SUBJECT MATTER OF SOCIOLOGY

Sociology is a science with its own subject matter, ‘social life as a whole’ and deals with more
general principles underlying all social phenomena. Social phenomena is the subject matter of
sociology. The basic social phenomena, the unit for sociological analysis is commonly identified
as interaction between two or more human beings. Where there is interaction, the participants
are said to be in social relationship. Human interaction and interrelation become the subject
matter of sociology.

Sociology, no doubt, borrows” its subject matter from other social sciences, but it gives this
subject matter completely a new form. Sociology adopts completely different system of
explanation of subject matter. Sociology borrows raw materials, applies a technique and
creates what is called society and a distinct discipline to study its structure and processes.
While discussing the position of sociology among other social sciences, Maclver has rightly
remarked that the social sciences have the spheres within sociology just as associations have
the spheres within community. Today sociology is not only a distinct science with subject
matter of its won but it has also acquired that high status which entitles it to be called the
“mother of all social sciences”. Sociology has a distinct position among other social sciences.

1. Sociological theory –in this area, it includes or studies the concepts, principles and
generalisation of sociology. Sociologist has developed various theories for the analysis of
social phenomena: suicide theory, theory of crime, theory of social evolution.
2. Sociology of family-it studies the origin, growth, functions, kinds, nature of
family and its problems like those of divorce etc.
3. Human ecology and demography: it studies the influence of population and
demography factors on society. Human ecology is that part of sociology
that studies human beings adjustment to their environment which includes
not only the physical conditions of their geographical environment but also
other fellow human beings, plants and animals. With the help of culture
than man posses, he can live almost everywhere on this planet.
4. Sociology of community- It is the study of two pieces of community i.e.
rural and urban sociology.
i. Rural sociology- It is the sociology of rural society. In many countries,
most of the people live in rural area. Their way of life is also different
 than urban people. So we shall study the sociology of rural people in a
different manner.
ii. Urban sociology-In modern age, due to advancement of science and
technology, the rural areas is developed into city or urban area. The
urbanisation is taking place rapidly. Urban sociology studies the life of
urban people. It studies the way of life in urban area, the structure of
society, the social relationship, the economic condition, employment
system etc. It also studies the nature of changing society in urban area
and the secondary relationships.
5. Political sociology- It employs the method of sociological research to
investigate the content of political behaviour. It treats political institution
as the parts of social system. The political sociology is an integral part of
sociology which has progressively transforms political science in the
direction of wider attention to empirical reality.
6. Economic sociology- It studies the economic activities of different societies,
the economic process and relation between structures of society and their
economic activities.
7. Sociology of education; Sociology of education study the teaching and
learning process of society. It also studies the function and the relationship
between education and other great institutional order of the society such
as the economy, the religion and kinship. It studies how education helps to
transmit culture, norms, and values to other generations. It includes the
functional importance of education, relations between educational
institute and society.
8. Sociology of law: This branch of sociology looks at law and legal system as a
part of society and also as social institution related to other institution and
changing with them. It regards law as one of the means of social control.
Law is related to moral order to a body of costume and ideas about society.
9. Sociology of religion: Religion is belief in supernatural powers. It is a belief
in existence of God and the activities that are connected to worship in
them. Every people and the society believe in God. No society is free from
religion. The social structure and human believe upon the types of religion.
The sociology of religion studies the role and the functions of religions and
 their impact on human thought process. It also studies how people act
according to their religion. So this a fast growing subject.
10.Sociology of lemra, themra , falana, dhekana, daaru, chakhna etc.

#MILKE PAAS HONGE