Thursday, 24 March 2022

MA Sociology Part I Notes: Paper I Classical Sociological Theory

 

Paper I Classical Sociological Theory

 

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Unit I: Karl Marx in the context of Western Modernity

Philosophical Ideas: Human Nature, Human Potential and the Place of 'Work',

Alienation, Historical Method

 Economic Concept: Critique of Capitalism, 

Labour Theory of Value , 

Fetishism of Commodities ,

 Class and Division of Labour

 Political Ideas: MaterialistOrigins of state, Historical stages of the stateThe state and civil society

 Legacy of Marx/Marx Today


Unit II: Emile Durkheim in the context of Western Modernity

Methodological Contributions: The legacy of Comtean Positivism, Society as

sui generis, Characteristics of a Social fact, Observation of social facts, Rules of

Sociological Method o The Division of Labour:Definition of Division of labour,

Study of anomie and suicide, shift from psychological to sociological explanations,,

social Integration and suicide, forms of Suicide,

Theory of Religion , Sacred and profane,, Elementary Forms of religious life,

the totem, Civil Religion

Legacy of Durkheim/Durkheim today


Unit III: Max Weber in the context of Western Modernity

Methodological Contributions: Theory of knowledge in the social sciences,

Natural Science vs. social science debate, Verstehen, the Ideal Type

Theory of Social Action:rationalisation, bureaucratisation, The Iron Cage,

disenchantment, action and rationality, interpretive theory of Social action, four

types of social action 

o Dialogue with Marx:Religion and the economy, Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of capitalism, the case of Calvinism, Capitalism in China and India

Legacy of Weber/Weber Today


Unit IV: George Simmel in the context ofWestern Modernity

Georg Simmel Dialectical Thinking

Three levels of Social Reality: psychological components, Social components

and cultural/historical components, Fashion

Individual consciousness, Forms and types of Social interaction, Study of Social

Structure and objective culture- Case study of secrecy.

The Philosophy of Money: Money and value, Reification and rationalisation,

Tragedy of Culture

Legacy of Simmel/Simmel Today

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