Impact of Modernity on Social Theory Lecture 3 Gaudí, La Sagrada Familia

Classical Sociology (Auguste Compte) Positivism Émile Durkheim ( ) Functionalism Max Weber ( ) Hermeneutics Karl Marx ( ) Historicism Marxism (Hegel) (Schleiermacher) Sociological Theory Map Theories of Social Action

The Object of Sociological Study Sociology is the systematic study of human societies Two opposing views of what constitutes a human society A society is an autonomous structure, a system of insti- tutions into which individu- als are born, and which con- strain their activities A society is not a thing in itself, but just a collection of indivuals, defined by their actions and activities. Functionalism, marxismVarious (inter)action theories

The Methods of Sociological Study Sociology is the systematic study of human societies Two opposing views of what constitutes systematic study Sociology is concerned with the empirical study of social facts, how they are interrel- ated (structure) and how they function relative to each other Sociology is concerned with the interpretation of human ac- tions in a social context. Social facts are created by human ac- tions. Functionalism, marxismVarious (inter)action theories

Giddens’ Notion of Sociology Social Theory ­ theory pertaining to all social sciences Sociology ­the branch of social theory that focusses on the study of modern societies

Individual and Society Agent Society Patient Social structure Action-orientedFunctionalist/ Structuralist

Structuration … Society Individual

> > > > … leading to … Society Individual ActionResponse

> > > > … Social Practice Social Reality Knowledgeable agent ActionResponse

> > > > Practical vs. discursive knowledge Social Reality Practical and Discursive knowledge ActionResponse

Motivation and action > > > > Social Reality Knowledgeable Agent Motivated and Unmotivated conse- quences of action Response

System vs. Structure > > > > System vs. Structure Knowledgeable Agent ActionResponse

Regulation and rationalization > > > > Social Reality Knowledgeable Agent Action Regulation and rationalization of action

Links to Sociology