The purpose of this assignment is to facilitate some review and reflection over the content of Chapter 1: Understanding Sociology, which addresses the theoretical basis of the field, or how it is that Sociologists think about the Social World. You will need to read the entire chapter prior to completing this assignment.
First, write a summary paragraph describing the discipline of Sociology and what makes Sociology different from other ways of viewing human behavior such as Psychology and Biology.
Second, write a paragraph which defines and explains the three theoretical perspectives of: Functionalism, Conflict, and Symbolic Interaction. Start by writing the formal definitions of these from the text. Put this formal definition in quotes, followed by the citation (Schaefer, 2022, P.##). This will be the format used for all terms and definitions used in papers for the remainder of the semester in all papers. After citing the formal definition, then your goal is to use your own academic voice (not copy things out of the book or reading modules) to explain what each particular perspective is, and how it shapes the way sociologists look at society. For each be sure to include if it is Macro Sociology or Micro Sociology
Third, for each of the names provided here indicate: a) Which theoretical perspective their work fits into, b) an explanation for your answer, and c) explain something specific (a concept or term, focus on bold terms in the book for this) associated with this person that solidifies your choice of Perspective. Theorists: 1: August Comte, 2: Emile Durkheim, 3: Max Weber, 4: Karl Marx, 5: Robert Merton, 6: Erving Goffman
This assignment should be about two pages long not counting the title page. Your answers should make clear that you understand: A) What Sociology is; B) The Three Theoretical Perspectives of Sociology; and C) The specific contributions of each theorist.