The Social Lens

Part I: Modernity and the Sociological Response Chapter 1. On Theory A Lesson From History Critical Thinking and Theory Theory in Brief Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 2. The Evolution of Society: Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) Theorist's Digest The Life and Times of Herbert Spencer Concepts and Theory: Social Evolution Concepts and Theory: Social Institutions Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 3. Contradictions in Capitalism: Karl Marx (1818-1883) Theorist's Digest The Life and Times of Karl Marx Concepts and Theory: Human Nature and History Concepts and Theory: Contradictions in Capitalism Concepts and Theory: The Problem of Consciousness Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 4. The Irrationality of Rationality: Max Weber (1864-1920) Theorist's Digest The Life and Times of Max Weber Concepts and Theory: The Rationalization of Society--Religion Concepts and Theory: The Rationalization of Society--Capitalism Concepts and Theory: The Rationalization of Society--Bureaucracy Concepts and Theory: Class, Authority, and Social Change Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 5. The Problem With Diversity: Emile Durkheim (1858-1917) Theorist's Digest The Life and Times of Emile Durkheim Concepts and Theory: Religious Roots of Society Concepts and Theory: Social Diversity and Morality Concepts and Theory: Individualism in Modern Society Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 6. The Modern Person: George Herbert Mead and Georg Simmel George Herbert Mead (1863-1931) Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Truth, Meaning, and Action Concepts and Theory: Meaning and Interaction Concepts and Theory: Making Yourself Summary Georg Simmel (1858-1918) Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: The Individual in Society Concepts and Theory: The Self in the City Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 7. The Challenges of Gender and Race: Charlotte Perkins Gilman and W. E. B. Du Bois Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860-1935) Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: The Social Evolution of Gender Summary W. E. B. Du Bois (1868-1963) Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Cultural Oppression Concepts and Theory: The Dark Nations and World Capitalism Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Part II: Contemporary Sociological Theory Chapter 8. Structural Functionalism: Talcott Parsons, Robert K. Merton, and Jeffrey C. Alexander Social Systems: Talcott Parsons Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Making the Social System Concepts and Theory: System Functions and Control Summary Unanticipated Consequences and Ambivalence: Robert K. Merton Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Critiquing Parsons' Functionalism Concepts and Theory: Dynamic Functionalism Summary Democracy and Civil Society: Jeffrey C. Alexander Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: The New Civil Sphere Concepts and Theory: Civil Institutions Concepts and Theory: Civil Society Outcomes Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 9. Conflict Theory: Lewis Coser, Ralf Dahrendorf, and Randall Collins The Functional Consequences of Conflict: Lewis Coser Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Variation in Conflict Concepts and Theory: The Integrating Forces of Conflict Summary Power and Dialectical Change: Ralf Dahrendorf Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Power and Group Interests Concepts and Theory: Conditions of Conflict and Social Change Summary Emotion and the World in Conflict: Randall Collins Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Four Main Points in Conflict Sociology Concepts and Theory: Geopolitics Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 10: What Happened to Class? Erik Olin Wright, Daniel Bell, and Pierre Bourdieu Making Class Count: Erik Olin Wright Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Analytical Marxism Concepts and Theory: Specifying Class Summary Postindustrial Society: Daniel Bell Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Rethinking Society Concepts and Theory: The Decline of Class Concepts and Theory: Polity and Culture Summary Embodying Class: Pierre Bourdieu Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Structuring Class Concepts and Theory: Replicating Class Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 11. Structures of Racial and Gender Inequality: William Julius Wilson and Janet Saltzman Chafetz The Declining Significance of Race: William Julius Wilson Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: American Racial History Concepts and Theory: Policy Implications Summary Structures of Gender Inequality: Janet Saltzman Chafetz Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Coercive Structures of Gender Inequality Concepts and Theory: Changing Gender Inequality Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 12. Exchange Theory: George Homans, Peter Blau, and Randall Collins Elementary Forms of Social Behavior: George Homans Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Basic Principles of Behavioral Psychology Summary Social Exchanges and Power: Peter Blau Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Social Exchanges Concepts and Theory: Creating Power and Social Structures Summary Ritualized Exchanges: Randall Collins Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Emotion--The Generalized Media of Exchange Concepts and Theory: Interaction Ritual Chains (IRCs) Concepts and Theory: The Ritualized Production of Stratification Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 13. Self and Situation: Erving Goffman, R. S. Perinbanayagam, and Harold Garfinkel Managing Your Self-Image: Erving Goffman Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Impression Management Concepts and Theory: Frames and Keys Summary The Language of the Self: R. S. Perinbanayagam Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Dialogic Acts and Agency Concepts and Theory: Language of Identity Summary Organizing Ordinary Life: Harold Garfinkel Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Everyday Social Order as an Accomplishment Concepts and Theory: Doing Society--Reflexively Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Part III: Contemporary New Visions and Critiques Chapter 14. Problems in Modernity: Jurgen Habermas and Anthony Giddens Democracy in Danger: Jurgen Habermas Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Capitalism and Legitimation Concepts and Theory: The Colonization of Democracy Concepts and Theory: Communicative Action and Civil Society Summary Runaway Modernity: Anthony Giddens Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: The Dynamics of Modernity Concepts and Theory: The Experience of Modernity Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 15. Globalizing Systems: Immanuel Wallerstein and Manuel Castells Global Capitalism: Immanuel Wallerstein Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: The Dialectics of Capitalism Concepts and Theory: The End of the World as We Know It Summary The Network Society: Manuel Castells Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Information Technology Concepts and Theory: Networks, Identities, and Democracy Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 16. Upsetting Reality: Michel Foucault and Jean Baudrillard Defining the Possible and Impossible: Michel Foucault Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: The Truth About Truth Concepts and Theory: The Practices of Power Concepts and Theory: Disciplining the Body Summary The End of Everything: Jean Baudrillard Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Mediating the World Concepts and Theory: Losing the World Concepts and Theory: The Postmodern Person Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox Chapter 17. Politics of Identity: Dorothy E. Smith, Patricia Hill Collins, and Cornel West Gendered Consciousness: Dorothy E. Smith Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: The Problem With Facts Concepts and Theory: The Standpoint of Women Summary Race and Matrices of Domination: Patricia Hill Collins Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: The Standpoint of Black Women Concepts and Theory: Intersectionality and Matrices of Domination Summary Race and Democracy: Cornel West Theorist's Digest Concepts and Theory: Black Existence in America Concepts and Theory: The Post-Democratic Age Summary Building Your Theory Toolbox References Index About the Author