The Theory Primer: A Sociological GuideRowman & Littlefield, 2006 - 343 pages This book is a classical theory text aimed at teaching theorizing as a skill. After analyzing the process of theorizing into a set of simple steps, it shows how the theories of Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Mead were constructed following these steps. It links their theories with contemporary ones in the same research tradition and shows how these traditions exemplify fundamental paradigms that can guide the student's own theorizing. |
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Contents
Theories and Theorizing | 1 |
A Definition of Theory | 2 |
Theory and Explanation | 4 |
Explication | 5 |
Causal Accounting | 6 |
Theorizing as a Process | 8 |
Developing a Problem | 9 |
Creating a Theory | 15 |
The Grounds of Bureaucratic Authority | 159 |
The Grounds of Traditional Authority | 160 |
The Grounds of Charismatic Authority | 161 |
Charismatic Authority and the Sociology of Charisma | 164 |
The Social Ecology of Bureaucracies | 169 |
Rationalization and Historical Change | 172 |
The Types of Social Action | 173 |
Stratification and Conflict | 179 |
Evaluating the Theory | 20 |
Theories and Paradigms | 35 |
Conclusion | 36 |
Notes | 38 |
The Context of Classical Theory | 41 |
Karl Marx and Capitalism | 47 |
Capitalism as a Problem | 48 |
Capitalism Observed | 50 |
The Workers Condition Conceptualized as a Variable | 51 |
Alienation | 52 |
Exploitation | 56 |
An Empirical Generalization | 59 |
Creating a Theory to Explain the Change | 60 |
Working Conditions and Concentration of Power | 61 |
Mechanisms of Change | 66 |
Evaluating Marxs Theory | 69 |
Predicting the Transition from Capitalism to Communism | 70 |
The Mechanism of Transition | 73 |
Conclusion | 79 |
The Dialectic | 80 |
Notes | 84 |
Historical Materialism and Its Legacy | 87 |
The Legacy of Marx | 95 |
The Conflict Paradigm | 96 |
A Theory of Gender Relations | 98 |
The Paradigm of Cultural Materialism | 101 |
Conclusion | 106 |
Notes | 107 |
Max Weber and Capitalism | 111 |
Theoretical Modesty and Use of Analytic Typologies | 112 |
Webers Protestant Ethic Account of Capitalism | 114 |
An Empirical Generalization | 115 |
Economic Traditionalism versus the Spirit of Capitalism | 116 |
The Spirit of Capitalism | 118 |
Background Information | 120 |
Calling Predestination and Worldly Asceticism | 122 |
Luthers Idea of Calling | 124 |
Calvin and Predestination | 125 |
Calvinism and Worldly Asceticism | 126 |
Evaluating the Protestant Ethic Thesis | 135 |
Weber and Historical Idealism | 138 |
Weber and Verstehen | 140 |
Conclusion | 142 |
Max Weber and Analytic Typologies | 147 |
What Is an Analytic Typology? | 148 |
What Makes for a Good Typology? | 151 |
Usefulness | 153 |
Webers Typologies | 154 |
Authority | 156 |
Conclusion | 183 |
Mutual Exclusivity | 184 |
Measuring Rationalization | 185 |
Notes | 188 |
Emile Durkheim on the Division of Labor and Suicide | 193 |
The Division of Labor | 194 |
The Forms of Solidarity | 195 |
Modes of Punishment Vary with Forms of Solidarity | 199 |
Evaluating Durkheims Theory | 201 |
Durkheim on Suicide | 204 |
Setting Up the Problem | 205 |
From Empirical Generalizations to a Theory | 206 |
Evaluating Durkheims Theory of Suicide | 214 |
Measuring and Calibrating Integration and Regulation | 215 |
Robustness and Dubious Ad Hoc Assumptions | 217 |
Implications Unsupported by Data | 218 |
Social Integration and Mortality | 221 |
Conclusion | 223 |
Notes | 224 |
Emile Durkheim and Functionalism | 229 |
Denning the Problem | 231 |
Explaining Crime | 234 |
Fraud and Innovation in Science | 236 |
Functionalism as a Paradigm | 240 |
Functional Explanations of Stratification and Poverty | 246 |
Herbert Cans on Poverty | 249 |
Concluding Remarks on Functionalism | 253 |
The Problem of Religion | 254 |
Explaining Religion | 256 |
Evaluating Durkheims Explanation | 258 |
On Structuralism | 261 |
Conclusion | 263 |
Notes | 264 |
G H Mead and Symbolic Interaction | 269 |
The Formation of the Self | 271 |
The Phases of the Self | 273 |
Erving Goffman and Symbolic Interaction | 277 |
Explaining the Rules of Interaction | 278 |
Social Processes in Total Institutions | 283 |
Structural Models | 285 |
The Affect Control Subparadigm | 290 |
Conclusion | 294 |
Notes | 295 |
Postscript | 299 |
Glossary | 305 |
Bibliography | 323 |
| 333 | |
| 337 | |
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Common terms and phrases
action affect control analysis analytic typology argued authority behavior bureaucracies called capitalist causal accounts causal models causal narrative cause chapter charismatic charismatic authority clue variable collective consciousness complex concentration of power concept conflict conflict paradigm crime culture of honor dependent variable developed discussion division of labor Durkheim Durkheim's theory economic Émile Durkheim empirical Evaluating example explain explication figure functional Goffman groups human ideas implications important increase individuals industrial innovations instance instrumentally rational interaction interesting involved labor power less lives look Max Weber Mead means mechanism mode of production motives organization paradigm pattern political predict problem Protestant Ethic Protestantism punishment rational relations of production religion religious Richard Nisbett sense social change social ecology social integration societies sociologists species-being spirit of capitalism status structure suicide rates tion total institutions traditional U.S. South understand variation Weber women workers