Full Description
Since Durkheim's influential work a century ago, sociological theory has been among the most integrative and useful tools for social scientists across many disciplines. Sociological theory has nevertheless, due to its usefulness, expanded so very broadly that some wonder whether the concept of "general theory," or even the attempt to link middle-range theories, is still of any use. This book, a collection of top theorists reflecting on the present and future of the craft, addresses this most important question.
Taking their lead from Jonathan Turner's important recent work, and drawing on their own broad experience, Seth Abrutyn and Kevin McCaffree have organized the chapters in this book from the general, integrative and review-focused bookend chapters to more specific chapters on innovations in theory construction at the micro, meso and macro levels. Moreover, the book's microsociological content on interpersonal violence, solidarity, identity and emotion coheres with chapters in mesosociological dynamics on class, education and networks, which in turn integrate with the chapters on inequality, justice, morality and cultural evolution found in the section on macrosociology. The distinguished contributors share a distinct commitment to the development, innovation and relevance of general sociological theory. This volume is an invaluable sourcebook for advanced students and social science faculty interested in understanding how sociological theory's past and present are informing its future.
Contents
Preface
Introduction
Part 1: Theoretical Sociology
1. Sociology Must Continue to Become More Interdisciplinary
2. Kevin McCaffree on Interdisciplinary Theorizing
3. Evolution as the Key to Process Sociology: Relational Sociology According to History
4. Erika Summers-Effler's Comments on Evolutionary Analysis
5. The Evolutionary Sociology of Macrodynamics
6. Seth Abrutyn on Macro Theorizing
7. Jonathan Turner's Macro-Micro-Meso Theory
8. Randall Collins on Micro-Meso-Macro Theorizing
Part 2: Foundational Areas of Inquiry
9. Theorizing Nested Group Ties
10. Lawler, Thye and Yoon on Theorizing Nested Group Ties
11. Social Exchange Theory: Current Status and Future Directions
12. Karen S. Cook and Michael Hahn on of Exchange Theory
13. Inequality and Justice
14. Guillermina Jasso on Inequality and Justice
15. The Micro-Sociology of Self and Identity
16. Peter J. Burke and Jan E. Stets on Self and Identity
17. Humanizing Sociological Theory: A 21st Century Solution to a 20th Century Problem Yet to Be Solved
18. Richard Machalek on Bringing Biology Back into Sociology
Part 3: The Social Processes of Knowledge Production
19. Reflections on Turner and Theory Development
20. Theoretical Sociology
21. General Impressions about Turner's Teaching, Research and Influence
Section 4: Reflections
22. On Jonathan Turner: A Brief Personal Biography
23. On Becoming and Being a General Theorist in Sociology: A Most Improbable Journey
