Sociology 323 Professor Walter L. Wallace

Sociology 501: Classical Sociological Theory

Fall 1997

Walter L. Wallace


DESCRIPTION:  This course is a systematic analysis of major themes in the
work of ten classical sociological theorists.  No special attention will
be paid to the temporal sequence, sociocultural context, or biographical
details of the theorists.  We will concentrate on understanding and
interrelating their theories’ substance.  Students who complete this
course should be able confidently to teach classical sociological theory
and to employ it in their empirical research.

REQUIREMENTS:  Close reading of all material, responsible seminar
participation, and a carefully written two-page paper on something of
interest to you in the work of each of any four theorists (counting Marx
and Engels as one) you choose.  Each such paper is due on the first
discussion day of the next theorist.  If you choose the last theorist
(Mead), that paper is due December 17.

READING ASSIGNMENTS:  All books except Comte, and Spencer, are available
at the University Bookstore; all books (including Spencer) are on reserve
in the Graduate Student Reading Room.  Always bring the material being
discussed to class; we read together in order to reach a common
understanding.

ASSIGNMENTS

September 17

Introduction: Your Instructor's Point of View. Wallace, W.L., "Toward a Disciplinary Matrix for Sociology," in Neil J. Smelser (ed.), Handbook of Sociology, 1988: 23-76.

September 24

Auguste Comte, AUGUSTE COMTE AND POSITIVISM: 9-86, 253-297, 320-333, 372-412.

October 1, 8

Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, THE MARX ENGELS READER (ed., Robert Tucker, revised): 3-6, 67-105, 143-200, 220, 246-250, 278-285, 344-351, 361-364, 376-442, 469-500, 653-666, 700-724, 734-768.

October 15

Thorstein Veblen, THE THEORY OF THE LEISURE CLASS: 1-101, 198-211, 235-245, 293-318, 354-368.
Karl Mannheim, IDEOLOGY AND UTOPIA: 1-78, 130-146, 222-236, 262-275.
Herbert Spencer, PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY, (1969, edited by S. Andreski): 7-155.

October 23, November 5

Emile Durkheim, THE DIVISION OF LABOR IN SOCIETY (1984 edition; trans. by W.D. Halls): xxv-xxx, 16-29, 60-64, 83-86, 126-139, 208-223, 291-340, xxxi-lvii, 186-195. ____________________, SUICIDE: 35-52, 168-170, 201-228, 246-258, 276. ____________________, THE ELEMENTARY FORMS OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE: 13-33, 235-272, 398-413, 469-496. ____________________, THE RULES OF SOCIOLOGICAL METHOD (1982 edition; translated by S. Lukes): 34-84, 119-158.

November 12

Sigmund Freud, CIVILIZATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS: 21-45, 55-99.

November 12, 19, 26

Max Weber, ECONOMY AND SOCIETY: 4-28, 212-226, 241-254, 385-403, 411-421, 439-451, 901-940, 980-990, 1111-1156. ____________________, THE PROTESTANT ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM: 13-112, 155-183. ____________________, ESSAYS FROM MAX WEBER, H. Gerth and C.W. Mills, eds.):77-156. ____________________, THE METHODOLOGY OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCES: 49-112.

December 3

Georg Simmel, THE SOCIOLOGY OF GEORG SIMMEL: 3-57, 87-189, 282-303, 409-424. ____________________, CONFLICT AND THE WEB OF GROUP AFFILIATIONS: 13-67, 87-123, 138-184.

December 10

George Herbert Mead, MIND, SELF AND SOCIETY: 42-164, 173-178, 273-289, 347-378.

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