Lumen learning textbook chapter from Introduction to Sociology
8.1: The Three Sociological Paradigms and Perspectives
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Key personnel in Sociology
Auguste Comte French philosopher, founder of the school of philosophy known as positivism. Auguste Comte is considered one of the founders of sociology. He coined the term “sociology” in 1838 by combining the Latin term socius (companion, associate) and the Greek term logia (study of, speech).
Harriet Martineau
English social theorist and Whig writer, often cited as the first female sociologist. She translated Comte’s 1839 text, Cours de Philosophie Positive, from French into English. As she translated this piece, she also condensed Comte’s work into clearer, more accessible terms.
Durkheim established many themes and contributed many concepts which continue to be important in modern sociology. Durkheim believed that society exerted a powerful force on individuals. According to Durkheim, people’s norms, beliefs, and values make up a collective consciousness, or a shared way of understanding and behaving in the world.
German founder of modern communism, in England from 1849. With Engels, he wrote The Communist Manifesto in 1848. He developed his theories of the class struggle and the economics of capitalism. Society is divided into the haves and the have-nots. Class Conflict is common among the classes.
Herbert Spencer
Herbert Spencer was an English philosopher, evolutionist, and political theorist. Spencer is perhaps best known for coining the term “survival of the fittest,” later commonly termed “social Darwinism.” A theory that the laws of evolution by natural selection also apply to social structures.
Weber is considered to be a key founding figure in the history of sociology. Broadly trained in economics, history, law, and philosophy, Weber brought to his sociological work a complex and rich perspective on social life. In 1919, he established a sociology department at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Weber tried to explain social action in modern society by focusing on rationalization and secularization. Weber also developed a theory of political authority and the modern state, defining three types of authority: traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal.
W.E.B. Du Bois
William Edward Burghardt Du Bois was an African American sociologist, socialist, historian, civil rights activist, Pan-Africanist, author, writer and editor. He was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard. Examined the effects of race and class, advocated for women's rights, and played a key role in shaping the relationships between Black-white Americans. helped founded the NAACP.
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