The Chicago School

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The Chicago School

• Strong influence in Early American Sociology
• 1892 - 1934

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The Chicago School

• Albion Small (1854-1926)
• Established Dept. ofSociology at University of
  Chicago in 1892
• Founded the American Journal of Sociology in
  1895
• Helped to establish the American Sociological
  Society in 1905

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The Chicago School

• Other famous sociologists at the University of
  Chicago
• Robert Park
• Ernest W. Burgess
• Louis Wirth
• W. I. Thomas

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Viewpoint of early sociologists at University of
Chicago

• concerned about poverty and other social
  problems
• believed that research should be directed toward
  social reform
• research method emphasized
• Verstehen
• participant observation

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By the 1930s

• shift away from social reform
• emphasis on scientific objectivity
• movement of the few women in sociology to social
  work

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George Herbert Mead (1863-1931)

• Philosopher who influenced sociologists
• Symbolic Interactionism
• human capacity for thoughtis shaped by social
  interaction
• people are able to interact because of shared
  meanings and symbols
• intertwined patterns of interaction are basis
  for groups and societies

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George Herbert Mead (1863-1931)

• Evolutionary and dialectical view of the
  social development of the individual
• The self evolves by adapting to conditions
  within society
• Individual development occurs in interaction
  with other people

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George Herbert Mead (1863-1931)

• Development of social self
• the play stage
• (imitating the roles of others)
• the game stage
• (learning connections between roles)
• generalized other
• (internalizing the norms of the group or
  community)

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George Herbert Mead (1863-1931)

• Generalized other
• source of social control
• encourages conformity
• The Me self-control resulting from awareness
  of views of others
• The I creative part of the self,
• responds to the Me
• may sometimes be non-conformist

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George Herbert Mead (1863-1931)

• Methodology
• Objectivity is not really possible
• Social scientist is part of the social forces
  being studied
• Need reflective consciousness
• to note aspects of society that should be
  changed

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Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929)

• Microsociologist
• Focus on the human mindin the context of society
• Basis for society
• imaginations which people have of one
  another

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Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929)

• Looking-Glass Self
• The view that we haveof our own selves is based
  onhow we imagine that others see us.
• That is, interaction with others shapes ones
  consciousness,
• including the consciousness of oneself.

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Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929)

• Different types of interaction
• primary groups
• characterized by loyalty, affection, acceptance,
  informal interaction, and a wide range of common
  interests
• secondary groups
• characterized by a focused purpose, formal
  interaction, and a narrow range of common
  interests

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Charles Horton Cooley (1864-1929)

• Methodology
• Statistics are useful
• but need to be combinedwith sympathetic
  understandingand imagination
• Sociology is not like physics
• it involves interpretation

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The Women of Hull House

• Led by Jane Addams
• Did statistical research in low-income areas
• Advocated for the poor
• Organized community programs
• Fought for progressive legislation,including an
  end to child labor
• Shared ideas and methodology with men at
  University of Chicago