Theoretical Sociology

Book Details

• Author: Randall Collins

• Binding: Hardcover

• EAN: 9788170333548

• Languages: English

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

About the Book

This ambitious book strives to present the core principles behind explaining the social world. Focusing on theoretical knowledge, it does not provide descriptive accounts of social actions or structures across times and places. Instead, it explains why certain social phenomena generally occur the way they do. While the theories discussed may not all be fully validated by empirical evidence, the book offers a valuable assessment of our sociological knowledge, built on over a century of theory and research.

The book aims to evaluate current sociological theories, discussing their strengths and weaknesses, and providing insight into where they should be developed further. It is divided into three parts, each dedicated to a different level of sociological analysis:

Part I: Macro Theories

• Evolutionism

• System Theories

• Political Economy

• Conflict and Social Change

• Multidimensional Conflict Theory and Stratification

Part II: Micro Theories

• Interaction Ritual

• Self, Mind, and Social Role

• Definition of the Situation and the Social Construction of Reality

• Structuralism and Sociolinguistics

• Social Exchange and Related Theories

Part III: Meso Theories

• The Micro-Macro Connection

• Network Theories

• Organizations

An Appendix on Theory and Methodology further discusses the theoretical and methodological foundations of sociological analysis