Sociology reading memo, What is the significance of the question that the author is asking for the field of sociology?

Student will sign up to prepare four reading memos which will consist of short, critical essays concerning the readings of that week, of no more than 1,000 words. Students will circulate the memos to the class by noon the day before class, by email. Students should submit memos approximately three weeks apart. The memos should follow the aforementioned guidelines for critically engaging the readings. The first two sentences should be the clearly stated question(s) of the author(s), and their method. Then, in 1- 2 paragraphs, describe the author(s)’ argument in your own words. Finally, in the remainder of the memo engage critically with the material. To do so, in addition to questions 4-6 listed above, you can also think about the following questions:

What is the significance of the question that the author is asking for the field of sociology?
What are competing answers to that question?
What would be a different/ valid way of answering that question? Maybe one you think is superior to the author’s approach?
How does the author’s perspective give you traction/ motivate/ relate to your own work?

Durkheim and “Social Facts”

Durkheim, Emile. The Rules of the Sociological Method. Ch.1, 2 “What is a Social Fact?” and “Rules for the Observation of Social Facts.”*
Durkheim, Emile. Suicide, Introduction (41-53), Book 1, Ch. 1 (57-81), Book 2 (145-294); Book 3, Ch. 1 (297-325).
Hacking, Ian. 1990. The Taming of Chance. Chapters 19-20.*