Critical Issues in Social Theory

Critical Issues in Social Theory
Author :
Publisher : Penn State Press
Total Pages : 390
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780271032870
ISBN-13 : 0271032871
Rating : 4/5 (70 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Critical Issues in Social Theory by : John K. Rhoads

Download or read book Critical Issues in Social Theory written by John K. Rhoads and published by Penn State Press. This book was released on 1991 with total page 390 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Critical Issues in Social Theory is an analytical survey of persistent controversies that have shaped the field of sociology. It defines, clarifies, and proposes solutions to these &"critical issues&" through commentary on the writings of such influential social theorists as Hobbes, Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Mead, Merton, Parsons, and Schutz. Instead of being just another history, or another classification of theories, Rhoads's four-part model allows him to focus attention on issues that remain at the core of sociological theory today. First, Rhoads analyzes the controversy over positivism as the proper methodological model for the study of human society. Is there one science, of which sociology is a branch, or do the peculiarities of sociology's subject matter require a modification of the scientific method borrowed from the natural sciences? Rhoads next considers the relationship of individuals to society and its structures. Does society have a mode of existence distinct from its members, or is it merely an abstraction derived from the characteristics of individuals? Third, a discussion of social order raises the question of whether social order is the consequence of rules and their underlying moral values, or the product of continuous construction based on self-interest. Finally, the relative importance of consensus and conflict in social relationships is addressed. Is society better understood as a community united by beliefs, values, and rules, or is the social dynamic of continual conflict over beliefs, values, and rules more fundamental? In coming to grips with these issues, the author in some instances takes sides and in others arrives at a synthesis of diverse perspectives. In the final chapter he points to the limitations on the possibility of rational action that come to light in the clashes over these basic issues.


Critical Issues in Social Theory Related Books

Critical Issues in Social Theory
Language: en
Pages: 390
Authors: John K. Rhoads
Categories: Social Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 1991 - Publisher: Penn State Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Critical Issues in Social Theory is an analytical survey of persistent controversies that have shaped the field of sociology. It defines, clarifies, and propose
History and Social Theory
Language: en
Pages: 236
Authors: Peter Burke
Categories: History
Type: BOOK - Published: 2005 - Publisher: Polity

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Taking into account new developments since this book was first published, 'History and Social Theory' discusses topics including globalization, postcolonialism
Social Theory and Social History
Language: en
Pages: 378
Authors: Donald MacRaild
Categories: History
Type: BOOK - Published: 2017-03-14 - Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The expansion of social history that took place in the twentieth century has produced some of the most exciting works in the field of historical studies. As the
Logics of History
Language: en
Pages: 425
Authors: William H. Sewell Jr.
Categories: Social Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 2009-07-27 - Publisher: University of Chicago Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

While social scientists and historians have been exchanging ideas for a long time, they have never developed a proper dialogue about social theory. William H. S
Central Problems in Social Theory
Language: en
Pages: 308
Authors: Anthony Giddens
Categories: Social Science
Type: BOOK - Published: 1979-11-29 - Publisher: Univ of California Press

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"One of the most creative among the younger generation of critical social theorists, Giddens stands alone in his concern for the classical tradition on sociolog