Contemporary Sociological TheoryWritten by award-winning scholar, Jonathan Turner, Contemporary Sociological Theory covers the range of diversity of theory in nine theoretical traditions, and variants of theoretical approaches in these traditions. The result is a comprehensive review of present-day theorizing in sociology covering functional, evolutionary, ecological, conflict, interactionist, exchange, structuralist, cultural, and critical theories and the major proponents of these theories. Moreover, for each theoretical tradition, it origins are examined in a separate chapter with an eye to how classical theorists influenced the work of key contemporary scholars. This book will serve as a valuable resource for those readers seeking in-depth and comprehensive coverage of contemporary traditions in their historical contexts.
Since Jonathan Turner is an active theorist in his own right, he brings to the book an appreciation of how theories are created as an insider rather than as only a commentator on theory. As such, he is able to bring out the underlying assumptions, structure, and form of a theory in new and interesting ways for casual readers and scholars alike. |
Contents
Going Forward | |
The Rise of Functionalist Theorizing | |
Functionalism and Émile Durkheim | |
Talcott Parsons Analytical Functionalism | |
Niklas Luhmanns Systems Functionalism | |
Luhmanns General Systems Approach | |
Status and Emotions | |
Conclusion | |
Dramaturgical Theories | |
Unfocused Interaction | |
Extensions of Goffmanian Dramaturgy | |
Randall Collins on Interaction Rituals | |
Ethnomethodological Theories | |
Harvey Sacks Analysis of Conversational Turn Taking | |
Luhmanns Conception of Social Evolution | |
The Functional Differentiation of Society | |
Efforts to Revitalize Functionalism | |
The Rise of Evolutionary and Ecological Theorizing | |
Émile Durkheims BioEcological Analogy | |
The Rise of Ecological Theory in Sociology | |
The New Darwinism in the Social Sciences | |
Conclusion | |
Ecological Theories | |
Amos H Hawleys Return to MacroLevel Ecological Theory | |
Conclusion | |
Stage Theories of Societal Evolution | |
Theory | |
Conclusion | |
DarwinianInspired Evolutionary Theories | |
Evolutionary Psychology | |
Conclusion | |
The Rise of Conflict Theorizing | |
Karl Marx and Conflict Theory | |
Georg Simmel and Conflict Theory | |
Early Analytical Conflict Theories | |
Lewis Cosers Conflict Functionalism | |
Jonathan Turners Synthesis of Coser and Dahrendorf | |
Conclusions | |
Randall Collins Analytical Conflict Theory | |
Ritual and Emotions | |
Conclusions | |
Marxian Conflict Theories | |
NeoMarxian WorldSystems Analysis | |
Conclusion | |
Conflict Theories in HistoricalComparative | |
The Rise of Interactionist and Phenomenological | |
Early European Insights | |
Building on Early Interactionist Insights | |
George J McCall and J L Simmons Theory of Identity | |
Jonathan H Turners Theory on Transactional Needs | |
Conclusions | |
Theorizing | |
Conclusion | |
Status Theories | |
Emanuel Schegloffs Conversational Analysis | |
The Rise of Exchange Theorizing | |
Psychological Behaviorism and Exchange Theory | |
Exchange Theory in the Contemporary | |
Early Exchange Theories | |
Blaus Dialectical Exchange Theory | |
Richard Emersons PowerDependence Theory of Exchange | |
Conclusion | |
Rational Choice Theories | |
Conclusion | |
ExchangeNetwork Theories | |
Edward J Lawlers Network Exchange Theory | |
Molms Theoretical Program | |
Conclusions | |
THEORIZING | |
Early Structural and Cultural Theories | |
The American Structural Tradition in Social Psychology | |
Conclusion | |
Cultural Theories | |
Pierre Bourdieu | |
Alexander on Cultural Pragmatics | |
Conclusion | |
Structuration Theory | |
Conclusion | |
Network Analysis | |
Patterns and Configurations of Ties | |
Conclusion | |
The Rise of Critical Theory | |
The Rise of the Frankfurt School of Critical Theory | |
AmericanStyle Critical Theory | |
Critical Theories of the Frankfurt School | |
The Goal of Critical Theory | |
Postmodern Critical Theories | |
Economic Postmodernism | |
Cultural Postmodernism | |
Conclusion | |
AmericanStyle Critical Theories | |
Critical Theories on Race and Ethnicity | |
Index | |
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abstract action activities actors analysis analytical argued basic become behavior capacity capital Chapter cited in note communication complex concepts conflict create critical theory critique cultural develop differentiation dominant Durkheim dynamics ecology economic emerge Émile Durkheim emphasized empirical environment ethnomethodology evolution evolutionary example expectations feminist forces formal functional functional analysis genes Georg Simmel Giddens goal Goffman Habermas Herbert Spencer human ideas identity ideologies increase individuals integration interaction rituals involves Jonathan H LéviStrauss lifeworld Luhmann Marx Marx’s mechanisms mobilization natural selection norms patterns people’s person perspective political population positive emotions postmodern potential principles problems processes production propositions Randall Collins rational choice theory reciprocity relations rewards role scheme selection sense situation social organization social structure social systems society sociobiology sociological theory sociologists sociology solidarity Spencer status subsystems superorganic symbolic Talcott Parsons theoretical theorists Turner types values variables Weber York