Question 1(a) · 10 marks · 204 words written
"Sociology emerged as a response to the crisis of modernity in Western societies." Evaluate.
Opening
Sociology emerged as a response to the intellectual climate and social conditions of 18th century Europe.
Modernity in Europe ├── Industrial Revolution ├── Renaissance and Enlightenment ├── Scientific Revolution └── French Revolution │
Body · points and prose
• stress on rationality, progress, human liberty. • expansion of factory-based production and rural-to-urban migration • establishment of democracy and rules of laws. • challenge to authority of priestly class. │ • breakdown of traditional joint family structures. • poor working conditions, low wages • spread of death and diseases • consumerism and cut throat competition
•) withdrawal of women from economic systems ↓ [Crisis of modernity] → Sociology emerged to study these problems
[Emergence of sociology]
Problems of modernity - need for a discipline to evaluate social structures, social pathologies felt.
Recognition of poverty as a social problem and use of methods of natural sciences in social research.
Saint Simon: 'social physics' to apply scientific methods in study of society.
Auguste Comte: study arrival of modern society, training of researchers.
Durkheim: empathetic view of modernity, functional aspects studied.
Close · a summary
Therefore, sociology evolved as a response to the social problems created by modernity, and has expanded in scope to cover various aspects of social life.