The Importance of Herbert Spencer and Harold Garfinkel in the History of Sociology
1. How Herbert Spencer and Harold Garfinkel made sociology what it is today
Herbert Spencer and Harold Garfinkel are two of the most important figures in the history of sociology. They have both made significant contributions to the development of the discipline and its concepts.
Herbert Spencer was one of the first sociologists to attempt to systematize the study of society. He did this by developing the principles of sociology, which were based on the idea that all social phenomena could be analyzed and understood in terms of underlying universal laws.
Spencer’s work was highly influential in shaping the early development of sociology as a discipline. It was also influential in shaping Victorian social thought more broadly. His work on race relations, for example, helped to legitimize racist ideas and practices by providing a scientific justification for them.
Harold Garfinkel, on the other hand, is best known for his work on symbolic interactionism. This is a theoretical perspective that emphasizes the importance of meanings in social interactions.
Garfinkel’s work has been highly influential in shaping contemporary sociological thought. His work on homicide, for example, has helped to shape our understanding of how race and ethnicity affect perceptions of crime and violence.
2. The different approaches of these two theorists
Herbert Spencer and Harold Garfinkel approach sociology from different perspectives. Spencer’s work is primarily concerned with understanding how society works, while Garfinkel’s work is primarily concerned with understanding how social interaction works.
Spencer’s work is based on the idea that all social phenomena can be explained in terms of underlying universal laws. This means that he sees society as a system that operates according to its own internal logic.
Garfinkel, on the other hand, does not believe that there are any universal laws governing social life. Instead, he emphasizes the importance of meanings in social interactions. This means that he sees society as a collection of individuals who interact with each other through symbols and meanings.
3. How they have helped shape our understanding of race relations
Herbert Spencer and Harold Garfinkel have both helped to shape our understanding of race relations. Spencer’s work on race relations helped to legitimize racist ideas and practices by providing a scientific justification for them. Garfinkel’s work on homicide has helped to shape our understanding of how race and ethnicity affect perceptions of crime and violence.
4. And finally, a comparison of their work on homicide
Both Herbert Spencer and Harold Garfinkel have done important work on homicide. However, their approaches to this topic are quite different.
Spencer’s approach is based on the idea that all social phenomena can be explained in terms of underlying universal laws. He sees homicide as resulting from natural selection. This means that he sees it as an inevitable outcome of the human struggle for survival. Garfinkel, on the other hand, does not believe that there are any universal laws governing social life. Instead, he emphasizes the importance meanings attached to symbols in social interaction. For him, homicide is not an inevitable outcome of natural selection, but rather result misunderstandings or communication breakdowns between people.
5. Conclusion
Herbert Spencer and Harold Garfinkel are two of the most important figures in the history of sociology. They have both made significant contributions to the development of the discipline and our understanding of race relations.