Sociological Theory George Ritzer

Summary

Sociology Theory by George Ritzer offers a comprehensive overview of the history of sociological theory from its inception to the latest theoretical developments. Our goal is to combine a discussion of the major classical theorists (Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Simmel) with the most important contemporary theories and theorists. In one convenient volume, this book offers students a handy overview of much of what they need to know about sociological theory, both past and present.

As is always the case, we faced difficult decisions about what to add and what to cut. There are some important additions to this edition. Most broadly, throughout this edition we have updated references and added new material. As such, the student can be assured that the treatment of all theorists in this book, as well as reference to contemporary scholarship, is as up-to-date as possible. In order to ensure that the text did not become too lengthy and cumbersome, we also removed or rewrote some sections. These decisions reflect the changing face of sociological theory. Among the major changes/additions are the following:

In Chapter 1, we have added a discussion of colonialism to the section on social forces. Colonialism, as we point out in Chapter 1 and Chapter 15, is an important, though often neglected (at least in mainstream sociological theory), factor in the development of modern society. We’ve added this material to underline its importance.

The timelines in both Chapters 1 and 6 have been updated with new material and the timeline in Chapter 1 has a new, easier to navigate form.

To Part I, the classical section of the book, we have added contemporary application sections at the end of Chapters 2–5. This addition is motivated by the understanding that students are eager to understand the relevance of classical theory for the contemporary moment. In each of the contemporary application sections, we summarize two or three recent research studies that make use of classical theoretical concepts. While the kinds of applications vary, we have chosen those that deal with cutting-edge sociological issues: racism, the Internet, consumerism, and the environment, among others.

Chapter 3 includes new material on Durkheim’s debate with Gabriel Tarde, an enhanced section on collective effervescence, and updates on contemporary commentary on Durkheim.

Chapter 5, on Simmel, has been updated to include material from his recently translated later writings. This addition is significant because it introduces the concept of “life” and shows how it influenced Simmel’s overall theory.

In Chapter 6, we have expanded the discussion of the historical significance of the early women founders and W.E.B. Du Bois, especially Du Bois’s contribution to the development of the Atlanta School of Sociology.

The most significant addition to this volume is a new chapter, Chapter 15, on theories of race and colonialism. In addition to historically influential theories of race and colonialism, this chapter includes a section on contemporary Indigenous theories.

To Chapter 18, we have added a section on prosumption theory, the most recent development in the study of consumer society. This section shows the ways in which the Internet and prosumer movements are changing the character of contemporary capitalism.

Thus, the text is much as it always has been but is renewed once again. The wonderful things about theory are both its continuity and its ever-changing character. We have tried to communicate those and other joys of sociological theory to readers in the early stages of their exposure to it.

Contents

• Biographical and Autobiographical Sketches
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• About the Authors
• PART I • Classical Sociological Theory
  • Chapter 1 • A Historical Sketch of Sociological Theory: The Early Years
  • Chapter 2 • Karl Marx
  • Chapter 3 • Emile Durkheim
  • Chapter 4 • Max Weber
  • Chapter 5 • Georg Simmel
• 6. PART II • Modern Sociological Theory: The Major Schools
  • Chapter 6 • A Historical Sketch of Sociological Theory: The Later Years
  • Chapter 7 • Structural Functionalism, Systems Theory, and Conflict Theory
  • Chapter 8 • Varieties of Neo-Marxian Theory
  • Chapter 9 • Symbolic Interactionism
  • Chapter 10 • Ethnomethodology
  • Chapter 11 • Exchange, Network, and Rational Choice Theories
  • Chapter 12 • Contemporary Feminist Theory
  • Chapter 13 • Micro-Macro and Agency-Structure Integration
• 7. PART III • From Modern to Postmodern Social Theory (and Beyond)
  • Chapter 14 • Contemporary Theories of Modernity
  • Chapter 15 • Theories of Race and Colonialism
  • Chapter 16 • Globalization Theory
  • Chapter 17 • Structuralism, Poststructuralism, and Postmodern Social Theory
  • Chapter 18 • Social Theory in the 21st Century
• References
• Name Index
• Subject Index

Extract

Presenting a history of sociological theory is an important task (S. Turner, 1998), but because we devote only two chapters (1 and 6) to it, what we offer is a highly selective historical sketch (Giddens, 1995). The idea is to provide the reader with a scaffolding that should help in putting the later detailed discussions of theorists and theories in a larger context. As the reader proceeds through the later chapters, it will prove useful to return to these two overview chapters and place the discussions in their context. (It will be especially useful to glance back occasionally to Figures 1.1 and 6.1, which are schematic representations of the histories covered in those chapters.)

The theories treated in the body of this book have a wide range of application, deal with centrally important social issues, and have stood the test of time. These criteria constitute the definition of sociological theory used in this book. A number of the theorists who are briefly discussed in Chapter 1 (for example, Herbert Spencer and Auguste Comte) will not receive detailed treatment later because they are of little more than historical interest. Other theorists (for example, Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim) will be discussed in Chapter 1 in their historical context, and they will receive detailed treatment later because of their continuing importance. The focus is on the important theoretical work of sociologists or the work done by individuals in other fields that has come to be defined as important in sociology. To put it succinctly, this is a book about the “big ideas” in sociology that have stood the test of time (or promise to)—idea systems that deal with major social issues and that are far-reaching in scope.