Contemporary Sociological Theories

Paper Code: 
SOC 321
Credits: 
04
Contact Hours: 
60.00
Max. Marks: 
100.00
Objective: 

This course is intended to introduce the students to the substantive, theoretical and methodological issues which have shaped the sociological thinking in the latter half of the 20th century, and which continue to concern the practitioners of sociology today. The main focus of this course will be on the perspectives on Evolution, Rational choice and Modernity as well as the Feminist theories. The course will also examine the theoretical relevance and analytical utility of the premises, methodology and conclusions of these diverse theoretical perspectives in understanding social structure and change.

Unit I: 
  • Perspectives on Evolution:
    • Karl Marx and the Classless society
    • Talcott Parson’s Evolutionary model
Unit II: 
  • Theories of Rational Choice:
    • George Homans: Elementary Social Behaviour
    • Peter Blau: Exchange and Integration
Unit III: 
  • Neo-functionalism: Jeffrey C. Alexander
  • Neo-Marxism: Jurgen Habermans, Louis Althusser
Unit IV: 
  • Modernity:
    • Anthony Giddens: Modernity and its Consequences
    • Ulrich Beck: The Risk Society; George Ritzer: McDonaldization, Globalization/ Americanization and New Means of Consumption

 

Unit V: 
  • Post- Modern Theory:
    • Jaques Derrida
    • Michel Foucault
  • Critical Sociology: Adorno, Horekhiemer

 

References: 
  1. Coser, Lewis A. 1979. Masters of Sociological Thought. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
  2. Ritzer, George. 1996. Sociological Theory. New Delhi: Tata-McGraw Hill.
  3. Zeitlin, Irving. 1998 (Indian Edition). Rethinking Sociology: A Critique of Contemporary Theory. Jaipur: Rawat.
  4. Nisbet 1966 – The Sociological Tradition Heinemann Educational Books LTD., London.
  5. Mayer, M. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Translated by Talcott Parsons, London, 1930.
  6. Abraham and Morgan, 1985. Sociological Thought. Delhi: McMillan India Ltd.
  7. Turner, Jonathan H., 1995:  The Structure of Sociological Theory, Jaipur: Rawat
  8. Zeitlin, Irving M., 1998:  Rethinking Sociology, Jaipur: Rawat
  9. Delaney, Tim, 2008: Contemporary Social Theory, New Delhi: Pearson Education
  10. Wallace, Ruth A & Alison Wolf, 2006: New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India
  11. Giddens, Anthony, 1983: Central Problems in Social Theory: Action, Structure and Contradiction in Social Analysis, London: Macmillan
     
Academic Session: 
2018-19
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