Socio105: L2

Sociology – the study of human social life, groups and societies.

Sociology teaches us that what we regard as natural, inevitable, good or
true may not be such. The “givens” of our life are strongly influenced by
historical and social forces (Giddens 2002).

Sociological Imagination: C Wright Mills

- Structure of this particular society at a given time?

- Bibliographies
- Histories
- Examining Social life

3 questions to ask:

- What is the structure of society as a whole at this time? What are

the essential components and its relationship? How does it differ
from social order?

- Where does this society stand in human history?

- What varieties of men and women now prevail in this period? In

what ways are these men and women in society are reformed?
Fundamentally, what is the meaning of human nature anyway?

What is Culture?

General Definition: shared knowledge, beliefs and values of members in

society

Anthropological Definition: a study of other cultures

High Culture: Great works of art and the values they embody
(Beethoven/plays of Shakespeare)

Low Culture (Popular culture of the masses): mass produced items

(CD’s DVD’s, Social media etc)

Culture is essentially the whole way of life of a particular group (working

class culture, Maori class culture etc). It is a particular way of life, which
expresses certain meanings and values not only in art and learning but
also in institutions and ordinary behaviour (Williams 2009).
Thus, the definition of culture is contested and is often argued by
scholars. There is no dominant definition of what culture should be and
what isn’t culture.

How do Sociologists study culture?

Humans create culture (culture is not given). Every culture made is

relative –it is not static as it changes over time. Culture can signify
certain things (social status, political resistance, consumption etc).

Sociology particularly focuses on the struggle of the meaning of different

forms of culture in an unequal (capitalist) society. The study of power,
who has it and the authority to define and shape our social reality (thus,
notions of what our culture is).

Summary of Lecture:

- Through studying human social life, groups and societies,

sociology questions what we often take for granted.

- Definitions of Culture is often contested is it the highest artistic

achievement