Final answer:
Early sociology was shaped by founders Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Émile Durkheim who contributed theories that still serve as the basis for understanding social structures. Sociology emerged in the 19th century amid the Industrial Revolution and was established in U.S. academia in the early 20th century.
Step-by-step explanation:
The early founders of sociology who created a foundation for the discipline were Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Émile Durkheim. Each had significant contributions with lasting influence:
- Karl Marx focused on the struggle between social classes, which led to his theory of social conflict that is still relevant today.
- Max Weber took a more interpretive approach, looking at individual behavior and how that influences societal groups.
- Émile Durkheim introduced the idea of functionalism, emphasizing the role of societal institutions in maintaining social order.
Sociology emerged as a discipline in the nineteenth century during the significant social changes of the Industrial Revolution. It developed in Western Europe and expanded into the United States in the early 1900s with American sociologists like William Sumner, Franklin Giddings, and Albion Small testing and applying European theories.