Sociology 321: Survey of Sociological Theory

THE SYLLABUS

Required books:

	P.T. Manicas, (ed.), Theories of Society (Available at Professional   Image, 2633 So. King, across from Puck's Alley)
	James Farganis (ed.), Readings in Social Theory, 3rd Edition, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2000

  PART I

The Possibilities for a Human Science

Weeks 1-3   Liberals and A Critic

Society as an aggregation

Assign: Theories of Society: Hobbes, Locke, Smith.  Website: “The Beginnings of Modern Social Theory,” "Glossary.''

Society as more than an aggregation

Assign: Theories: Rousseau, '2nd Discourse  on Inequality.' 

Paper #1: Due February 4  Topic: 'The Constitution of Society'  See  website: “Assignments”  for instructions. Review

Week 4   Progress and Positivism           

Assign:  Theories: Comte. Website: “Reading Comte,” "Positivism," "Causality and Scientific Explanation."

 Week 5-6    Idealism versus Materialism                     

Assign:  Farganis (ed.), Marx, pp. 27-57; Theories, Marx. Website  “Marx’s Naturalism,” “Historical  Materialism: Two Interpretations,” and “Capital: The Bare Bones;’  Optional: “Capitalism: A Brief Overview.” 'Marx's Critique of Capitalism.'

Paper #2: (Topics to be announced.)

Week 7-8   Max Weber: Sociologist or Historian?

Assign: Farganis, pp. 102-145; Website: “Reading Weber,” Excerpts from Methodology of the Social Sciences. 

Week 9.   Durkheim: Social Facts

Assign: Farganis, pp. 58-90; Website: “Reading Durkheim.”

Spring Break

Paper #3  (Topics to be announced.)

PART II

The Recent Past and Present

 Week 10   The Parsonian Synthesis

Assign: Farganis, pp. 225-262; Website: 'Functionalist Explanation,' Parsons Glossary, "Action Systems and Social Systems."

Week 11     Conflict Sociology

Assign: Farganis, pp. 263-293. Website: “Three Models of Conflict Theory,” “Power and Authority,” “A Comparison.” Excerpts from The Power Elite.

 Week 12     Symbolic Interactionism.

Assign: Farganis, pp. 158-178; pp. 179-190; pp. 349-368. Website: “Mead Glossary,”  "Agent-Centered Theory."

  Week 13    Phenomenology and Ethnomethodology

Assign: Farganis, pp. 311-348; “Garfinkel Glossary.”

 Week 14      Structuration Theory

Assign: Manicas,  Theories, Giddens, 'Agency,  Institution and Time-Space Analysis;'  Porpora, 'Four Concepts of Social  Structure  'Giddens' Integration.'' 

 Week 15      Post-Modern Theory

Assign: Farganis,   website: “Post Modern Theory: Preliminaries” Postmodern Theory.'

 Final Paper.  (Topics to be announced.)  

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