Walter L. Wallace
Fall 1996

DESCRIPTION: This course is a systematic analysis of major themes in ten classical sociological theories. 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 the theories themselves.

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 five 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 18.

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.

September 18

Introduction: Your Instructor's Point of View. Optional readings:

Wallace, W.L., "Toward a Disciplinary Matrix for Sociology," in Neil J. Smelser (ed.), Handbook of Sociology, 1988: 23-76, and A Weberian Theory of Human Society, 1994: 175-213.

September 25

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

October 2, 9

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 16

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 6

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 13

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

November 13, 20, 27

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 4

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 11

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