Sociological Approaches and Theories

Paper Code: 
SOC221
Credits: 
4
Contact Hours: 
45.00
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 structural, functional and conflict theories, and symbolic interactionism, phenomenology and ethnomethodology. 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.

12.00
Unit I: 
  • Sociological Theory: Meaning, Nature and Types

 

  • Radcliffe Brown’s Structural Theory
  • Merton’s Structural Functional Model
12.00
Unit II: 
  • Structural-Functionalism :
  • Durkheim
  • Parsons
12.00
Unit III: 
  • Conflict Theory:
  • Marxian theory of conflict
  • Dahrendorf’s functional analysis of conflict
12.00
Unit IV: 
  • Symbolic Interactionism:
  • George Herbert Mead’s, ‘The Self’
  • Herbert Blumer’s, ‘Interpretation’
12.00
Unit V: 
  • Phenomenological Sociology: Alfred Schutz                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
  • Ethnomethodology: Harold Garfinkel
References: 
  • Ritzer, George, 1992: Sociological Theory, New York: Mc Graw Hill

 

  • Turner, Jonathan H., 1995:  The Structure of Sociological Theory, Jaipur: Rawat

 

 

  • Zeitlin, Irving M., 1998:  Rethinking Sociology, Jaipur: Rawat

 

  • Delaney, Tim, 2008: Contemporary Social Theory, New Delhi: Pearson Education

 

 

  • Wallace, Ruth A & Alison Wolf, 2006: New Delhi: Prentice Hall of India

 

  • Giddens, Anthony, 1983: Central Problems in Social Theory: Action, Structure and Contradiction in Social Analysis, London: Macmillan
Academic Session: 
2019-20
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