FOUNDERS OF SOCIOLOGY WEBQUEST

Sociology is a relatively new area of study emerging in the 1800's. Massive changes occurred during the late 1800's, such as many nationalist revolutions, the Industrial Revolution, changes in science and math, and ideas of progress and democracy. The Industrial Revolution is tagged as the primary cause of change during the 19th century leading to changes in economy, politics, and society. As a result of these drastic changes, great thinkers began to wonder what triggered the societal shifts taking place around them. Using methods created for the physical sciences during the Scientific Revolution, social thinkers set out to understand the new dynamic taking shape under industrialization. Originating in European countries such as Great Britain, France, and Germany, Sociology took shape and quickly spread as a means to better understand the world in which we live as well as how we connect to that world. The United States was quick to pick up this new area of study dealing with similar issues of industrialization as Europe. American Sociology became hands-on focusing not only on studying society but also finding solutions and changing society. These sociologists became the modern social worker, using sociology to better understand what causes problems and then using the results to fix the society around them. The influence of Sociology continues today in all social fields including social work, teaching, criminal justice, and social reformers. 

task

Your task is to investigate the founders of Sociology listed below.  Use the websites provided for you and answer the following questions for each:

• What is the biographical information of each founder? (when and where they were born and historical events shaping their studies)
• What is their sociological perspective? (how did they view society, what theories did they create)
• What was their impact on Sociology?

process

1. First, use the websites provided below  to find the required information needed to answer your questions. Also feel free to use your textbook for information. If you have extra time or want to search more information use the founder's name and "sociology" to find the best results.
2. Second, record your answers to the 3 questions on your "Founders of Sociology" sheet and upload your responses below. Question 1 = Biographical Information, Question 2 = Perspective, and Question 3 = Impact. Be thorough but also concise.

FOUNDERS OF SOCIOLOGY

Click on the image for the Webquest Answer Form.

• Auguste Comte
• Harriet Martineau
• Herbert Spencer
• Karl Marx
• Emile Durkheim
• Max Weber
• ​W.E.B. Du Bois

General Information can be found on these sites:
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/WileyCDA/CliffsReviewTopic/The-Founders-of-Sociology.topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26835.html
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Sociology-in-America.topicArticleId-26957,articleId-26836.html

August Comte
http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Biographies/Philosophy/Comte.htm
http://www.biography.com/people/auguste-comte-9254680
http://sociology.about.com/od/Profiles/p/Auguste-Comte.htm

Harriet Martineau
http://www.6sociologists.20m.com/martineau.html
http://www.brycchancarey.com/abolition/martineau.htm
http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O88-MartineauHarriet.html

Herbert Spencer
http://www.iep.utm.edu/s/spencer.htm
http://www.6sociologists.20m.com/spencer.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Spencer

Karl Marx
http://www.6sociologists.20m.com/marx.html
http://www.scn.org/cmp/modules/soc-marx.htm
http://www.sociologyguide.com/thinkers/Karl-Marx.php

Emile Durkheim
http://www.emile-durkheim.com/
http://www.sociologyprofessor.com/socialtheorists/emiledurkheim.php
http://durkheim.itgo.com/main.html 
Max Weber
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Weber
http://homepage.newschool.edu/het//profiles/weber.htm
http://www.6sociologists.20m.com/weber.html

W.E.B Du Bois
http://www.education.miami.edu/ep/Paris/HTML/DuBois.html
http://xroads.virginia.edu/~UG03/souls/DuBoisLife.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0SOR/is_2_63/ai_89078706/