Classical Social Thought

Contents

    Preface

    Acknowledgements

1. Auguste Comte (1798-1857)                      9-31

    Life and Works of Auguste Comte             

     Methodology                                              

    The Law of Human Progress                              Positivism                                                   

     Hierarchy of Sciences                                 

     Static and Dynamic Sociology                    

    Conclusion                                                  

2. Emile Durkheim (1858-1917)                      31-51

    Life and Works of Emile Durkheim             

    Social Facts                                                

    Division of Labour in Society                      

    Suicide                                                       

    Elementry Form of Rligious Life                  

    Theory of Totemism                                   

    Functionalism                                            

    Conclusion     

3. Herbert Spencer                               52-65        

    Life and Works of Herbert Spencer            

    Theory of Organic Analogy                         

    Theory of Social Evolution                                   

    Sociology as a Science                              

    Militant and Industrial Societies                  

    Super Organic Concept                              

    Functionalism and Individualism                          

    Conclusion                                                           

 3. Karl Marx (1818-1883)                                66-89

    Life and Works of Karl Marx                       

    Methodology                                              

    Theory of Class Conflict                              

     Historical Materialism                                 

    Theory of Alienation                                   

     Theory of SocialChange                            

    Conclusion                                                  

4.      Max Weber (1864-1920)                        90-116

         Life and Works of Max Weber                        

      Methodology                                    

         Ideal Type                                             

     Verstehen                                                   

         Theory of Social Action                                   

         Authority                                                

     Sociology of Religion                                  

     Religion and Economics                             

     Protestanism and Capitalism                      

    Rationality and Rationalism                       

     Bureaucracy                                                      

     Class Status and Party                                      

   Conclusion                                                   

       5. Robert King Merton (1910-2003)                117-178    

           Life and Works of Robert King Merton                

            Important Sociological Works                             

            Functionalism                                            

            Functional Method in Sociology                          

            Postulates of Functionalism                                

            Spencer”s Analysis of Functionalism                 

            Structural Functional View of Redcliffe Brown    

            Merton’s Functional Paradigm                            

            Reference Group and Types                                       

            Middle Range Theory                                         

      Social Structure and Anomie                              

            Conclusion                                                         

      6.  Talcott Parsons  (1902-1979)                     179-220

           Life and Works of Talcott Parsons                       

           The Theory of Social Action                                 

           The Social System                                              

           Social Control                                                                                                               Concept of Anomie                                    

           Functionalism                                             

           Parsons’ views on Social Change                        

           Parsons’ views on Social Stratification                 

           Parsons’ Evolutionary Model                               

           Parsons’ views on Social Structure                     

             Conclusion