Why do we need to use special terms and concepts in sociology?
Answers
Explanation:
Reasons or causes we need to use special terms and concepts in sociology :
(i) Every subject or discipline must develop its terminology. However, terminology is possibly even more important for sociology, just because its subject matter is famili and just because words do exist to denote it. We are so well acquainted with the social institutions that surrounded us that we cannot see them clearly and precisely.
Example : For instance we may feel that since we live in famili we know all about families. This would be conflating or equating sociological knowledge with common sense knowledge or naturalistic explanation.
(ii) Sociology as a subject or discipline has a history. We know that certain material and intelletual developments shaped the sociological perspective as well as its concerns. Likewise sociological concepts too have a story to tell.
(iii) Many of the concepts reflect the concern of social thinkers to understand and map the social changes that the shift from pre—modern to modern entailed.
Example : For instance sociologists observed that simple small scale and traditional societies were more marked by close, often face-to-face interaction.And modern,large scale societies by formal interaction. They therefore distinguish primary (groups) from secondary groups, community from society or association.
(iv) Some concepts like stratification reflect the concern that sociologists had in understanding the structured inequalities between groups in society. Concepts arise in society.
(v) However just as there are different types of individuals and groups in society so there are different types of concepts and ideal. And sociology itself is marked by different ways of understanding society and looking at dramatic social charges that the modern period brought about. Even in the early stage of sociology's emergence there were contrary and contesting understandings of society it for Karl Marx class and conflict were key concepts to understand society, social solidarity and collective conscience were key terms for Emile Durkle.
As opposed to common sensual knowledge, sociology like any other science has its own body or concepts and methods of data collection.
As social science, sociology does need to have certain agreed upon meanings social realities and processes in studying .Each subject must have a standard vocabulary, terminology, language and concepts through which professionals can converse and maintain the different identity of its subject.
It becomes more important to discuss sociological terms so as to distinguish what they mean.