The Making of Sociology : A Study of Sociological Theory (2Vols)

Contents: Vol.I. : Beginnings and Foundations : Preface. I. Introduction : 1.Aim. 2. Preoccupations. 3. Plan. II. Beginnings : 1. The common sense roots of sociology: A) The necessity of a scientific study of society. B) Common sense assumptions about the nature of man and society. C) Some reservations of common sense. 2. Early social theories : A) Religious theories. B) Moral and political philosophy. C) Philosophy of history. D) Science and epistemology. 3. The need for sociology. III. Foundations : 1.Introductory note. 2. Auguste comte : positive science and sociology : a first synthesis : A) The three stages of mental and social development : the coordination of feeling, thought and action in individuals and society. B) The hierarchy of sciences. C) Sociology. D) Social interests. E) Religion and morality. F) Summary. 3. John Stuart Mill : a logical critique of sociology : A) The state of ‘knowledge’ concerning man and society. B) A first objection: the freedom of the will. C) The natural sciences and the human sciences. D) Psychology: the essential basis of a science of man. E) The scientific study of society. F) Ethology: the science of personality and character formation and of ‘collective’ psychological facts. G) Methods appropriate to a study of man and society. H) The making of social policy : science, philosophy, and practical experience. I) Summary. 4. Herbert Spencer : structure, function and social evolution: A) A unified scheme of knowledge. Influences of Comte and Mill. B) The concept of evolution. C) Explanations of evolution. D) The analogy between a society and an organism. E) The nature of a society. F) Types of society: classification and comparison. G) The nature of social evolution. H) Explanations of social evolution. I) Specific institutions: examples. J) Points of special emphasis. K) Some criticisms. L) Summary. 5. Karl Marx: economy, class and social revolution : A) The necessity and the nature of science in the study of man. B) Dialectical materialism. C) Historical materialism. D) Criticisms. E) A final comment on Marx. F) Summary. 6. The early Americans : evolution, knowledge, and conscious control : A) Lester F. Ward. B) William Graham Sumner. C) Franklin H. Giddings. D) Summary of the early Americans. E) The perspective of progress: a final note. 7. The foundations of sociology : a summary statement of nineteenth century agreements : A) Science and knowledge. B) The sciences and the study of nature, man and society : perspectives of knowledge. C) Sociology : the science of society. Appendices. Bibliography. Indices.

Vol. II. : Developments : Preface. I. Introduction : 1. Point of arrival and departure. 2. Point of departure: from theory to theories. 1. Theories of social evolution : A) Ferdinand Tonnies : from natural, living community – to contrived, artificial society: 1. ‘Gemeinschaft’ and ‘Gesellschaft’. 2. Gemeinschaft : the relationships of natural community. 3. Gesellschaft : the relationships of artificially. 4. Some further comments on the nature of Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft and the relations between them. 5. Points of criticism and assessment. B) Edward Westermarck : the sociology of morals: ‘sanctions’ at the heart of social institutions : 1. The theory of human marriage. 2. The origin and development of the moral ideas. 3. Ethical subjectivism and ethical relativity. 4. Some criticisms. C) L.T. Hobhouse : evolution, development, and purpose : 1. Hobhouse’s system of sociology. 2. The nature of society. 3. Types of social bond: types of society. 4. Institutions and their correlations in the different ‘types’ and ‘levels’ of societies. 5. Specific institutions and their relationship to the development of mind. 6. Points of emphasis and qualification. D) Theories of social evolution : summary comments. 2. The objective study of social facts and the subjective understanding of social action : an introductory note : A) The ‘objective’ study of social facts : Emile Durkheim. 1. The continuities in Durkheim’s work and some misunderstanding of them. 2. Some additional elements. 3. Durkheim’s system of sociology. B) The ‘subjective understanding’ of social action : Max Weber :1. Preliminary points. 2. Biographical facts. 3. Basic continuities and positions adopted. 4. Weber’s system of sociological analysis. 5. Example : types of imperative authority. 6. Weber’s perspective on the modern world. 7. A concluding note. 3. The Psychological aspects of society : introduction : 1. William McDougall : instinct, sentiment, the self, and voluntary action. 2. Charles Horton Cooley : self, society, and communications: A) The rejection of the distinction between individual and society. B) Self and society : the ‘looking-glass self’. C) Primary groups. D) Primary (group) ideals. E) Sentiment. F) Communications. G) Mass-communications and malaise : formalism and disorganization. H) The making of a humane society : a morality resting upon realistic knowledge. 3. George Herbert Mead : a social behaviourism: A) Preliminary points. B) Mead’s analysis of ‘self’ and ‘society’. 4. Sigmund Freud : anxiety, adjustment, rational control : A) Freud’s system of analysis. 5. Vilfredo Pareto : the social system : an equilibrium of psychological forces : A) The context and continuity of Pareto’s work. B) Pareto’s system of sociology. C)Criticisms and conclusions. 6. Georg Simmel : socio-psychological ‘forms’ of interaction : A) The psychological aspects of society now thoroughly explored. B) The social basis for a satisfactory human psychology laid down. C) Specific points established and agreed. 4. Functionalism : preliminary considerations : 1. Bronislaw Malinowski : needs, institutions, culture : A) The functional analysis of a cultural system. 2. A.R. Radcliffe-Brown : a natural science of society : A) The acceptance of sociology : continuities, agreements and disagreements. B) The differences and limitations of Radcliffe-Brown’s position. C) Positive contributions of Radcliffe-Brown’s own ‘system’. D) Conclusion. E) A summary of the ‘development’ of ‘functionalism’. 5. Early twentieth century developments : a summary statement : 1. Agreements with the nineteenth century foundations. 2. Points of special emphasis. 3. Critical developments of the nineteenth century foundations: a clear statement of the elements of sociological analysis. Appendix. Bibliography. Indices.