The three main sociological perspectives – functionalism, conflict and interactionism – are explored through a Diego Rivera painting. Then, functionalism is used to examine a circus; conflict perspective is used to examine the Haymarket Massacre; and the interactionist perspective is used to examine electoral politics.

Focus on Sociological Perspectives

In 1999, Elian Gonzales captured hearts and headlines all over the world. The story of this six-year old Cuban boy was charged with drama, including a fatal sea voyage, a rescued child, intense family disputes in Florida and Cuba, political protests and international tensions. The three sociological perspectives are used to explore these events in an attempt to achieve a rational, as opposed to an emotional, understanding of them.

Using Perspectives to Analyze Events

This video traces the history of the development of sociology in Europe in the 19th century when societies were undergoing dramatic changes. It profiles the pioneering work of August Comte, Karl Marx, Emil Durkheim and Max Veber.

European Pioneers of Sociology

In addition to the three primary sociological perspectives, there are others, including the feminist perspective. It asks the question, “How does gender shape people’s social experience? This perspective focuses on women’s concerns and shows how they have been ignored and neglected.

The Feminist Perspective

Why do politicians seem to give the same speech over and over again? This video uses the interactionist perspective to examine American electoral politics, helping us to understand how we form our perceptions of candidates during an election.

The Interactionist Perspective

The three main sociological perspectives – functionalism, conflict and interactionism – are used to analyze a painting, Sugar Cane, by Diego Rivera, depicting life on a Mexican sugar cane plantation. Class, gender and power issues are explored.

Sociological Perspectives on a Painting

A review of the primary sociological perspectives.

Review of Sociological Perspectives

The perspective of functionalism is used to examine the social structure of a circus. Each of the performers has a role and a function that insures that the social order of the troupe is maintained.

The Functionalist Perspective

The conflict perspective looks at conflict between groups. In this video, it is used to analyze the Haymarket Square Massacre of 1886.  The incident was about power, class and labor rights, and how the conflict perspective often brings about social change.

The Conflict Perspective

Why Sociology?

This video begins with interviews of sociologists who share their reasons for becoming sociologists.  It continues to discuss sociology as a discipline, explaining how sociology uses empirical research to reach conclusions as opposed to using “common sense.” It also examines how sociology studies social behavior on three different levels of complexity: micro, middle and macro.

The Discipline of Sociology

The sociological imagination is the ability to see individual behavior in the context of the social world. Using the concept of viewing a parade as a sociologist, this video focuses on a Mardi Gras parade in Lafayette, Louisiana. Observations on gender, class, culture and race can be made from analyzing a parade using this technique.

The Sociological Imagination

Sociologists use different theories and ideas to look for patterns of group behavior within the big picture of society. These “sociological perspectives” give us a multidimensional view of social behavior.

Views of Social Behavior

This video compares and contrasts the careers of 19th century sociologist Harriet Martineau and contemporary sociologist Carol Chenault. While women were barred from most professions during the 1800s, Martineau wrote important sociological interpretations of the early phases of capitalism and the modern world. Today, women throughout the world are active as sociologists, including Carol Chenault, who studies the culture of the Masai people of Africa.

Then and Now – Women Sociologists

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and no one would agree more than a sociologist. Using photographs, paintings and feature movies, this video explains how visual sociology contributes to understanding.

Visual Sociology

While its roots were European, the discipline of sociology developed most rapidly in North America in the first half of the twentieth century.

American Pioneers of Sociology

Sociologists discuss what drew them to their life’s work, based on their personal interests. A wide range of sociologists talk of their studies of different aspects of human behavior, from social equality to video games.

What Sociologists Study

This video describes the historical development of sociology.  Featured are European pioneers like Karl Marx and Max Weber, as well as early twentieth-century American sociologists like W.E.B. Du Bois. It explains that from its early beginnings in Europe, sociology has evolved into a discipline embraced by cultures the world over.

The Development of Sociology

OER Sociology

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