What's Inside this Blog!
- Scope of Sociology
- Comparison of Sociology with Other Social Sciences
- Interdisciplinary Nature of Sociology
- Relevance for Civil Services Examination
- Frequently Asked Questions by UPSC Sociology Optional Students
Scope of Sociology
Introduction
Sociology is the scientific study of human society, social relationships, and social institutions.
It examines how individuals interact within groups, how societies are organized, and how social change occurs over time.
The scope of sociology defines the boundaries of the subject — what it studies, how it studies, and what methods it uses.
Meaning of Scope
The scope of sociology involves:
- Subject matter – what sociology studies.
- Perspective – how sociology studies it (scientific, objective, empirical).
- Application – how sociological knowledge is used in solving social problems.
Two Major Views on the Scope of Sociology
1. Formal School of Thought (German School)
- Pioneered by Georg Simmel, Leopold von Wiese, and Small.
- Sociology should study only the forms of social relationships, not their content.
- Example: cooperation, conflict, competition, subordination, domination.
Viewpoint:
- Society is a web of social interactions.
- Sociology studies how people relate, not what they relate about.
Criticism:
- Too narrow and abstract.
- Ignoring cultural and institutional aspects limits practical relevance.
2. Synthetic School of Thought (French & British School)
- Advocated by Durkheim, Hobhouse, Sorokin, Parsons.
- Sociology should study society as a whole — social institutions, structures, and relationships.
Viewpoint:
- Sociology synthesizes the findings of other social sciences to study social life comprehensively.
- Studies family, religion, economy, polity, and education as interconnected parts.
Criticism:
- Scope becomes too broad, overlapping with other social sciences.
Modern Understanding of Scope
Today, sociologists follow a balanced view:
“Sociology studies both social structures and the patterns of social relationships.”
It includes:
- Social Institutions: Family, religion, polity, economy, education.
- Social Processes: Cooperation, competition, conflict, accommodation, assimilation.
- Social Stratification: Caste, class, gender, race.
- Social Change: Modernization, globalization, urbanization, and technology.
- Social Control and Deviance: Laws, norms, and punishment.
- Culture and Socialization: Transmission of norms and values across generations.
Comparison of Sociology with Other Social Sciences
Sociology overlaps with other disciplines like Political Science, Economics, History, Anthropology, and Psychology — but differs in focus and methodology.
| Discipline | Common Areas | Points of Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Political Science | Studies power, authority, state, government, citizenship. | Sociology studies politics as part of society; Political Science focuses only on political institutions. Sociology studies informal power, political culture, and social bases of politics. |
| Economics | Both study production, distribution, and consumption. | Economics studies economic activities from a financial perspective. Sociology studies how social values, norms, and classes influence economic behavior. |
| History | Both deal with social change over time. | History is descriptive (what happened); Sociology is analytical (why it happened). Sociology derives general laws from history. |
| Anthropology | Studies human society and culture. | Anthropology focuses on small, pre-industrial societies; Sociology studies modern, complex, industrial societies. Both use comparative methods. |
| Psychology | Both study human behavior. | Psychology studies individual mind and behavior; Sociology studies group behavior and collective phenomena. Sociology emphasizes external social forces, not internal mental states. |
| Social Work | Both deal with social problems. | Social Work applies sociological knowledge to solve problems; Sociology provides theoretical foundation. |
Interdisciplinary Nature of Sociology
Sociology doesn’t work in isolation — it draws insights from and contributes to other disciplines.
For example:
- Political Sociology – combines politics and sociology.
- Economic Sociology – studies how society shapes markets and consumption.
- Historical Sociology – analyses historical processes through sociological theories.
- Sociology of Religion, Education, Law, and Media – studies the social role of each institution.
Thus, sociology acts as a bridge discipline connecting all social sciences.
Frequently Asked Questions by UPSC Sociology Optional Students
Q1. What is the subject matter of sociology?
Sociology studies society, human interactions, institutions, and processes of change.
Q2. Is sociology interdisciplinary in nature?
Yes, it interacts with economics, politics, history, psychology, and anthropology to understand human life comprehensively.
Q3. How is sociology different from economics?
Economics focuses on production and wealth; sociology focuses on social values and relationships influencing economic behaviour.
Q4. Can sociology be studied scientifically?
Yes. It uses methods like observation, surveys, and case studies to objectively study social phenomena, though human complexity limits complete objectivity.
Q5. What are the major schools of thought regarding the scope of sociology?
- Formal School: Focus on social forms (Simmel).
- Synthetic School: Focus on total social life (Durkheim, Parsons).
Summary
- Sociology is a comprehensive social science that studies human interaction, social institutions, and change.
- It overlaps with other disciplines but maintains its distinct identity through its focus on the social context of human life.
- Understanding its scope helps UPSC aspirants develop a deeper perspective on society, policy, and governance.
Next Topic → Sociology and Common Sense: How Sociology Differs from Everyday Knowledge