Relevance: Sociology Paper I: FUNDAMENTALS OF SOCIOLOGY: (b) Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences. Scope of the subject and comparison with other social sciences The scope of sociological study is extremely wide. It can focus its analysis on interactions between teachers and students, between two friends or family members etc. It can likewise focus on national issues such as unemployment or caste conflict or the effect of state policies on forest rights of the tribal population or rural indebtedness. Or examine global social processes such as: the impact of new flexible labour regulations on the working class; or that of the electronic media on the young: or the entry of foreign universities on the education system of the country. What defines the discipline of sociology is not just what it studies (i.e. family or trade unions or villages) but how it studies a chosen field. There has been a great deal of controversy regarding the subject matter of sociology. Sociologists of different schools differ in their views.
Criticism of Formalistic School : In criticism the following arguments have been advanced against Formalistic School:
Synthetic School
There is Unity of Data but difference in View point among different social sciences: Society is the subject matter of all social sciences but they all study it from different view points and in specific areas. In economics, the study from the economic view point concerns men’s activities pertaining to economic welfare and wealth. In political science, authority, government, etc., are studied from the political view point. Social psychology studies man’s behavior in groups. The scope of sociology differs from each of these sciences because it studies social relationships. But the study in this sphere necessitates a study of all these sciences. In studying any social phenomenon, it is necessary to contemplate upon all its aspects. Suppose that you want to analyse and study the causes of family disorganization from the sociological view point, and then you will have to seek the assistance of economics, history, psychology and other sciences. In this way, the scope of sociology includes the subject matter of all other sciences and it is studied from the sociological view point with the help of the other special sciences. The scope of sociology is further distinguished from other sciences in respect of its different viewpoints. In the words of Green, “The focus of attention upon social relationships makes sociology a distinctive field, however clearly allied to certain others it may seem to be.” To quote Bennett and Tumin, “no other discipline states or claims that its primary datum is that of the social aggregation of men.” Comparison of Sociology with Other Social Sciences Sociology is one of a group of social sciences, which also includes anthropology, economics, political science and history. The divisions among the various social sciences are not clear cut, and all share a certain range of common interests, concepts and methods. It is therefore very important to understand that the distinctions of the disciplines are to some extent arbitrary and should not be seen in a straitjacket fashion. To differentiate the social sciences would be to exaggerate the differences and gloss over the similarities. Furthermore feminist theories have also shown the greater need of interdisciplinary approach. For instance how would a political scientist or economist study gender roles and their implications for politics or the economy without sociology of the family or gender division of labour. Sociology and Economics:
Sociology and Political Science As in the case of economics, there is an increased interaction of methods and approaches between sociology and political science.
However, sociology long shared similar interests of research with political science.
Conclusion: It is becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish political science form political sociology. There are a number of Marxist studies having Marxist-socialist ideas as their hypothesis. Also as modern state is increasingly getting involved in providing welfare amenities, sociological slant to political activity and political thinking is gaining more and more acceptance. Sociology and History “Sociology without History is rootless and History without Sociology is fruitless”
Today, however, history is far more sociological and social history is the stuff of history. It looks at social patterns, gender relations, mores, customs and important institutions other than the acts of rulers, wars and monarchy. It has been well said that “sociology without history is rootless and history without sociology is fruitless” Sociology and Psychology
Conclusion: Yet, inspite of these efforts sociology and psychology continue to offer alternate accounts for behavior, and if they are to be brought closer together, it will be necessary to work out more rigorously the conceptual and theoretical links between them. SOCIOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY
Conclusion: In brief, although each social science, including philosophy, has its own specific area of study, there is a growing collaboration and faster cross fertilization among them. The unity of social science is best conceived as a unity of methods and of conceptual segments but not as a universal history. Sociology and Social Anthropology Anthropology in most countries incorporates archaeology, physical anthropology, cultural history, many branches of linguistics and the study of all aspects of life in “simple societies”.
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