technology. These revolutions had brought about
significant societal changes and disorders in the way
society lived in the aforementioned countries. Since
sociology was born amidst the great socio-political and
economic and technological changes of the western
world, it is said to be the science of modern society.
The pioneering sociologists were very much concerned
about the great changes that were taking place and they
felt that the exciting sciences could not help understand,
explain, analyze and interpret the fundamental laws that
govern the social phenomena. Thus sociology was born
out of these revolutionary contexts.
The founders or the pioneering sociologists are the
following (Henslin and Nelson, 1995; Giddens, 1996;
Macionis, 1997):
- Auguste Comte, French Social Philosopher
(1798- 1857)
Comte was the first social philosopher to coin and use
the term sociology (Nobbs, Hine and Flemming, 1978).
He was also the first to regard himself as a sociologist.