Social theory

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History

Pre-classical social theorists

Prior to 19th century, social theory was largely narrative and normative, versed in story form, and both assuming ethical principles and recommending moral acts. In this way, it is possible to find the earliest theorists as religious figures.

Related Topics:
19th century - Narrative - Normative

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St. Thomas Aquinas and Saint Augustine, were concerned exclusively with a just society. St. Augustine describes late Ancient Roman society but through a lens of hatred and contempt for what he believed for false Gods, and in reaction theorized The City of God. Similarly, in China, Master Kong (otherwise known as Confucius) theorized a just society that when beyond the actual society of Warring States. Later on, also in China, Mozi recommended a more pragmatic sociology, but ethical at base.

Related Topics:
St. Thomas Aquinas - Saint Augustine - Just society - Ancient Roman - Gods - The City of God - China - Master Kong - Confucius - Warring States - Mozi

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Classical Social Theory

The first ?modern? social theories (known as classical theories) that begin to resemble the analytic social theory of today developed almost simultaneously with the birth of the sociology science itself. Auguste Comte, known as 'father of sociology', laid the groundwork for one of the first social theories - social evolutionism. In the 19th century three great, classical theories of social and historical change were created: the social evolutionism theory (of which Social Darwinism is a part of), the social cycle theory and the Marxist historical materialism theory.

Related Topics:
Auguste Comte - Social evolutionism - 19th century - Social Darwinism - Social cycle theory - Marxist - Historical materialism

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Another early theorist was Herbert Spencer, who coined the term "survival of the fittest" and recommended avoidance of governmental action on behalf of the poor (socialism) as a positive act. Vilfredo Pareto and Pitrim A. Sorokin argued that 'history goes in cycles', and created the social cycle theory to illustrate their point. Finally, Karl Marx theorized on the class struggle and social progress towards communism and laid the groundwork for the theory that became known as Marxism. Marxism became more than a theory, of course, carrying deep implications over the course of 20th century history (including the Russian Revolution of 1917).

Related Topics:
Herbert Spencer - Survival of the fittest - Socialism - Vilfredo Pareto - Pitrim A. Sorokin - Social cycle theory - Karl Marx - Class struggle - Social progress - Communism - Marxism - Russian Revolution - 1917

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Most of the 19th century pioneers of social theory and sociology, like Saint-Simon, Comte, Marx, John Stuart Mill or Herbert Spencer, never held university posts. They were considered, by in large, philosophers, because much of the their thinking was interdisciplinary and "outside the box" of the existing disciplines of their time (eg:, philology, law, and history).

Related Topics:
Saint-Simon - John Stuart Mill - Herbert Spencer - Philology - Law - History

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Classical theories had one common factor: they all agreed that the history of humanity is pursuing a certain fixed path. They differed on where that path would lead: social progress, technological progress, etc. Social cycle theorists were much more skeptic of the Western achievements and technological progress, however, usually viewing the Western civilization as slipping into decay and decadence, and arguing that progress is but an illusion in of the ups and downs of the historical cycles. The classical approach, close to historicism, has been criticized by many modern sociologists and theorists, among them Karl Popper, Robert Nisber, Charles Tilly and Immanuel Wallerstein.

Related Topics:
History of humanity - Social progress - Technological progress - Historicism - Karl Popper - Robert Nisber - Charles Tilly - Immanuel Wallerstein

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Modern Social Theory

Although the majority of 19th century social theories are now considered obsolete, they have spawned new, modern social theories. Some modern social theories represent some advanced version of the classical theories, like Multilineal theories of evolution (neoevolutionism, sociobiology, theory of modernization, theory of post-industrial society) and various strains of Neo-Marxism.

Related Topics:
Multilineal theories of evolution - Neoevolutionism - Sociobiology - Theory of modernization - Theory of post-industrial society - Neo-Marxism

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In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, by a more or less arbitrary division of topics, the social theory became most closely related to academic sociology while other subjects such as anthropology, philosophy, and social work branched out into their own disciplines. Such subjects as "philosophy of history" withered, and their subject matter became part of social theory as taught in sociology.

Related Topics:
Sociology - Anthropology - Philosophy - Social work - Philosophy of history

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Attempts to recapture a space for discussion free of disciplines began in earnest in the late 1920s and early 1930s. The Frankfurt Institute for Social Research was the most successful example. The Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago followed in the 1940s. In the 1970s, programs in Social and Political Thought were established at Sussex and York. Others followed, with various different emphases and structures, such as Social Theory and History (University of California, Davis). Cultural Studies programs, notably that of Birmingham University, extended the concerns of social theory into the domain of culture and thus anthropology. A chair and undergraduate program in social theory was established at the University of Melbourne and a number of universities now specialize in social theory (UC-Santa Cruz is one example). Finally social theory seems to be gaining more acceptance as a classical academic discipline.

Related Topics:
1920s - 1930s - Frankfurt Institute for Social Research - Committee on Social Thought - University of Chicago - 1940s - 1970s - Social and Political Thought - Sussex - York - Social Theory and History - University of California, Davis - Cultural Studies - Birmingham University - Culture - Anthropology - University of Melbourne - UC-Santa Cruz

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In modern times, generally speaking, social theory began to stress free will, individual choice, subjective reasoning, and the importance of unpredictable events in place of the classic determinism ? thus social theory become much more complex. Rational Choice Theory and Symbolic Interaction Theory are two examples. Most modern sociologists deem there are no great unifying 'laws of history', but rather smaller, more specific, and more complex laws that govern society.

Related Topics:
Determinism - Rational Choice Theory - Symbolic Interaction Theory

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Post-Modern Social Theory