Introduction to Sociological Theory (4^th Ed.) Theorists, Concepts, and their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century

Introduces both classical and contemporary sociological theory in a single comprehensive volume

Introduction to Sociological Theory helps undergraduate and graduate students appreciate the diverse perspectives found in sociological analysis, apply theoretical concepts to contemporary issues, and think analytically about everyday occurrences beyond the classroom. Covering a diverse range of theorists and conceptual frameworks, this easily accessible textbook integrates carefully selected primary quotations, extensive discussion of key topics, and a wealth of illustrative empirical examples from around the world.

The updated fourth edition of Introduction to Sociological Theory provides new contemporary examples, new discussion of current events, and new material demonstrating the relevance and practical application of sociological concepts in daily life. An entirely new section on posthumanism is accompanied by timely coverage of climate change, COVID-19, social media, post-truth society, the gig economy, ChatGPT, intersectionality, economic and racial inequality, and more.

Written in a lively and engaging style, Introduction to Sociological Theory:

• Illustrates the relevance and real-world application of various sociological concepts and analytical ideas
• Offers detailed discussion of concepts and ideas found in excerpts from original theoretical writings
• Helps students apply theoretical concepts to sociological topics such as globalization, inequality, crime, race and gender, political sociology, sexuality, culture, and religion
• Contains timelines of significant events, analytical photos, chapter glossaries, end-of-chapter review questions, full references, and mini-biographies of important figures
• Includes access to a companion website with multiple-choice and essay questions, PowerPoint slides, complementary primary readings, a quotation bank, and other background materials

Introduction to Sociological Theory: Theorists, Concepts, and their Applicability to the Twenty-First Century, Fourth Edition, remains an ideal textbook for undergraduate and graduate courses on contemporary and classical sociological theory, as well as an excellent supplement for related courses across the social sciences.

List of Boxed Features xi

List of Analytical Photos xiv

Acknowledgments xviii

How to Use This Book xix

About the Companion Website xxi

Introduction – Sociological Theory: A Vibrant, Living Tradition 1

Analyzing Everyday Social Life: Starbucks 4

Societal Transformation and the Origins of Sociology 12

The Establishment of Sociology as Science: Auguste Comte and Harriet Martineau 17

Social Inequality and Contextual Standpoints: Du Bois, De Tocqueville, and Martineau 23

Summary 29

Points to Remember 29

Glossary 30

Questions for Review 31

Note 31

References 32

1 Karl Marx (1818–1883) 34

Expansion of Capitalism 37

Capitalism as Structured Inequality 39

Marx’s Theory of History 40

Dialectical Materialism 41

Communism 43

The Millennium’s Greatest Thinker 44

Human Nature 44

Material and Social Existence Intertwined 45

Capitalism as a Distinctive Social Form 46

The Division of Labor and Alienation 57

Economic Inequality 64

Ideology and Power 68

Summary 76

Points to Remember 76

Glossary 77

Questions for Review 79

Notes 79

References 80

2 Emile Durkheim (1858–1917) 82

Durkheim’s Methodological Rules 85

The Nature of Society 91

Societal Transformation and Social Cohesion 96

Traditional Society 97

Modern Society 99

Social Conditions of Suicide 106

Religion and the Sacred 116

Summary 123

Points to Remember 123

Glossary 124

Questions for Review 125

Notes 126

References 126

3 Max Weber (1864–1920) 129

Sociology: Understanding Social Action 133

Culture and Economic Activity 133

Ideal Types 140

Social Action 141

Power, Authority, and Domination 149

Social Stratification 159

Modernity and Competing Values 163

Summary 166

Points to Remember 166

Glossary 168

Questions for Review 169

Notes 169

References 170

4 American Classics: The Chicago School, Talcott Parsons, and Robert Merton 172

The Chicago School of Sociology 173

Talcott Parsons 176

The Social System 177

Socialization and Societal Integration 180

Social Change and the Secularization of Protestantism 182

Pattern Variables 183

Modernization Theory 188

Stratification and Inequality 190

Robert Merton 193

Neofunctionalism 198

Summary 200

Points to Remember 200

Glossary: Chicago School 201

Glossary: Parsons 202

Glossary: Merton 203

Glossary: Luhmann 203

Glossary: Alexander 204

Questions for Review 204

Note 204

References 204

5 Critical Theory: Technology, Culture, and Politics 207

The Societal Critique of Horkheimer, Adorno, and Marcuse 212

Dialectic of Enlightenment 216

Mass Culture and Consumption 223

Politics: Uniformity and Control 234

Jürgen Habermas: The State and the Public Sphere 239

Summary 245

Points to Remember 245

Glossary 246

Questions for Review 248

References 249

6 Conflict, Power, and Dependency in Macro-Societal Processes 251

Ralf Dahrendorf ’s Theory of Group Conflict 252

C. Wright Mills: Class and Power 258

Dependency Theory: Gunder Frank’s and Cardoso’s Neo-Marxist Critiques of Economic Development 264

Summary 270

Points to Remember 270

Glossary 271

Questions for Review 272

References 272

7 Exchange, Exchange Network, and Rational Choice Theories 274

Exchange Theory: George Homans and Peter Blau 275

Exchange Network Theory: Richard Emerson, Karen Cook, Mark Granovetter 282

Rational Choice Theory (RCT) and Its Critique: James Coleman, Gary Becker, Paula England 287

Analytical Marxism 293

Summary 295

Points to Remember 295

Glossary: Exchange Theory 296

Glossary: Exchange Network Theory 296

Glossary: Rational Choice Theory 297

Glossary: Analytical Marxism 297

Questions for Review 297

Note 298

References 298

8 Symbolic Interactionism 301

Development of the Self Through Social Interaction: G. H. Mead and C. H. Cooley 302

The Premises of Symbolic Interactionism: Herbert Blumer 308

Erving Goffman: Society as Ritualized Social Interaction 309

Symbolic Interactionism and Ethnographic Research 324

Summary 324

Points to Remember 325

Glossary 326

Questions for Review 328

Note 328

References 328

9 Phenomenology and Ethnomethodology 331

Phenomenology: Alfred Schutz, Peter Berger, and Thomas Luckmann 332

Ethnomethodology: Harold Garfinkel 344

Gender as an Accomplished Reality: Candace West and Don Zimmerman 348

Summary 352

Points to Remember 353

Glossary: Phenomenology 354

Glossary: Ethnomethodology 354

Questions for Review 355

References 355

10 Feminist Theories 357

Consciousness of Women’s Inequality: Charlotte Perkins Gilman 361

Standpoint Theory: Dorothy Smith and the Relations of Ruling 364

Masculinities: R.W. Connell 376

Patricia Hill Collins: Black Women’s Standpoint 378

Sociology of Emotion 388

Arlie Hochschild: Emotional Labor 389

Summary 396

Points to Remember 397

Glossary 398

Questions for Review 399

Notes 400

References 400

11 Sex, Bodies, Truth, Power: Michel Foucault, Steven Seidman, and Queer Theory 403

Disciplining the Body 404

Sex and Queer Theory 415

Summary 426

Points to Remember 426

Glossary 427

Questions for Review 428

References 428

12 Postcolonial Theories and Race 430

The Color Line 433

Slavery and Racial Otherness: Edward Said, Frantz Fanon 434

Colonialism: The Creation of Otherness 436

The Phenomenology of Otherness 439

New Directions in the Sociology of Colonialism: R. W. Connell 440

Southern Theory 441

Race and Racism 442

Cultural Histories and Postcolonial Identities: Stuart Hall 445

Construing Whiteness 448

Race and Class: William J. Wilson, Cornell West 449

Scarring of Black America 451

Racial Politics and Democracy 451

Culture and the New Racism: Paul Gilroy 455

New Racism 456

Summary 459

Points to Remember 459

Glossary 460

Questions for Review 461

References 462

13 Pierre Bourdieu: Class, Culture, and the Social Reproduction of Inequality 465

Social Stratification 467

Family and School in the Production of Cultural Capital 472

Taste and Everyday Practices 476

Summary 486

Points to Remember 487

Glossary 487

Questions for Review 488

References 488

14 Economic and Political Globalization: Wallerstein, Sklair, Giddens, Sassen, Bauman, Castells 491

What is Globalization? 497

Economic Globalization 498

Immanuel Wallerstein: The Modern World-System 499

Contemporary Globalizing Economic Processes 505

Globalizing Political Processes: The Changing Authority of the Nation-State 513

Summary 526

Points to Remember 527

Glossary: Wallerstein 528

Glossary: Other Relevant Concepts 528

Questions for Review 529

Notes 530

References 530

15 Modernities, Risk, Cosmopolitanism, and Posthumanism 533

Jürgen Habermas: Contrite Modernity 534

S.N. Eisenstadt: Multiple Modernities 536

Ulrich Beck: Global Risk Society 542

Anthony Giddens: Dilemmas of the Self Amidst Uncertainty 545

Cosmopolitan Modernity 547

The Global Expansion of Human Rights 549

Posthumanism 554

Summary 561

Points to Remember 561

Glossary 562

Questions for Review 563

References 564

Glossary 567

Sociological Theorists and Select Key Writings 588

Index 592

MICHELE DILLON, PHD, is Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Class of 1944 Professor of Sociology at the University of New Hampshire, where she teaches courses in sociological theory. Her publications include the Handbook of the Sociology of Religion, the Concise Reader in Sociological Theory, 5 academic books, and more than 50 book chapters and articles in leading journals.