wages. In contrast, the whites were in control of all the necessary social institutions like law enforcement institutions, judiciary, and schools, among others.

African Americans and other minority races were severely disenfranchised because of the so-called racial capitalism that ensured that social and economic value was linked to racial identity, with the majority white race enjoying economic and social value. There needed to be mounted spirited effort by legislative bodies at the time to ensure that the rights of African Americans were inscribed in law and to avoid disenfranchising them. This was not possible as most legislative bodies were made up of the majority of whites who were only preoccupied with stamping their control in American society. The flagrant disentrancement of Africans and other minority races took place without any meaningful action since those who could take action were not concerned with the affairs of these minorities. Capitalism, particularly, contributed to the poverty of minorities like African Americans since it led to unequal distribution of resources (Koepke 1). The white race, with historical advantage, owned nearly every means of production, leaving other minority groups to provide cheap labor, thereby exacerbating poverty among African Americans and other minority groups.

In conclusion, the conflict theory deeply explains why racial inequalities and social class have been embedded in different societies. The theory explains why and how capitalism led to the engravement of racial inequality and social classes in various social institutions. Capitalism led to unequal distribution of resources in society, thereby causing conflict in the society as the proletariat class fought against oppression.

Works Cited

Koepke, Deanna Jacobsen. “Race, class, poverty, and capitalism.”  Race, Gender & Class  (2007): 189-205.

Leong, Nancy. “Racial capitalism.”  Harv. L. Rev.  126 (2012): 2151.

Turner, Jonathan H. “Sociological theory today.”  Handbook of sociological theory . Boston, MA: Springer US, 2001. 1-17.

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