Unit 1 Thinking Sociologically
Text A
Preparatory Work
(1)
Micro-level sociology: a b e
Macro-level sociology: c d
(2)
Sociology
is
the
study
of
social
behavior
or
society
,
including
its
origins,
development,
organization,
networks,
and
institutions.
Like
sociology,
psychology,
economics, history, demography are
all related to the study of society and human
activities
. In this way they share similarities.
The differences lie in the follows:
飦?/p>
Psychology
is the study of
human behavior and mind
, embracing all aspects of
conscious and unconscious experience as well as thought of the human beings.
飦?/p>
Economics
focuses on the
behavior and interactions of economic agents
and
how economies work, that is the economic activities of the human kind.
飦?/p>
History
is
the
study
of
the
past
events
as
well
as
the
memory,
discovery,
collection,
organization,
presentation,
and
interpretation
of
information
about
these events, particularly
how it relates to humans
.
飦?/p>
Demography
is the
statistical study of populations, especially human beings
.
As a very general science, it can analyze any kind of dynamic living population,
i.e., one that
changes over time or space
.
(3) (open)
Teaching suggestion
:
You can refer to the following textbooks:
John J. Macionis & Nijole V
. Benokraitis ed.,
Seeing Ourselves 7
th
ed.
(Upper Saddle
River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2007)
James M. Henslin ed.,
Down to Earth Sociology: Introductory Readings 14
th
ed.
(New
York: Free Press, 2007)
(4) (open)
Teaching suggestion
:
You can refer to
the last two parts of the text: 鈥淲hat Work Do Sociologists Do鈥?nbsp;and
鈥淗ow
is
Sociology
Useful
to
Me
and
to
the
World鈥?nbsp;
(paragraph
19
-26)
for
positive
reasons.
Negative reasons vary (why not choose a career related to sociology), for instance, no
interest
(in social
sciences), character reasons
(not
cut
out
for dealing with
people),
and practical reason (no high pay).
Critical Reading
I. Understanding the text
1.
Part
Para(s).
Main idea
I Introduction
1-2
Key
topics
to
be
covered
in the main parts