SOC302 Official Handouts

(SOC302) · TABLE OF CONTENTS · LESSON 1 · LESSON 2 · LESSON 3

SOCIAL THOUGHT AND SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY .................................................................. 7

LESSON 4

ORIGINS OF SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY ........................................................................................ 9

LESSON 5

RATIONAL SOCIETY ...................................................................................................................... 11

LESSON 6

SOCIAL FORCES AND GROWTH OF SCIENCE .......................................................................... 13

LESSON 7

ENLIGHTENMENT .......................................................................................................................... 14

LESSON 8

THE DEVELOPMENT OF FRENCH SOCIOLOGY ....................................................................... 17

LESSON 9

THE DEVELOPMENT OF GERMAN SOCIOLOGY ...................................................................... 20

LESSON 10

THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH SOCIOLOGY AND ITALIAN SCHOLARS ....................... 23

LESSON 11

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN SOCIOLOGY-I ............................................................... 26

LESSON 12

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN SOCIOLOGY-II .............................................................. 30

LESSON 13

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN SOCIOLOGY-III ............................................................ 33

LESSON 14

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN SOCIOLOGY-IV ............................................................ 35

LESSON 15

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN SOCIOLOGY-V .............................................................. 38

LESSON 16

THE DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN SOCIOLOGY-VI ............................................................ 40

LESSON 17

CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY ........................................... 42

LESSON 18

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: EMILE DURKHEIM (1838-1917)-I ...................... 44

LESSON 19

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: EMILE DURKHEIM (1838-1917)-II .................... 49

LESSON 20

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: EMILE DURKHEIM (1838-1917)-III ................... 55

LESSON 21

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: KARL MARX (1818-1883)-I ................................ 58

LESSON 22

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: KARL MARX (1818-1883)-II ............................... 62

LESSON 23

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: KARL MARX (1818-1883)-III .............................. 67

LESSON 24

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: KARL MARX (1818-1883)-IV.............................. 72

LESSON 25

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: MAX WEBER (1964-1920)-I ................................ 77

LESSON 26

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: MAX WEBER (1964-1920)-II ............................... 82

LESSON 27

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: MAX WEBER (1964-1920)-III ............................. 88

LESSON 28

CLASSICAL SOCIOLOGICAL THEORISTS: MAX WEBER (1964-1920)-IV ............................. 92

LESSON 29

CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORISTS: TALCOTT PARSONS (1902-1979) –I ..................... 96

LESSON 30

CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORISTS: TALCOTT PARSONS (1902-1979) –II .................. 101

LESSON 31

CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORISTS: TALCOTT PARSONS (1902-1979) –III ................. 104

LESSON 32

CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORISTS: RALF DAHRENDORF (1929-1979)-I .................... 108

LESSON 33

CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORISTS: RALF DAHRENDORF (1929-1979)-II .................. 110

LESSON 34

CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORISTS: GEORGE HEBERT MEAD (1863-1931)-I ............. 112

LESSON 35

CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORISTS: GEORGE HEBERT MEAD (1863-1931)-I ............. 116

LESSON 36

CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL THEORISTS: GEORGE HEBERT MEAD (1863-1931)-III .......... 120

LESSON 37

MUSLIM THINKERS: ABD AL-RAHMAN IBNE KHALDUN (1332-1406)-I ........................... 126

LESSON 38

MUSLIM THINKERS: ABD AL-RAHMAN IBNE KHALDUN (1332-1406)-II .......................... 129

LESSON 39

MUSLIM THINKERS: ABD AL-RAHMAN IBNE KHALDUN (1332-1406)-III ......................... 132

LESSON 40

MUSLIM THINKERS: ABD AL-RAHMAN IBNE KHALDUN (1332-1406)-IV......................... 135

LESSON 41

MUSLIM THINKERS: ABU HAMID MUHAMMAD AL-GHAZZALI (1058-1111)-I............... 137

LESSON 42

MUSLIM THINKERS: ABU HAMID MUHAMMAD AL-GHAZZALI (1058-1111)-II ............. 140

LESSON 43

MUSLIM THINKERS: QUTBUDDIN AHMAD SHAH WALIULLAH (1703-1763)-I ............... 144

LESSON 44

MUSLIM THINKERS: QUTBUDDIN AHMAD SHAH WALIULLAH (1703-1763)-II ............. 149

LESSON 45

MUSLIM THINKERS: QUTBUDDIN AHMAD SHAH WALIULLAH (1703-1763)-III ............ 154

READING RESOURCES ......................................................................................................................................... 160

Lesson 01

(TOPIC 01-06)

Topic 001: What is Theory?

Try to understand and explain the realities. Why is it there? How realities are related?

Process of theorizing --- outcome is theory

Theory

A set of logical propositions which attempts to explain the relationships between the phenomena.

Why and how the realities (events) occur?

•  Our focus on social beings  interaction.
•  Explain why and how they interact and with what possible outcomes.

Social theory

•  Subject matter of theory.
•  Could relate to physical environment and/or social environment.
•  Description and explanations related to social environment fall within the purview of

social theory.

Three fundamental meanings of social theory

1. An attempt to understand and explain the nature and working of society. Explain social

phenomenon. Social theory is descriptive as well as explanatory

2. Theory is normative and prescriptive. Establishing strategies to create a better world.

View contested  theories should be value free. Positivistic approach.

3. Social theory is necessarily bound up with actual social movements and social classes.

Society/social environment understood and explained by different subject specialist’s such as

economists, psychologists, anthropologists, educationists, demographers, sociologists.

Topic 002: Components of Theory

Mental activity  process of developing ideas that explain how and why events occur.

Formulation of explicit propositions that explain recurrent patterns that can be observed in the

social world. These can also be called as basic elements:

•  Concepts
•  Variables
•  Statements/propositions

Concepts

Concepts are images of reality. Focus is on observable reality or phenomenon (physical/non-

physical). For purposes of identification, reality is given a name (label, sign, and symbol). The

name/label is abstracted from the reality. Concept is abstract reality may be physical or created

by people  social construct. These are means of communication. Therefore Should have

consensus on the meanigs. Better define: develop as clear and precise a definition as possible. Definitions: theoretical and operational. Theories are built by using concepts. There has to be a

narrative. Concepts are connected/related meaningfully and statements made.

Topic 003: Component of Theory (Cont.…)

Variables

Refer to realities that vary/differ in degree/type. Concepts translated into variables. Make

categories of variation. Label each category. For understanding the world, visualize how

variation in one reality is related to another. Reasoning for the visualized relationship.

Interpretation of how and why this relationship. The resultant proposition.

Propositions

Number of connected realities around an issue results in the:

•  Formulation of number of propositions.
•  Proposition is a theoretical statement.

Logical connection between and among the propositions. To make them meaningful for

explaining the reality/phenomenon. Hence arrange propositions in some order.

Theory

Arrangement proposition in some order. Axiomatic format: from highly abstract to less abstract

to empirical.

•  Axioms: propositions that are assumed to be true in and of themselves. Truth self-

evident.

•  Theorems: proved by chain of reasoning.
•  Propositions can be derived from axioms.
•  Orderly arrangement. Axiomatic format
•  Sequential arrangement of propositions makes a chain  set of linked propositions.
•  Interrelated set of propositions is theory.
•  If the realities are empirical, then you can test the propositions. In that case propositions

become hypothesis.

•  Testing the theory or part thereof i.e. hypothesis. Empirical regularity.

Topic 004: Theorizing

A set of propositions that are logically related and that interpret, explain, or predict a

phenomenon (reality) of interest. Propositions are theoretical statements. Propositions are

constructed. Construction/creation of propositions is a process. Theorization can be deductive or

inductive.

Scientific theories

•  Explain and predict the phenomenon in question.
•  Produce testable propositions/hypotheses.
•  Focus on measurable variables through sensory experiences. Since the focus is on social

life, hence it has limitations in predictions due to the nature of its subject matter.