The sociological gaze: linking private lives to public issues

If you are new to sociology, and trying to get your head around exactly what it entails, you probably do not realise you have encountered it many times already. Sociological analyses feature regularly in media commentary and public debate, and concepts such as globalisation, economic rationalism, socialisation, class, social status, deviance, alienation, and lifestyle all have sociological origins. This familiarity with the subject matter of sociology - we are all members of society and thus by definition should be automatic experts on the topic - can too often lead to the dismissal of the sociological enterprise as mere common sense. As you will soon find out, it is not that simple. Sociology involves a methodical study of human behaviours and societies. It is the study of the relationship between the ind ividual and society, investigating how human thought, action, and interaction shape and are shaped by society. The 'sociological gaze' exposes the link between individual experience and the social context in which we live, work, and play