Sociological theories are conjectures which try to examine preexisting objects, beliefs, or ideas from a theoretical perspective using integrated conceptual frameworks, methodologies, and knowledge. Auguste Comte, a great philosopher of the early 19th century, is considered the father of sociological theory. (Calhoun et al., 2022). His work was later supported by different predecessors, including economists such as Max Weber, Karl Marx, Talcott Parsons, Emile Durkheim, and Herbert Spencer. The idea of sociology gained cognizance between 1798 and 1857, being triggered by the discovery that society could be subjected to scientific scrutiny. Sociologists adopt different principles to guide their perspectives and findings. There are at least four distinct principles governing sociological theory, namely:
- All forms of social behavior can be supported with sufficient evidence.
- In order for humanity to survive, certain changes within society must be allowed to take their course.
- Human behavior is often characterized by imbalances in social interactions.
- There are micro units within the society that set rules that govern the general code of conduct.
The validity and utility of this theory is grounded upon the previously cited principles, which tend to co-occur (Calhoun et al., 2022). For instance, the disparities between social relationships are engineered by personal beliefs about one another. Referring to the first principle, it is valid to state that some prejudices about certain societal aspects are as a result of myths and misconceptions held by individuals. As highlighted in the fourth tenet, these false beliefs are frequently propagated by macro units such as families, governments, and educational systems.
There are several ways in which aspects such as gender, culture, ethnicity, and social status influenced the work of Comte at that time. For instance, racial and ethnic discrimination in the early 19th century slightly undermined the peaceful social coexistence of society (Dillon, 2020). This resulted in protests to seek fairness and equality, concepts which the theorist extensively highlighted in his school of thought. According to Comte, public outcry from the minority groups disturbed the preexisting equilibrium, compelling the discriminators to act accordingly by changing their attitudes and beliefs towards the wronged party. The theory integrates genetic, social, and individual factors to create a total personality through aspects such as interactionism and functionalism (Calhoun et al., 2022). Basically, an individual’s race determines his identity, which can be used to predict some or most of his personality. For instance, people from Indian culture are frequently perceived to value yoga and other meditation practices, which reflect on their personality as being peaceful.
On the other hand, the idea of social stratification is fueled by direct and indirect interactions between the rich and the poor. Since the rich can afford what the poor may consider expensive, the gap will always be maintained anytime the two groups interact. The sociological theory works best for my personal approach towards my profession by postulating different ideas to explain why society behaves in a certain way. For instance, the recent protests witnessed in the U.S. after the killing of George Floyd can be well explained using this model. Through the use of notions such as “Black lives matter”, demonstrators demanded social justice, bringing the issue of racial discrimination to the limelight (Calhoun et al., 2022). Equilibrium was later restored by social and other societal micro-units such as the judiciary, which punished the guilty party.
References
Calhoun, C., Gerteis, J., Moody, J., Pfaff, S., & Virk, I. (Eds.). (2022). Contemporary sociological theory. John Wiley & Sons.
Dillon, M. (2020). Introduction to sociological theory: Theorists, concepts, and their applicability to the twenty-first century. John Wiley & Sons.