Based upon Alexander (2016) What Are the Social Sciences?, do you agree that sociology can help us to make sense of the effect the changes that are currently occurring in society might have on individuals and groups?

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(1) Based upon Alexander (2016) What Are the Social Sciences?, do you agree that sociology can help us to make sense of the effect the changes that are currently occurring in society might have on individuals and groups?  Explain your answer.  Alexander (2016:3-10) identifies the following “major themes in social thought in the 19th century that were almost the direct results of the democratic and industrial revolutions: (a) the great increase in population; (b) the condition of labour; (c) the transformation of property; (d) urbanization; (e) technology; (f) the factory system; and (g) the development of political masses.  Select one of the themes and briefly describe it.  Using your sociological imagination, make a comparison between your chosen theme and some of the changes that have occurred in our society over the past few decades.  (Perhaps you will consult with an older person, such as a parent, to reflect upon these changes.  For example, can you imagine a world without cell phones?!  Was the internet a part of our everyday lives a couple of decades ago?  For how long has the notion of someone being a gig worker been a part of our understanding of what work is?)  In your comparison, explain some of the similarities and differences between changes occurring now and those that occurred during the nineteenth century.  (Refer specifically to the reading assignment in your response.)
(2) Concerning the difference between sociology and psychology, the textbook (OpenStax 2021:122) states: As a general difference, we might say that while both disciplines are interested in human behavior, psychologists are focused on how the mind influences that behavior, while sociologists study the role of society in shaping behavior. Psychologists are interested in peoples mental development and how their minds process their world. Sociologists are more likely to focus on how different aspects of society contribute to an individuals relationship with his world. Another way to think of the difference is that psychologists tend to look inward (mental health, emotional processes), while sociologists tend to look outward (social institutions, cultural norms, interactions with others) to understand human behavior.  Reflect upon the theme you discussed above.  In a very brief statement (one or two sentences would be enough), describe what you might want to learn about that theme from a sociological perspective.  Describe what you might want to learn about that theme from a psychological perspective.
(3) In Module Three, we will focus on Karl Marx, Max Weber, and mile Durkheim, who are considered the foundational theorists in sociology.  Sociologists increasingly tend to recognize the contributions of Harriet Martineau, Jane Addams, and W. E. B. Du Bois.   However, Martineau, Addams, and Du Bois have not always been included in discussions of foundational theorists in sociology.  Why do you believe they have been excluded?  
(4) Answer one of the following questions:
a) What contribution(s) do you believe Martineau made to sociology (OpenStax 2021:13)? OR 
b) What contribution(s) do you believe Addams made to sociology (Scimecca and Goodwin 2003:143-44)?  OR 
c) Reflect upon Du Boiss theory of double consciousnesses (Lemert 2006:149).  Using your sociological imagination, do you believe we might be able to use Du Boiss theory as we examine the current experience of individuals and groups in the U.S.?  For example, consider the issues raised by the Black Lives Matter protests concerning African Americans or issues concerning other groups in the U.S., such as Muslim Americans,[1] or Asian Americans.[2]
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