1. TOPIC:
Contemporary Sociological Theory
INSTRUCTOR:
Hazir Ullah
Time:
9:00 am to 10:30am

2. Contemporary Sociological Theory
Our every day life is filled with theory
My focus is to highlight the continuity and relevance of classical and contemporary theory
Classical ST (from the birth of sociology to 1935)
Contemporary ST (from 1935 to the present)
Frankfort School of critical theory

4. The Major Question for social thinkers were
How societies actually operate?
What hold societies together?
How and why do societies change?
How societies can be improved?

5. Area of concern for classical sociological theorists
The nature of capitalism
The basis of social solidarity
The role of authority in social life
The benefits and dangers posed by modern bureaucracy
The issue of gender
The issue of racism
To explain the extraordinary economic, political, religious and social transformations that were taking place in Europe in the 19th century

6. The Answer of Classical Theorists to these questions
August Comte (Religion of humanity, Programme of Social Reconstruction
Herbert Spencer (social evolution / state evolution)
Emile Durkheim (General Morality through education)
Karl Marx (economic changes and the disorganizing effects.
Demand or equal distribution of the labour output)
Max Weber (Social Consequence, the power of Human ideas
Talcott. Parson (AGIL)

7. 1930 to 1970 (Functionalism was dominant approach)
Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton

8. Few contemporary Sociological Theorists
Arlie Russell Hochschild
Dorothy Smith
Judith Butler
Max Horkheimer
Theoder Adorno
Herbert Marcuse
Michel Foucault
ean Baudrillard
Pierre Bourdieu
Realty is social constructed and is context bound
Knowledge is subjective that serve the interest of those who produce it.

9. Argument of the contemporary sociological theory
Max Horkheimer
Theoder Adorno
Herbert Marcuse
Divisive rather than cohesive
Oppressive and alienating character of modern society
Theory from men’s perspective
The absence of women voices
Women agency
Women is not a uniform category
Dorothy Smith
Judith Butler
Knowledge is representation of reality not reality itself
Reality has given way to simulation
The reproduction of class relationship
Michel Foucault
Jean Baudrillard
Pierre Bourdieu

10. Reference books Book: Sociological theory Author: George Ritizer
Book: Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory
Authors: Scott Applerouth and L. Desfor
Book: Introduction to Sociological Theory
Author: Michele Dillon