The Structure of Social TheoryPsychology Press, 2004 - 268 pages Drawing on the work of Gadamer, the book demonstrates that a sociology which focuses on social relations does not imply a return to idealism, nor a retreat into individualism, nor a rejection of critique. Rather, a hermeneutic sociology which prioritises human social relations is the only coherent paradigm which is available today. The author argues that sociologists studying the dramatic social transformations which are currently occuring should focus on social relations between humans; they should not attempt to understand contemporary changes in terms of structure and agency. |
Contents
The Relevance of Parsons | 20 |
Structure Habitus Discourse | 39 |
The Reality of Realism | 68 |
Hegel and the Concept of Geist | 89 |
From Praxis to Historical Materialism | 107 |
Status Groups and the Protestant Ethic | 122 |
Society and Ritual | 140 |
PART III | 163 |
Hermeneutics and Individualism | 192 |
Hermeneutics and Critique | 209 |
Beyond Structure and Agency | 227 |
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Common terms and phrases
activities argues autonomous Azande basis Bhaskar Bourdieu claim common concept confronted consensus contemporary social theory critical critical theory critique culture Dasein demonstrate determined dialectic discourse discourse ethics discussion dualistic ontology Durkheim economic emergence emphasises empirical explain fact Gadamer Gadamer's Geist Giddens Goffman Habermas habitus Hegel Heidegger hermeneutics historical human agency human consciousness human existence human social relations human understanding idealism independent individualistic institutions internalise interpretation interpretive sociology involve labour language lifeworld Luhmann Marx Marx's master-slave dialectic material meaning merely mutually objective ontological dualism Parsons particular philosophy political practical consciousness pre-supposes rational choice theory recognise reference rejects relations between humans role rule-following rules self-consciousness shared understandings simply social action social groups social interaction social ontology social order social practice social reality social system sociologists status groups status honour structuration theory structure and agency suicide theorists tions tradition transformation vidual Weber witchcraft Wittgenstein Zande
References to this book
Music and the Sociological Gaze: Art Worlds and Cultural Production Peter J. Martin No preview available - 2006 |