002 Nature and Scope of Sociology

Описание: 1. Introduction
Sociology studies society, human behavior, and institutions.
Understanding its nature and scope helps clarify what sociology covers and how it is
used.
Two major perspectives:
o Specialistic School
o Synthetic School

2. Nature of Sociology
1. Social Science – Studies human society (not natural phenomena).
2. Empirical – Based on evidence and observation.
3. Abstract – Deals with concepts like norms, values, and status.
4. Generalizing – Identifies patterns in human behavior.
5. Objective – Ideally free from personal bias.
6. Focus on Social Relationships – Not individual psychology or biology.

3. Scope of Sociology
Scope = What sociology studies.

Debate between two schools of thought:
o Specialistic School – Narrow and specific
o Synthetic School – Broad and inclusive

4. Specialistic School of Thought
Key Idea: Sociology should study only social relationships.
Key Thinkers: Georg Simmel, Max Weber, Alfred Vierkandt

✅ Main Points:
Sociology must be separate from other social sciences.
Should focus only on forms of social interactions: cooperation, conflict, competition, etc.
Keep sociology pure and focused.

Example:
Max Weber’s concept of Social Action—focus on meaning behind individual actions in a social
context.

5. Synthetic School of Thought
Key Idea: Sociology should study all aspects of social life.
Key Thinkers: Emile Durkheim, Auguste Comte, Pitrim Sorokin

✅ Main Points:
Sociology should be an umbrella discipline.
Should include study of family, religion, economy, law, education, etc.
Focuses on social institutions and their interrelations.

Example:
Durkheim studied suicide, religion, and legal systems—as reflections of social forces.

6. Relevance for Law Students
Helps understand how law interacts with society.
Specialistic view = Understand how laws affect individual relationships.
Synthetic view = Understand law as part of larger institutions like family, religion, economy.

Example:
Marriage laws relate to culture, religion, family norms—so, a synthetic view helps law students
grasp the whole picture.

8. Conclusion – Key Takeaways
Sociology is a scientific study of society and social behavior.
Nature: Objective, empirical, social-science-based.
Scope: Explained through two schools:
o Specialistic – Focused and limited
o Synthetic – Broad and integrative
Both perspectives help law students understand society and apply laws meaningfully.