Difference and Deviance

Essay by manyee May 2006

download word file, 1 pages 1.0

Sociology, a term that is quite difficult to define. You can say that it is the study of social behaviour and human groups. It focuses on social relationships and how this can influence people's behaviour. And how societies develop and change because of people's behaviour. Many different people, from many different backgrounds will define society in many different ways. To some people it will mean that it is the community where they live in, for others it is the whole that reflects their own personal lives, and to some others, it would be the night club in which they're are a member of.

Beginning in the 19th century, European theorists made some developments of the science of human behaviour. That time it wasn't really sociology yet. The term 'sociology' was made by a Frenchman named Auguste De Comte. You could say that he was the first 'real' sociologist, who understood the concept of sociology.

Sociology has had a lot of changes and doings before it really became the sociology of today that we know. Many sociologists have made tremendous contributions to this study. There is a long history that will be summed up below. The theories and thoughts of some of the most important sociologists will be discussed.