Modern Sociological Theory

Description

Modern Sociological Theory presents a comprehensive overview of major schools of sociological theory incorporating diverse perspectives and illustrations drawn from different cultural contexts. It brings forth the basic disagreement about the meaning of sociological theory itself as well as on the basic sociological concepts of ?system?, ?structure?, ?function?, ?conflict?, and the very subject matter of sociology and its methodological orientations. Both the teacher and the student will find the discussion of the various meanings of and perspectives on what constitutes the field of sociological theory; a complete chapter on the incessant interchanges between theory and methodology; an exclusive chapter on system theory with special reference to Parsons? conceptual framework; an up-to-date evaluation of the general theories of anomie and alienation; an assessment of structural vs. behavioural perspectives, quantitativism and evolutionary theory; and a detailed analysis of contemporary schools of theory which includes a discussion of most recent trends in the field, particularly helpful. Modern Sociological Theory also presents an elaborate exposition and critique on structural functionalism, conflict theory, symbolic interactionism and phenomenological sociology designed to familiarize students with classical perspectives, contemporary trends and divergent methodological orientations in theory.

About the author

M. Francis Abraham is a professor of sociology at Grambling State University, Grambling, Louisiana, USA. His works include Social System: The Study of Sociology (Cambridge: Schenkman, 1976) and Perspectives on Modernization: Toward a General Theory of Third World Development (Washington D.C.: The University Press of America, 1978).