HARRIET MARTINEAU (1802-1876)

“Men who pass most comfortably through this world are those who possess good digestions and hard hearts”. – Harriet Martineau (1802-1876)

Despite being little remembered for her contributions to sociology, Harriet Martineau (June 12, 1802-June 27, 1876) is often referred to as the "mother of sociology." Although she was a devoted journalist and writer of political and social works throughout the Victorian era, she has only recently begun to receive notice. Why are Jane Adams, Martineau, and Ida B. Wells being discussed right now? Where were the female sociologists at that time? Why are these ladies unknown to sociology academics? It is important to keep in mind that around the time Sociology was developed, evidence has led us to conclude that although women participated in academia, their contributions went unrecognised due of the male-dominated culture.

The American Sociological Association (ASA) did not permit any women to occupy office, and even when they did, the male sociologists dominated their field, showing that the contributions of female writers were not valued. Women weren't given higher formal positions in the ASA until 1892–1920, and Jane Adams was recognised as the prominent female sociologist of the time, which sparked the creation of a distinct "women's network."

Harriet Martineau was famous for her translation of August Comte's philosophy of Positivism

The 1853 publication of Harriet Martineau's translation of August Comte's Positivism philosophy made her renowned. It was so amazing that Comte himself switched from reading his own original to Martineau's translation and had Martineau's work redone in French. Martineau was also well-known for the 25-volume fictional novel series Illustrations of Political Economy, which established her as one of the first women to discuss politics in literature. Her Autobiography, which she wrote in 1855 but which her friend Maria Weston Chapman published in 1877 (Kannar, 1981, pp. 159–161), contains extensive discussions on political conditions as well as a window into the everyday lives of Victorian-era citizens. This work includes letters that she forwarded to her friends, and it inadvertently revealed the sociological context of how people's personal security is called into question, much like Michel Foucault (1926–1984) discussed Victorian-era people's private lives in his first volume of History of Sexuality (1976).

'How to Observe Morals and Manners' (1838), is said to be one of the first attempt towards 'objective observation' as a methodology in Sociology.

How to Observe Morals and Manners, a text by the author published in 1838, is credited as one of the earliest attempts to use "objective observation" as a methodology in sociology. She was raised in a middle-class family, and her mother's treatment of her children greatly affected her writings on "morals and manners." Although she was technically the first to introduce the idea of methodology in sociology and anthropology, she was never given credit for her work because no one had anticipated that the method of observation would become a part of sociology's methodology.

Martineau was already debating then-overlooked topics like marriage, parenting, domestic and religious life, race relations, suicide, and other issues; however, sociologists like Karl Marx (1818–1833), Max Weber (1864–1920), and Emile Durkheim (1858–1917) are mentioned first for the same reasons Martineau was already debating them. As Seymour Martin Lipset observes (1968:2) "How to Observe Morals and Manners is a book that may have been the first on the methodology of social study in the then-nascent fields of sociology and anthropology. Martineau coined the phrase "science of morals and manner" after realising that the study of social systems was a distinct field of research ".

Since her work is regarded as one of the earliest sociological contributions to observational research, it is important to note that she did advocate for the observer to have a "objective" perspective on events. Martineau's works thus exhibit the centrality of objectivity and symbolic interactionism. Another instance of unbiased observation is found in "Society in America" by Harriet Martineau (1837). She has stressed her position as a feminist in this work by providing details regarding the lives of American female slaves as well as the country's legal system. By doing this, she transformed what was supposed to be a "guide to America" into a crucial piece of proof of the existence of Classical women sociologists at a time when only male sociologists were recognised for their contributions to the field.

Martineau's role as a feminist is also reflected in her works Five Years of Youth (1831)

Martineau's work Five Years of Youth (1831) and Household Education (1848), which examine the role of a woman in both the public and private spheres of life, as well as her letters to friends that were requested to be burned after being read, also illustrate her feminist views. This book also demonstrates the author's active participation as a sociologist, or rather, a person who is very interested in her society and has a strong desire to learn despite being partially deaf and still being able to integrate into society with ease. She believed that because domestic work and academic achievement went "hand in hand," women should have the same freedom as men to leave the home and pursue their educations.

Harriet Martineau died of bronchitis in 1876

At "the Knoll," Harriet Martineau passed away in 1876 from bronchitis (a name she gave for her home in Ambleside). She wrote and published Letters of Mesmerism (1844) while she was there, at a time when mesmerism was becoming more and more popular. The History of the Thirty Year's Peace (1816–1846), A Complete Guide to the English Lakes (1855), Letters on the Laws of Man's Nature and Development (1851), and Eastern Life, Present and Past (1838) were other works she published. From 1852-1866, she contributed regularly to the daily news until she became ill and passed away three months after finishing her autobiography. Harriet Martineau's contributions to social issues like marriage, personal laws, suicide, and women's issues should not be disregarded, even though they are now being acknowledged many years after her passing. After all, if we can study Emile Durkheim for his work on suicide and regard him as a Classical Sociologist, then we must also acknowledge Harriet Martineau for her contributions.

Finally, it is significant to note that Harriet Martineau urged sociologists to do more than just observe; rather, she urged them to work to improve society, according to Anthony Giddens, a well-known contemporary sociologist.

HARRIET MARTINEAU (1802-1876)