society in which we live, gives rise to many questions about the meaning of life, about the causes of those or other relations and social phenomena.Sociology as a science of society, the laws of its development, public relations and social institutions accumulate thoughts and ideas of philosophers, politicians, educators, scientists, writers and representatives of other fields of scientific knowledge.
sociology as a science is different from other social sciences, using scientific methods to the study of society, considerable practical use of social science research in the functioning of society.
in Russia directly sociological theories began to emerge from the mid-nineteenth century.Sociology as a science develops in different directions, which form the scientific schools.In the analysis of the history of the company, its structure, specifics of development of public relations, sociologists choosing different general scientific approaches: demographic, psychological, group, cultural and others.
should be noted that throughout the period of development of Russian sociology, on the formation of sociological concepts and theories greatly influenced the works of Western sociologists.These include the founder of the sociology of Comte, who coined the term "sociology", the concept of "system", justified the stage of historical development.No less influential to Russia's ideas of sociology Emile Durkheim, Max Weber.And the writings of Karl Marx became fundamental to the political ideology of Russia for nearly semideyatiletnego historical period.However, we can speak of mutual influence of Russian and Western sociology.Russian sociologists NYDanilevsky, NKMikhailovsky, PLLavrov, VILenin, GVPlekhanov, PASorokin made a significant contribution to the world of sociological thought.
Among the most common areas of the development of sociology allocate social philosophy.It is based on the search for universal laws of social development.The central idea, which appealed to the representatives of the different currents within a given direction (Spengler, Toynbee, N.Danilevky, Sorokin), is the idea of cultural-historical types of society, which are based on different cultures (eg,Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek, Roman, Mayan culture, Siberian Russian, Slavic, Jewish and others).Some sociologists suggest the impossibility of long-term coexistence of the different cultures that must be developed on an individual path.
Another area of development sociology - Marxism - combines conflictological theory, based on the economic struggle, the ideological confrontation of different social groups.Marxism as interpreted by Lenin and his supporters played a crucial role in the historical development of Russia.
in Western sociology stood neo-Marxism (Germany, 30 years of the twentieth century).From the ideas of alienation, denial of ideology, neo-Marxism in contemporary sociology asserts the idea of impossibility to eliminate conflicts between social groups: the struggle for power, for spiritual leadership, competition in the redistribution of income, which are the main causes of the development of society.
modern sociology as a science is actively formed within the technocratic direction, quite popular in Western and domestic sociological circles.One of the trends is the globalization of modern sociology.Net allocation of European and American lines of social science, manifested itself in the middle of the twentieth century, on the day seodnyashny erased.Human problems forced sociologists to combine efforts.On the other hand it is obvious that the evolutionary and Konfliktologichesky principle of social development has a place in history.Therefore, the integration of various sociological theories become an objective necessity in the development of sociology.There is no doubt that the meaning of sociology for the development of modern society is large.It influences the formation of public opinion and political decision-making.
in the structure of modern sociology are actively developing various branches of sociological knowledge: sociology of youth, sociology of organizations, sociology of knowledge, sociology of religion and others.
