When we speak of a school, for example, we need to move beyond the analysis of single face-to-face interactions–interactions in a single setting where participants are co-present–to examine the combined interactions and relationships between students, parents, teachers, and administrators. The meso-level refers to the connection, interaction and ongoing coordination of numerous different social roles simultaneously. however, it is assumed that the macro and global levels of reality provide the broader context for the dynamics of the everyday reality that is being examined.Īt the micro-level of analysis, the focus is on the social dynamics of face-to-face interaction: How are specific individuals in specific locations able to interact in a coherent and consistent manner? For example, how is a conversation possible? How do you know when it is your turn to speak or when someone has been speaking too long?Īt the meso-level of analysis, the focus shifts to the characteristics of specific networks, groups, and organizations (i.e., collectivities). In Sociology 111.3, emphasis is placed on the macro and global levels of analysis. In Sociology 112.3, students are introduced to a selection of theories, methods and research of those sociologists who focus on the micro and meso levels of analysis. It is common to divide these levels of analysis into different gradations based on the scale of interaction involved: micro, meso, macro and global. These examples illustrate the ways in which society and culture can be studied at different levels of analysis, from the detailed study of face-to-face interactions to the examination of large-scale historical processes affecting entire civilizations. A fourth sociologist might study the history of international agencies like the United Nations or the International Monetary Fund to examine how the globe became divided into a First World and a Third World after the end of the colonial era. Yet another sociologist might study how migration determined the way in which language spread and changed over time. Another sociologist might interview a representative sample of people to see how email and instant messaging have changed the way organizations are run. One sociologist might analyze video of people from different societies as they carry on everyday conversations to study the rules of polite conversation from different world cultures. A culture includes the group’s shared practices, values, beliefs, norms, and artifacts. A society is a group of people whose members interact, reside in a definable area, and share a culture. Sociologists study all aspects and levels of society. Society and Culture: Micro, Meso, Macro and Global Perspectives The qualities of the real world that sociologists study is elaborated more fully in Module One. It uses many different theories and methods to study a wide range of subject matter, and applies these studies to the real world. How can the experience of companionship or togetherness be put into words or explained? While this is a starting point for the discipline, sociology is actually much more complex. The word “sociology” is derived from the Latin word socius (companion) and the Greek word logos (speech or reason), which together mean “reasoned speech or discourse about companionship”. Donovan CC-BY-NC 2.0)Ī dictionary defines sociology as the systematic study of society and social interaction. Sociologists learn about society as a whole while studying one-to-one and group interactions.
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