Soc 454: Social theory
Fall 2005




Readings schedule

and academic calendar for 2005-06


Week/date Topic(s) Readings authors
Week 1
(9/26-9/30)
What is theory and where does it come from?
from ereserve: Stinchcombe, Strauss and Corbin
Kivisto reader: Weber (11); Simmel (17)
Week 2
(10/3-10/7)
role of social theory

from ereserve: Marvin Harris, Thomas Kuhn
Kivisto reader: Durkheim (6, 8, 10)

Week 3
(10/10-10/14)
Understanding structure
from ereserve: Gould
Kivisto reader: Bordieu (64), Durkheim (7), Simmel (16), Giddens (66)
Week 4
(10/17-10-21)
Social change
ereserve: Tonnies and Collins
Kivisto (key ideas): chapter 2
Kivisto reader: Weber (chp 12)
Week 5
(10/24-10/28)
Wrap-up, midterm prep

Wed, Nov 2

Mid-term Exam
Week 6
(11/2-11/4)
   
Week 7
(11/7-11/11)
Grand theory
ereserve: Sanderson, Cottrell
Kivisto reader: Marx (chps 3,5)
Week 8
(11/14-11/18)
Microsociology
ereserve: Heilbroner
Kivisto reader: Blumer, Goffman, Garfinkel
Kivisto (key ideas): chapter 4
Week 9
(11/21-11/22)
Power
ereserve: Domhoff
Kivisto reader: Foucault, Mills, Parsons
11/23-11/27
Week 10
(11/28-12/2)
Group presentations
Finals wk
(12/5-12/9)
No Final Exam

 

 

Week 1: What is theory and where does it come from?

readings:

  • Stinchcombe, A. 1968. Constructing social theories. Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press.(pp 15-38). Electronic reserve
  • Glaser, B. and A. Strauss. 1967. The discovery of grounded theory. New York: Aldine de Gruyter (pp 21-43). Electronic reserve
  • Kivisto, P. 2003 (this is the reader). Social theory: Roots and branches. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing. (Chapters 11 [Weber] and 17 [Simmel])

 

Week 2: Role of social theory

readings:

  • Harris, M. 1980. Cultural materialism. New York: Vintage (pp 5-28). Electronic reserve
  • Kuhn, T. 1970. The structure of scientific revolutions. (2 nd edition) Chicago: Univ. of Chicago Press (pp 92-110). Electronic reserve
  • Kivisto, P. 2003. Social theory: Roots and branches. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing (chapters 6, 8 and 10--Durkheim)

 

Week 3: Understanding structure

readings:

  • Gould, S.J. 1995. Curveball. Pp 11-22 in The Bell Curve Wars (S. Fraser, ed). New York: Basic Books. Electronic reserve
  • Kivisto, P. 2003. Social theory: Roots and branches. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing (chapters 7 [Durkheim], 16 [Simmel], 64 [Bordieu], 66 [Giddens])

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Week 4: Social change

readings:

  • Ferdinand Tonnies. 1957. Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft. Pp 7-13 in New perspectives on the American Community (R. Warren and L. Lyon, eds). Chicago: Dorsey Press. Electronic reserve
  • Collins, R. 1986. ‘Rationalization: The master trend of history?’ In Max Weber: A Skeleton Key. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Electronic reserve
  • Peter Kivisto. 2004. Key ideas in sociology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press (chapter 2, 'Industrial society', pp 10-45)
  • Kivisto, P. 2003. Social theory: Roots and branches. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing (chapter 12 [Weber])

 

Week 5: Grand theory

readings:

  • Sanderson, S. 1990. Social evolutionism. (pp 83-91, Leslie White). Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Electronic reserve
  • Cottrell, F. 1955. Energy and society. New York: McGraw-Hill (pp 79-109). Electronic reserve
  • Kivisto, P. 2003. Social theory: Roots and branches. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing (chapters 3,5 [Marx])

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Week 6: Microsociology

readings:

  • Heilbronner, R. 1993. The making of economic society (9 th edition). New York: Prentice-Hall (pp 60-66). Electronic reserve
  • Daly, H. and J. Cobb. 1994. For the common good. Boston: Beacon Press (pp 44-61). Electronic reserve
  • Kivisto, P. 2003. Social theory: Roots and branches. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing (chapters 39 [Blumer],40 [Goffman],44 [Garfinkel])
  • Peter Kivisto. 2004. Key ideas in sociology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press (chapter 4, 'Individualism')

 

Week 7: Grand theory

  • Sanderson, S. 1990. Social evolutionism. (pp 83-91, Leslie White). Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Electronic reserve
  • Cottrell, F. 1955. Energy and society. New York: McGraw-Hill (pp 79-109). Electronic reserve
  • Kivisto, P. 2003. Social theory: Roots and branches. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing (chapters 3,5 [Marx])

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Week 8: Microsociology

readings:

  • Heilbronner, R. 1993. The making of economic society (9 th edition). New York: Prentice-Hall (pp 60-66). Electronic reserve
  • Kivisto, P. 2003. Social theory: Roots and branches. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing (chapters 39 [Blumer],40 [Goffman],44 [Garfinkel])
  • Peter Kivisto. 2004. Key ideas in sociology. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press (chapter 4, 'Individualism')

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Week 9: Power

readings:

  • Domhoff, W. 1993. The American power structure. Pp 170-82 in M. Olsen and M. Marger (eds) Power in modern societies. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. Electronic reserve
  • Kivisto, P. 2003. Social theory: Roots and branches. Los Angeles: Roxbury Publishing (chapters: 60 [Foucault], 31 [Parsons], 35 [Mills])

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Week 10: Group presentations


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