SOCI 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Science Fiction Convention, The Sociological Imagination, Macrosociology

• School: Memorial University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOCI 1000
• Professor: terrymurphy

Document Summary

Central component to studying something sociologically is the sociological imagination. Makes connection between private troubles and public issues. Sociology looks to the larger forces that exist in society to explain individual experiences and challenges: sociological approach to see how public issues are connected to problems or troubles that we experience individually. What might seem like individual good luck can be understood sociologically as part of the outcome of a larger social system that creates privilege for some people over others. Challenges and opportunities often come from collective source. Micro level up close and personal analysis: how people are interacting at a science fiction convention, looks at individual interactions and small groups. Macro level big picture analysis: rates of crime across major canadian city centres, looks at larger social processes, institutions, or rates of occurrence. Both can be used to study the same topic but will result in different kinds of research.