There is no
opinion on the scope of sociology at all. "Since sociology is such an
elastic science, it is difficult to determine just where its limits begin and
end, where sociology becomes social psychology and where social psychology
becomes sociology, or where economic theory becomes sociological doctrine or
biological theory becomes sociological theory, something that is impossible to
decide,” writes V. F. Calberton.
 |
| Scope of Sociology |
Why studying
Sociology is important?
Sociology
examines anything and anything under the sun. This view on the scope of
sociology is rather too vague. Sociology, in fact, has a limited field of
investigation and addresses those issues that are not addressed by other social
sciences.
Sociology is
the study of human interactions and interrelationships, as well as their
circumstances and consequences, in the widest sense. Accordingly, sociology
studies the whole of man’s life in society, including all of the activities
that keep men alive in the struggle for survival, the systems of knowledge and belief,
the rules and regulations that govern their interactions with one another, as
members of society during their activities. There are two schools of thoughts:
- Specialistic
or Formalistic School - Synthetic
School
Specialistic
or Formalistic School
Sociology,
according to a group of sociologists lead by George Simmel, is a unique and
autonomous science. These sociologists ought to keep sociology’s scope separate
from that of other social sciences. ‘Forms of social relationships’ should be
addressed, according to formalistic school of sociology.
According to
another well-known sociologist Vierkandt, sociology is a distinct area of
science concerned with the mental or psychic links at their most extreme in
society that bind men together. Sociology is considered as a definite field
also by Max Weber. According to him, the purpose of sociology is to understand
or comprehend social behavior. But the whole field of human relations is not
covered by social behavior. Indeed, not all interactions between people are
social. According to him, the assessment and classification of forms of social
interactions is concerned with sociology.
So sociology
examines one particular feature of social interactions, i.e. their structures
in their abstract context, according to the formalistic school, and not in any
concrete case. A distinction between the types of social relations and a bottle
is drawn. There could be a container of either plastic or some other substance. It can
contain water, milk etc., but the container content does not affect the shape
of the bottle. Similarly, with the shift in the content of social interactions,
the types of social relationships do not change, such as the study of rivalry.
If we analyze it in political or economic matters, a kind of social interaction
would not make a difference.
Sociology
and Geometry were contrasted. Sociological studies on social forms of
interactions are closely related as are the geometry studies on triangular,
rectangular, square and circular physical matters, etc. The link between
sociology and other social sciences is comparable to that between geometry and
other scientific knowledge. The formalist approach limited sociology to an
abstract study of social interactions.
Criticism on
Formalistic school
The
following reasons against the opinion of the formalist school have been
developed:
It has
reduced the scope of sociology
The abstract
forms of sociology were simplified by the formalistic school. Sociology should
look at the real substance of social life in addition to studying general
patterns of social interactions.
It is
difficult to analyze abstract types isolated from personal interactions
For example,
the study of competition would be of little use unless it was used in a
practical way in economics or arts and sciences. He believes that sociology’s
scope should not be limited to the study of gendered social relationship,
rather it should be expanded to include the study of these relationships as
embodied in special sociologies such as Sociology of Religion, Art, Law, and
Knowledge, among others, in various cultural spheres. The analogy with Geometry
is mistaken and while the forms of physical things are definite in Geometry,
the forms of social relations are not definite in Sociology.
Sociology
itself does not examine social interactions
The only
research that examines social relationships is not sociology. Social
partnerships are now being analyzed in political science, sociology and
international law.
The
definition of pure sociology is impossible
Pure
sociology has been conceived by the formalistic school, but so far none of the
sociologists have been able to construct a pure sociology. As a matter of fact,
in isolation from other natural sciences, no social science can be observed.
Synthetic
School
Sociology,
according to the Synthetic School, is a combination of social sciences and
general sciences. This view of sociology, most shown by Durkheim, Hobbes and
Sorokin, preserves the second category of sociologists.
Sociology is
a discipline of the humanities and its application covers all social sciences.
This school’s point is that every aspect of social life is connected; thus, the
study of one form of social life is not enough to understand the whole truth.
Social life as a whole should be regularly analyzed by sociology for this
purpose. As it
studies social interactions, the scope of sociology varies from any of the
social sciences, but a study of this area requires a study of all social
sciences. In analyzing some social phenomena, all the components must be contemplated.
Sociology
should research social facts, that is, behaviors linked to and maintained by
social classes, according to Durkheim. The goal should be to discover more
general laws based on laws in the relevant fields of special sciences. He
states that sociology consists of three major areas of research: social
anatomy, social physiology, and general sociology.
Social
Physiology
It contains
all topics that are studied in basic social sciences, such as economics,
language, morality, law, etc. The sociology of nature, the sociology of
morality, the sociology of economic life, and the sociology of language are
respectively analyzed in religion, economics, morals and language. Many of them
are branches of sociology or special sociology.
Social
Morphologies
This covers
all subjects that are essentially spatial, such as density, population, scale,
distribution, etc. This often includes the study of, and definition of, the
social system or a description of the major types of social classes or
organizations.
General
Sociology
General
sociology involves the study of group dynamics and its impact on human
populations and individuals. As a social science, the discipline analyzes the
patterns of behavior in all types of social relationships. This can be
considered the philosophical aspect of sociology. It is intended to formulate
general social principles.
Significance
of Sociology
Some
critics, such as Pareto, say that sociology is irrelevant because it ignores
life’s facts and focuses solely on notions that have little use in social life
and is devoid of empirical discoveries. However, this is not an accurate
assessment of sociology’s importance. An examination of sociology’s fundamental
concepts will reveal the discipline’s immense significance.
As a subject
to study
Because of
its relevance, sociology is becoming increasingly popular as a teaching
subject. It is given a prominent position in university and school curricula.
It frequently develops late in Teachers’ Training Schools because the
instructor wants to know not just his topic and his pupils as individuals, but
also the communal life in which he fits them. Through the dissemination of knowledge
about society, socialized thought will evolve, socialized actions will expand,
contemporary planning will be promoted, and a new social structure will emerge.
A Scientific
Study of Culture
The study of
culture was carried out in an unscientific way prior to the advent of
Sociology, before this society was never the central focus of any science. The
genuinely empirical study of culture was possible by the study of Sociology.
The Organization
and Planning of Society
With a
plethora of intricacies, culture is a dynamic phenomenon. Without practicing
sociology, it is nearly difficult to grasp it and to overcome the different
problems. It is rightly said that without any understanding of its mechanism
and design, we will not comprehend and mend society much like no one, in his
view, can attempt to repair a car without first learning about its mechanism
and how the various components interact with one another.
Sociology
has the same relation, as sociologists claim, to the solution of social
problems. Medicine, mathematics, and engineering physics are linked to biology
and bacteriology. Without research in theoretical and experimental sciences,
modern treatment of illnesses or those of bridge-building would be difficult.
To Address
Social Problems
The planet
today faces from numerous issues that can only be addressed by the scientific
study of civilization. It is clear that social evils do not only exist and that
everything has a proper cause. Sociology is concerned with researching social
issues by scientific research techniques and seeking a solution to them.
Eventually, empirical research into social bonds will give a system of information
and values that will enable us to monitor and improve social dynamics.
To Revisit
Man’s Innate Worth and Dignity
Sociology
has had a significant impact on how we think about people. In a big specialized
society, we are likewise limited in the quantity of the entire industry and
culture that we can individually witness.
To
understand various segments of society
The entire
perspective on various types of crime has altered as a result of sociological
study. Criminals are no longer regarded as depraved beings. On the contrary,
they are treated as human beings with mental impairments, and attempts are made
to help them reintegrate into society as productive members.
To
Understand World`s Problems
The
contributions made by physical sciences have taken the world’s nations closer
to each other. Yet the society has been left behind in the social realm by the
transformative advancement of technology. What would be the use of these
technical advancements and science innovations if men continue to be blood starved
for each other is the million dollar challenge facing the world today. The
consequences of modern war are diverse and profound on culture. A modern war’s
social costs are many and impressive.
To Study the
Growth of Citizens
The main
social institutions, as well as the individual’s connection to each one, are
examined scientifically through sociology. Home and families, religion and
mosques, government and state, employment and business, school and education,
culture and organization are the main institutions in which society operates.
The outcome
of studying Sociology
Sociology
has contributed to the enrichment of human society. In light of scientific
knowledge and investigation, it has stripped too much cobwebs from our brains
and social processes are now known.
"Most
of us harbor the comfortable delusion that our way of doing things is the only
sensible, if not only possible one,” according to Lowie. Sociology has
provided one with training to approach questions about ourselves, one’s faith,
traditions, values and institutions in a reasonable way. It has also taught how
objective, critical and dispassionate matters are.
The Scope of
Sociology as a field of study
The scope of
sociology as a field of study has been categorized into two:
- Sociology in
the Field of Knowledge - Sociology in
the Field of Profession
Sociology in
the Field of Knowledge
The research
includes sociologists in this category in order to become conscious of
different current social issues and then, on the basis of their awareness,
sociologists learn about solving the problems. It is a theoretical analysis of
different facets of culture that are social. It discusses culture and the
nature of man living in it. If it provides a researcher with empirical
information to become acquainted with the changing situation. For this reason,
research methods and community building are taught to learners of this subject.
They seek information and explain the troublesome situation on the screen on
the basis of their comprehension and want solutions and remedies for its eradication.
And the person learns about culture and what is going on with it in the area of
knowledge. A man is helpful in becoming conscious of his position, rank and
society as well. It is the study of human beings’ minds being refined and
expanded. It provides awareness of the backwardness of some of a society’s
economic structures and strategies for mutual welfare.
Sociology in
the Field of Profession
The
following categories exist in the field of professional sociology, in which the
discipline is very important.
Teaching
In different
areas of teaching, the person who has the knowledge becomes aware of the social
situation. They educated the students and passed on knowledge of cultural
heritage to them. Teachers prepare their students for the well-being of the
community and employ them for social work in various sectors. Sociology
subjects and test books are gaining popularity day by day, helping students as
well as individuals and the general public to gain more and more knowledge.
Research
One more perspective
is that sociologists are engaged with local area examination to take care of
the issues individuals face. They are experts in the overarching society to
eliminate social issues.
Management
By engaging
as an administrator in both governmental and private sectors, sociologists can
fulfill the duty of administrator. They lead and assist people in raising
communal and social awareness among others. In Pakistan, as administrators,
sociologists are employed in the following agencies:
- Social
welfare and rural development - Ministry of
local government - Pakistan
academy for rural development - Population
census commission
Except for
all the above research by national agencies, international donor agencies such
as the USAID, UNICF, UNHCR, WHO, UNDP, etc.
It is
obvious from the discussion above that the reach of sociology is quite broad.
In fact, the opposing views of sociology are not contrary to one another. Just
as specialized studies of specific parts of social life are necessary, the
general conditions of social life must also be studied. It is sociology whose
purpose is to research specific sections of social life and the general
circumstances of it.
The reality
is that within the framework of sociology, any topic studied using the
sociological approach is included. Defining the scope of sociology is neither
realistic nor necessary because, as Sprott notes, "this would be a brave
attempt to confine an enormous mass of slippery material into a relatively
simple system of pigeon holes.
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Usman Khadim Kamboh