The Industrial Revolution brought about significant social and economic changes in Europe during the 19th century. These changes created a need for a better understanding of the impact of industrialization on society. In response to this need, sociology emerged as a discipline to study human behavior in industrial societies.
Early sociologists like Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber conducted groundbreaking research that laid the foundation for understanding social phenomena such as class conflict, social inequality, and the role of institutions in shaping individual behavior.