Ideology, History And Classical Social Essay, Research Paper

 Ideology, History and Classical Social Theory

Sociology is a very important discipline to study. When you ask yourself where the term,

classical sociological theory derives from, the reading Sociological Theory written by David

Ashley suggest that certain sociological statements are classical first because they have an

ideological significance, and second because they have been instrumental in helping to build

sociology as an autonomous discipline and as an institutionalized profession. ?These two

characteristics are not mutually exclusive. To some extent, classical sociological theory was

always ideologically interested in its own legitimation?. Ashley suggest that sociological theory

is often said to have attained its maturity between 1880 and 1920. ?During this period, sociology

was established in its own right in the United States and in many Western European societies

Ideology is another term that Ashley defines for us, he says that it is largely a modern

invention because ?it is modernity that was responsible for the breakdown of the dogma and

uncertainties associated with traditional societies?. He goes on to say that ?ideology, in short,

represents a refusal to accept that present conditions reflect the best of all possible worlds. To

put the best possible gloss on ideology, we could say, it is a striving toward truth at a time during

which blind adherence to custom, tradition, and habit is loosening its grip on the human mind?.

When one searches for an appropriate meaning for sociology, many definitions will come

to mind. In her book, Understanding Social Problems, Schacht gives her definition by explaining

a scene in the movie Dead Poets? Society, with actor Robin Williams who plays an English

teacher in a private boys? school. She explains how in one scene he asks his students to get out of

their seats and, one by one, climb onto his desk at the front of the classroom, look around and

then return to their seats. All the students had questionable looks on their faces and reasonably

so; why did their teacher want them to stand on top of his desk and look around the room? The

teacher told them that he wanted them to view the world, beginning with the classroom, from a

new and different perspective. So sociology is a way of looking at the world from different

perspectives and theories.

Theories in sociology provide us with different perspectives with which to view our social

world. Now let me define these two important words in the world of sociology, perspective and

theory. ?A perspective is simply a way of looking at the world, and a theory is a set of

interrelated propositions or principles designed to answer a question or explain a particular

phenomenon, it provides us with a perspective? (10). Sociological theories help us to explain and

predict the social world in which we live.

In David Ashley?s book he states that, ?social theory requires that people think

comparatively?. There is absolutely no way a person can be closed minded when looking at

certain situations from the sociological theory or perspectives. The theorist in Ashley?s book

examine certain situations from three perspectives, structural functionalist, symbolic interactionist,

and conflict perspectives. These three perspectives are the same three that all sociologist us in

figuring out certain social problems and the reasons for why people do the things they do.

The first perspective we will examine is the structural-functionalist perspective. This

perspective is largely based on the works of Herbert Spencer, Emile Durkheim, Talcott Parsons,

and Robert Merton. In this perspective, society is a system of interconnected parts that work

together in harmony to maintain a state of balance and social equilibrium for the whole. This

perspective is basically based on structure and order.

The next perspective is the conflict perspective. The origins of the conflict perspective

can be traced to the classic works of Karl Marx. This perspective views society as comprised of

different groups and interest competing for power and resources. Schacht tells us that the conflict

perspective explains various aspects of our social world by looking at which groups have power

and benefit from a particular social arrangement.

The last perspective is the symbolic interactionist. This perspective was largely influenced

by Max Weber, Georg Simmel, Charles Horton Cooley, G. H. Mead, W. I. Thomas, Erving

Goffman, and Howard Becker. Symbolic interactionism emphasizes that human behavior is

influenced by definitions and meanings that are created and maintained through symbolic

interaction with others. Symbolic interactionists suggest that definitions are socially constructed

anew in each interactive setting. Just to explain in more detail and give an example of the

symbolic interactionist theory, an article out of the journal Social Theory and Practice, reviews an

essay by George Schedler entitled, Racist Symbols and Reparations. He says that the Confederate

Battle Flag is historically associated with slavery, segregation, and other manifestations of racism.

Yet it is displayed as an official symbol by several former confederate states. It currently flies

over the capital dome in Columbia, South Carolina and it flew over the capital dome in

Montgomery Alabama from 1963 until 1993, and it is incorporated into the state flags of

Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia.

Bibliography

Ashley, David. Sociological Theory – Classical Statements. Fifth edition. Massachusetts:

Needham Heights pub., 1998.

Schacht, Caroline. Understanding Social Problems. New York: West Publishing Company 1997.

Schedler, George. ?Racist Symbols and Reparations?. Vol. 26. Spring 2000. Social Theory and

Practice.