SociologySociological Theory – From Classical to Contemporary Times
First Semester 2010
Graduate Diploma in Social Sciences
Nepā School of Social Sciences and Humanities
Instructor: Dr. Sudhindra Sharma
Course Description
Sociology is the study of human social life, groups and societies. Sociological theory tries to explain why human social life, groups and societies are the way they are and why they change. The scope of sociology and sociological theory is very wide: it ranges from the analysis of interaction between two individuals in the street to the examination of global social processes. While the early sociological theories sought to explain the emergence of industrialization in Europe in the nineteenth century, later sociological theories investigate the effects of global capitalist system and processes in the lives of the ordinary people.
There is not one but several competing theories that seek to explain why human social life, groups and societies are the way they are and why they change. Rival theoretical approaches and theories are an expression of the vitality of the sociological enterprise.
Course Objectives
The objective of the course is to introduce students to various sociological theories. It aims at familiarizing the students with the major sociologists, orientations and perspectives within sociology and introducing the students to the texts produced by sociologists.
Course Requirements
The final grade for the course would be based on:
Essays: Students are expected to write two essays, one towards the middle of the course and the other towards the end. Writing these essays is mandatory. Each of these essays should be around 1,500 words. Together these will make up 20% of the total score.
Quizzes/Objective-type questions: Altogether two sets of quizzes/objective-type questions will be administered without prior announcement. This will account for 20% of the total score.
Mid-term exams: A mid-term exam will be administered towards the middle of the semester in a prior announced date. Open-ended questions will be asked during the examination. The exam will account for 25% of the final grade.
Final exams: Final exams will be administered towards the end of the semester in a prior announced date. Open-ended questions will be asked during the examination. The exam will account for 25% of the final grade.
Class participation: Students will also be graded on their participation. That the students are coming to the class after having read the assigned texts well will be seen from the type of questions they ask and the comments they provide. The teacher will monitor the students throughout the semester and provide the score towards the end of the semester. This will account for 10% of the total score.
Additional Remarks
Since some of the basic terms in sociology may be difficult for a student who is just beginning to be familiar with sociological theories, a glossary of sociological terms will be made available to students.
Outline of themes/topics
I. Foundations of classical theory
II. Expanding the foundation
III. Twentieth century sociological tradition
IV. Broadening sociological theory
Detailed Course Outline
I. Foundations of Classical Theory
Week 1: Introduction to sociological theory
Required Readings
Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth (2005) “Introduction” (p.1-16) Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfore Edles (2007) “Introduction” (p.1-20) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Texts and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Week 2: Introduction to Karl Marx
Required Readings
Giddens, Anthony (1971) “Marx” (p.1-34), Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An Analysis of the Writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Giddens, Anthony (1971) “Marx” (p.35-64), Capitalism aand Modern Social Theory: An Analysis of the Writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Week 3: Examination of Karl Marx’s writings
Required Readings
Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth (2005) “Karl Marx” (p.17-29) Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth (2005) “Karl Marx” (p.49-78) Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Week 4: Introduction to Emile Durkheim
Required Readings
Giddens, Anthony (1971) “Durkheim” (p.65-94), Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An Analysis of the Writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Giddens, Anthony (1971) “Durkheim” (p.95-118), Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An Analysis of the Writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Week 5: Examination of Emile Durkheim’s writings
Required Readings
Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth (2005) “Emile Durkheim” (p.79-88) Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth (2005) “Emile Durkheim” (p.88-134) Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Week 6: Introduction to Max Weber
Required Readings
Giddens, Anthony (1971) “Max Weber” (p.119-144), Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An Analysis of the Writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Giddens, Anthony (1971) “Max Weber” (p.145-184), Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An Analysis of the Writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Week 7: Examination of Weber’s writings
Required Readings
Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth (2005) “Max Weber” (p.135-147) Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth (2005) “Max Weber” (p.147-180) Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
II. Expanding the Foundation
Week 8: Georg Simmel & George Herbert Mead
Required Readings
Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth (2005) “Georg Simmel” (p.241-262; 280-287) Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth (2005) “George Herbert Mead” (p.347-381) Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Week 9: Structural Functionalism: Talcott Parsons & Robert Merton
Required Readings
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Structural Functionalism” (p.21-51) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Structural Functionalism” (p.56-69) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
III. Twentieth Century Sociological Tradition
Week 10: Critical Theory & Exchange Theory
Required Readings
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Critical Theory” (p.71-93) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Critical Theory” (p.94-117) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Exchange Theory” (p.119-156) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Week 11: Symbolic Interactionism – Herbert Blumer & Erving Goffman
Required Readings
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Symbolic Interactionism and Dramaturgy” (p.157-177) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Symbolic Interactionism and Dramaturgy” (p.177-206) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Week 12: Phenomenology & Ethnomethodology
Required Readings
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Phenomenology and Ethnomethodology” (p.259-275) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Phenomenology and Ethnomethodology” (p.275-311) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
IV. Broadening Sociological Theory
Week 13: Jean Baudrillard, Jean-Francois Lyotard & Pierre Bourdieu
Required Readings
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Poststructural and Postmodern Theories” (p.411-444) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Contemporary Theoretical Synthesis” (p.445-475) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Week 14: Contemporary Synthesis – Anthony Giddens & Immanuel Wallerstein
Required Readings
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “Contemporary Theoretical Synthesis” (p.523-559) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) “The Global Society” (p.561-595) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
Required Readings:
1. Edles, Laura Desfor and Scott Appelrouth (2005) Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
2. Appelrouth, Scott and Laura Desfor Edles (2007) Sociological Theory in the Contemporary Era: Text and Readings, Pine Forge, Thousand Oaks.
3. Giddens, Anthony (1992) Capitalism and Modern Social Theory: An Analysis of the Writings of Marx, Durkheim and Max Weber, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
References:
1. Hans, Joas and Wolfgang Knobl (2009) Social Theory: Twenty Introductory Lectures, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
2. Harrington, Austin (2005) Modern Social Theory: An Introduction, Oxford University Press Oxford.
3. Ritzer, George (1996) Modern Sociological Theory, McGraw-Hill International Editions.
4. Ritzer, George (1996) Classical Sociological Theory, McGraw-Hill International Editions.