Question 7.The structure of sociological knowledge

In order to clearly understand the structure of sociological knowledge it is preferable to take for granted the definition of sociology, its object and subject, and also to pay attention to the levels of sociological analysis. Sociology is a science about the formation and functioning of social communities that form a separate society, the humanity on the whole and some social relationships and interactions between them. It is also a science about a social person – the creator of these communities and the main subject of historical development.

The object of contemporary sociology is the socio-cultural reality, the subject is clarified depending on the scientific interest of sociologists, e.g.: individuality as a social being, social community/group, society in its state-national boundaries, humanity on the whole. Substantive domain of sociology is formed by social relationships and social interactions between all components that were previously mentioned.

Thus, the answer to the question what do sociologists explore? can be given. The next question concerns the result of their scientific research that is either in theory or is carried out in empirical research. The generalized answer to that question can be the following - sociology creates scientific knowledge about socio-cultural reality in its variety at all levels of existence and development. This sociological system of scientific knowledge is differentiated and structuralized as it is shown on a Picture 1.

General sociological theory

Specific sociological theories, Specific sociological theories,

that study subjects of that study vital activity of social

social life: subjects in such domains:

- sociology of a personality - sociology of culture

- sociology of a family - sociology of politics

- sociology of a class, state, - economic sociology and

and social layer sociology of labour

- ethnosociology - sociology of leisure

- sociology of a nation - sociology of education

Data of the empirical sociological researches

General contemporary sociological theory gives an idea about humanity as a global megasystem, which is formed as a result of globalization processes, and also about society as a system of a lower rank. This general theory reflects the determinative tendencies of formation and functioning of social communities-subjects of social development at local and global levels of their existence, the place of a human as a social being in these relations.

This general social theory has inner peculiarities depending on the paradigm in which it is created and developed. The notion of “paradigm” was introduced to the science by the American sociologist I. Kun in order to denote a specific theoretical model of setting a problem and its solution. This model forms the basis of a theory, includes general statements and principles, the set of specific categories and is accepted by some academic group. Correspondingly the general sociological theory is represented by the succession of paradigms with branches and schools belonging to it. The main schools are structural and interpretive. Structural paradigm organizes, constructs and develops social systems of different levels of complexity and considers the functions they perform, while interpretative school explains the meaning of human behavior and interaction between people in the process of their common vital activity as a result of which the society is formed.

The general social theory includes: history of sociology, knowledge of the object and the subject of social science, the conceptual-categorical apparatus. The tendencies of development of the socio-cultural reality and the sociology itself are depicted in the general social theory. Also the place of sociology among other sciences is substantiated.

Special sociological theories (or average level theories) study subjects of social life (a person as a social being, communities of different levels of complexity and organization formed by him) and their vital activity in different domains and branches such as: culture, politics, economics, science, education and leisure. They explain two general types of social relations and connections: