Sociology and Contextualization of Social Phenomenon
Sociology and Contextualization of Social Phenomenon
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Introduction
Sociology can be viewed as the scientific study of human social behaviour; behaviour directed towards society and/ or taking place between members of the society, in a bid to evaluate their origins, organization, organizations and the study of the various institutions within the given social set up and their respective social behaviour (Macionis, 2010, 3). As a discipline, it applies various methods such as empirical research; a way of gaining knowledge by means of direct, indirect observations and experience, and critical analysis which involves learning, mastering and using skills to ascertain whether a claim is true, partially true and/or false. For epistemological purposes the discipline seeks to develop knowledge about human social actions that take into account actions and reactions of an individual and evaluation of the cause and effects in the social realm (Stanfield, 2011, 16). In addition, it seeks to understand social structures; large group of people involved with each other through persistent relations, sharing the same geographical or social territory and/or a group of people subject to the same political authority and dominant cultural expectations. It further seeks knowledge on the structural functionality of a given social system by building a theoretical framework to analyse its complexities and how their parts work together to promote solidarity and stability (Longres, 2009, 12).
Gender can be viewed as range of biological, mental, physical and behavioural characteristics that explains sex- based social structures and applied to differentiate between masculinity and femininity. For further distinction, sociology tries to elaborate gender through gender identity perspective which is the person’s private sense and subjective experience of their own gender; which by evaluation through sex- based social structures (Healy, 2009, 3) such as gender roles and social roles, gives the aspects of one as being male or female.
Homosexuality on the other hand is the expressive and pleasurable feeling from an emotional attraction; sexual attraction, and /or expression of human sexuality between members of the same gender; in a social perspective, homosexuality can be viewed as an perservering pattern and/ or disposition to experience sexual, romantic attractions and affection primarily from and people of the same gender (Williams & Dellinger, 2010, 2). It can also be viewed as personal sense of identity and socially based kind of identity based on those attractions, who explicitly show behaviours expressing them. Sociology as defined above seeks to study and analyse human social behaviour and the resulting cause effects and this paper will evaluate how sociology helps us see beyond common sense views of society with the help of discussed sociological studies.
As a discipline, sociology studies deviance; actions and behaviours that violate group- held beliefs of how society members should behave in a given context, including formally enacted rules as well as informal violation of social norms like rejecting folkways and mores. Sociological gender studies evaluate sex- based social structures including their roles and identity and homosexuality is a form of deviance to conform to the societal norms (Caprile & Pascual, 2011, 49). For instance, normally, in majority of cultures individuals of opposite gender or sex are supposed to interact and have sexual relations to give birth and help in the continuation of the society. Homosexuality on the other hand does not guarantee reproduction; violating society’s expectations and biologically or physically violating social norms. At this point sociology helps to determine through the help of psychologists, psychiatrists and criminologists, how these norms are violated, how they change over time and how measures to eradicate these violations can be enacted (A.P.A, 2009, 35). For instance, through the help of psychiatrists and psychologists, sociology will evaluate the sexual orientations of the members of the society believed to be gay; apply empirical investigation to matters pertaining the environment and social institutions of these individuals, and critically analyse the results for mitigation and eradication purposes. For example, a sociological researcher will design a questionnaire or research tool to obtain qualitative and quantitative data to help him/her answer empirical questions of (Yammarino & Dansereau, 2010, 33) study subject at hand, homosexuality, and use this information and evidence to analyse the results and come up with a plausible solution of either control or eradication.
Homosexuality as form of sexual orientation has been backed by various biological theory experts, which to some point peg their argument to genetic factors but sociology further examines the causes and gives the social implications. For instance, studies suggest little or no evidence of parenting or early childhood experiences to play any role in sexual orientation when it comes to same sexual behaviour and those familiar and / or shared environments play no role for men and minor role for women (Crothers, Charles & S.R.O, 2011, 6). Sociology on the other hand, takes the study to the next level by evaluating the actual causes and relations at childhood and the roles of parenting at different stages of development and simulate on plausible factors that might contribute to homosexuality. For example, sociology is concerned with social mobility; movement of individuals within a given social position that influences social status, by measuring health status, literacy or education and the overall movement of individuals along socio-economic levels due to phenomenon change. The scientific approach to evaluate social mobility, that is, the use of hypotheses, empirically testing them and developing peer reviewed theories that best explain known data coupled with the extensive analysis of deviance and social structures helps sociologists (American Journal of Sociological Research, 2011, 4) come up with the forces that may promote homosexuality in the society.
Humankind give too much to their prior and accumulated experiences, history in general and what they perceive as best when making decisions and/ or generalizing a particular phenomenon in the society. Person’s common sense is faulty on a number of reasons such as containing an intrinsic bias, being based on unproven and wrong assumptions, and complexity to deduce clear- cut conclusions and action steps from an environment or a phenomenon that is overly complex and unclear (Schellekens & Goldie, 2011, 5). Sociology on the other hand incorporates induction and deduction approaches of epistemology in a bid to understand facts of a given phenomenon; the derivation of principles from specific instances coupled with critical thinking and reflection in line with societal context. For instance, sociological gender studies, social constructionism tries to understand communication of a given social group and how significance, understanding and meaning within an individual but in coordination with other human beings on masculinities and femininities; a view that would further help reduce/ eliminate personal bias on a phenomenon in the society (Dale, 2008, 16). For example, by sociology expanding to cover all spheres of human activity and how they are affected by the interplay between social structure and individual urgency so as to incorporate subjects/ disciplines such as health and medical sociology, it helps majority of biased observers of homosexuality as demonic but with a new perception that during growth and development most people experience little or no choice about their sexual orientation.
Sociological perspectives help us in seeing the “general” in a particular field or area of inquiry; a personal choice on how society plays a role in shaping our individual lives and think ourselves away from our daily routines in a bid to break away from immediacy of circumstances and put things into a wider context and perspective (Friedkin & Johnsen, 2011, 7). For instance, in the study of social structures, social order is evaluated as relatively persistent system institutions; patterns of interactions and customs capable of reproducing continually at least those conditions essential for its own existence. Applying the principle of extensiveness that the more norms and the more important norms are to a society the better these norms tie and hold people together, and the structuralism concepts; explicitly defines the origins, meanings and consequences of historical events and processes in a bid to counter gender studies with arguments necessary to analyse lived experiences and structures of subordination and power (Deflem, 2010, 21). At this point, sociology sets in through gender studies to closely examine the role that the biological states of being male or female; physiological, genetic explanation of male and female body parts, and the structure and functioning of body organs, play and have on social constructs of gender and society at large (Gabriel & Mennell, 2011, 43).
Thinking sociologically and applying social theories mean that we go beyond individualistic capacity by trying to take a broad overview; recognizing that the world is complicated and many things are related, and instead of just thinking how something affect us, we look at how systems are connected and social processes that take place. In addition, they help us draw conclusions based on data collected and analysed; deducing on how the whole of phenomenon affects the individual rather that how the individual fits in the whole phenomenon, and helps us come up with perfect models that can make good estimates (Balakrishnan, 2012, 6). For instance in gender studies, studies suggest that gender identity is developed in three stages: toddlers and pre-schoolers; they learn about defined characteristics which are socialized aspects of gender, consolidation stage; where gender identity becomes rigid and the peak of rigidity where fluidity returns and socially defined gender roles somehow relaxes (Wearing, 2011, 3). This comprehensively touches on the social processes that take and how the whole phenomenon affects the individual rather than how the individual may fit in the system. Sociology sets in here in the analysis and evaluation of social factors that may influence gender identity such as ideas regarding gender roles conveyed by family, authority figures, mass media and other influential in child’s growth and development (Giaaccardi, 2012, 9). At this point, depending with the collected data and information, sociologists can draw significant conclusion on the relationship of homosexuality in line with gender identity through the analysis of instruments believed to have influence on the child’s development.
Homosexuality is viewed by many as unnatural activities and dysfunctional in that it diverts or neglects social purpose in a manner to violate normal societal values or good by transcending individuals from rules that govern cooperative living behaviour. This is from the view of institutional mechanisms of social interactions, social order and organization reflecting human psychology, culture, habits and customs which should be deliberately and unintentionally created by people for development and functioning of the institutions and society at large ( Branisa, 2012, 19). Sociology, through the analysis of social actions, evaluates rational actions; actions taken because it leads to satisfaction of valued goal, without consideration of consequences and the appropriateness of the means chosen to achieve it, and the instrumental actions that are taken after evaluation of goals and the appropriateness of the means to achieve it (Jong & Nauta, 2012, 8) sets path in explanation of homosexuality and its effects. For instance, analysis of affectional actions that are taken due to one’s emotions and the need to express one’s feelings or satisfy personal urges may be a platform to explain the social causes of homosexuality rather than relying on the biological hypothesized theories, of which with the drawing of contextual empirical evidence from within the society will go further to combat the behaviour and/ or mitigate it from the future generations.
Conclusion
Sociology as a discipline holistically covers the social aspects of humankind in relation to variety of phenomenon from power, social stratification, and structural organization to institutions. Incorporation of various tools of analysis and evaluation in the process of epistemology such as scientific methods to assess theory’s validity, induction and deduction, makes sociology rigorous than common sense because sociologists modify and present their understanding on how the world works. This enables in analysis and in contribution to other disciplines such as biology and science; making it an alternative to the society to explaining complex phenomenon such as gender and to streamline the case studies to subjects such as homosexuality, necessitated by its holistic approach and consideration of social and cultural factors.
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