SOCY 1000 SOCIOLOGY GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE Professor Carl B

SOCY 1000 SOCIOLOGY: GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE Professor Carl B. Backman

Y’all Come On By! Office: 7030 D Haley Center Office hours: 11 am – 11: 50 Monday, Wednesday, Friday or by appointment Do not be bashful about dropping in or making appointments!

Contacting Me The best way: see me before or after class Visit during office hours (see above) Phone: 844 – 2826 e-mail: backmcb@auburn. edu -- NOTE: I do not always check my e-mail on a daily basis web: www. auburn. edu/~backmcb/socy 1000

Contacting Scott (10 am and 1 pm sections) • Scott Miller is our Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) • Scott’s office: HC 2220 • Scott’s office hours: – TR 1 -2: 30 or by appointment • Scott’s e-mail: – tsm 0014@auburn. edu • Scott’s office phone 844 -5069

Contacting Trevor (2 pm section) • Trevor Mc. Euen is our Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) • Trevor’s office: HC 2220 • Trevor’s office hours: – TBA • Trevor’s e-mail: – tdm 0002@auburn. edu • Trevor’s office phone 844 -5069

Definition of Sociology The scientific study of human social behavior, where "social" refers to behavior in interaction with or with respect to other people Also concerned with residues of social behavior Especially as they affect future bhr

Definitions and Big, Important Things • Like many “big, important things” there are many definitions of sociology – Most are similar – Textbook’s definition: • The study of societies and the social worlds that individuals inhabit within them (p. 4) • Another example of a “big, important thing” whose definition is vague is “love”

Residues of Social Behavior • Material examples: – Blue jeans with zippers – Libraries and their contents – Birth control pills • Non-material examples: – Laws – Patriotism – Symbols – War Eagle

Small – Medium – Large: Levels of Social Behavior Microsociology - concerned with individuals and with face to face interaction Mesosociology - concerned with collections of potentially face to face groups (mostly organizations) Macrosociology - concerned with large scale social phenomena like social movements, war, population growth

Examples of Microsociology • Development of the self and the selfconcept – Key sociological insight: the self and self-concept emerge through interaction with other people • Process of interaction

Microsociology / Interaction Process: Decision Making (1) Imagine: Special Forces unit of four soldiers encounters a Taliban encampment. How do they decide what to do?

Microsociology / Interaction Process: Decision Making (2) Factors influencing decision in example: - “Knowledge” about encampment - formal group structure - informal group structure - “rules of engagement” - group norms - mission - risky shift

Examples of Mesosociology mostly concerned with organizational behavior - by the organization - For example, AU decides how much tuition to charge - by individuals and groups within the organization - For example, deans, departments, and faculty decide what courses to offer in a particular semester

Examples of Mesosociology (2) Consider recent AU dorm construction - Many organizations involved - How did general contractor schedule and try to stay on schedule? Many tools: record keeping, contracts with sub-contractors, etc. These tools help reduce uncertainty

Examples of Mesosociology (3) • Mesosociological principle: organizations try to control uncertainty • General Sociological Principle: much of what goes on in social life has as its end reducing uncertainty – Not just at the meso level – Even micro behavior like greeting someone you know checks if you are still on friendly terms

Review: Definitions sociology level of analysis microsociology mesosociology macrosociology risky shift

Examples of Macrosociology (1) • Macrosociology is concerned with societies and parts of societies • Important question: How do societies change? – One way is through technological change • Consider the introduction of the automobile Q: What changed with the introduction of the automobile?

Examples of Macrosociology (2) The Automobile • For starters: – Most people today afraid to be on a horse – Not many songs about blue-tail flies • Not so many flies – Geography of supermarket products • On average travel about 1000 miles • Harms local producers – Road construction now big business • Good for immigrants

Examples of Macrosociology (3) • Riches and destitution: why are there rich people and poor people? – Are the rich really different? – How much of success is inherited, how much earned? • Racial and ethnic relations – Where do race and ethnicity come from? – Why and how do they make a difference?

Examples of Macrosociology (4) After-school Programs • Interactions between parts of society – Example: after-school daycare programs illustrate interactions between • economy and family • education and government