vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface ............................................................................. i
Acknowledgement ............................................................. v
Table of Contents ............................................................. vii
List of Illustrative Boxes, List Tables and List of Figures. xiv
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
Learning Objectives ......................................................... 1
1.1. Definition and Subject Matter of Sociology ............... 2
1.1.1. What is Sociology? ................................... 2
1.1.2. Brief Historical Overview ............................ 6
1.1.3. Subject Matter, Scope and Concerns of
Sociology .................................................... 14
1.1.4. Levels of Sociological Analysis and Fields of
Specializations in Sociology ...................... 16
1.1.5. Major Theoretical Perspectives ................. 20
1.2. The Significance of Learning Sociology ................... 34
1.3. Sociological Research Methods ................................ 38
1.3.1. The Scientific Method ................................ 38
1.3.2. Steps in Sociological Research ............... 41
1.4. The Relationship between Sociology and Other
Disciplines ................................................................ 55
1.5. Chapter Summary ..................................................... 57
Review Questions ........................................................... 60