Classical and Contemporary Sociological Theory, 3rd Edition Instructor Resource

Chapter 1: Introduction

Discussion Questions

  1. If this introduction to classical sociological theory has shown us society is ever-present (no man/woman is an island or truly ever lives “alone”) then why do you think U.S. culture traditionally places such emphasis on “the individual”? Why not community or the society at large?
  1. To what extent do you feel the principles of The Enlightenment have become ingrained within our everyday 21st century actions and thought? What role does technology play in promoting or suppressing such principles? Would you say the “mass media” supports this type of thinking or not?
  1. Where today can we find examples of civil society as defined by your authors (open spaces of debate relatively free from government control)? Are there external forces at play in these spaces that could distort open debate? Where does the information that is debated come from?
  1. Review the authors’ four coordinates and then look at figure 1.3 in the chapter. Which classical theorist’s orientation most closely matches your own beliefs regarding action and order in society? If you can’t pick only one theorist, explain the portion of the various theorists’ work that speaks to you.
  1. Discuss some of the theoretical arguments that can be applied to the death penalty and long-term imprisonment of Americans. Are there beliefs associated with public support for these punishments? Be specific.
  1. Apply the theories that you believe help explain why the “honor” system at stores, malls and yard sales exists. Present the arguments that discuss the choices that people have in the matter of honor and law abidance. Do individuals have a choice to follow the law? Explain.
  1. Present the arguments for and against taxation, in the U.S. context. Who do taxes affect? Why do political parties identify with taxation? Be descriptive.
  1. Detail the various reasons that people have children, today. How do these reasons vary from the reasons of our grandparents, and our great-grandparents? Explain.
  1. Review the development of sociological theories and discuss why theories are important in today’s sociological studies. Provide examples of the ways that theories ground contemporary studies. Choose one theorist and the way this theorist and his ideas are applied today.
  1. If Emile Durkheim was the most instrumental in the creating Sociology as field of study, what was Karl Marx the most instrumental in? Discuss the ways in which Karl Marx addresses some of his arguments. Who is he talking to? Does he get credit for his contributions to sociology or something else, most often?
  1. Explain the difference between “primary” and “secondary” theoretical sources. What are the advantages and disadvantages of reading each type of work?
  1. Using Table 1.1 as a reference, devise your own questions, and then give hypothetical answers that reflect the four basic theoretical orientations: individual/rational, individual/nonrational, collective/rational, and collective/nonrational. For instance, why do sixteen-year-olds stay in or drop out of school? Why might a man or woman stay in a situation of domestic violence? What are possible explanations for gender inequality? Why are you reading this book?
  1. Numerous works of fiction speak to the social conditions that early sociologists were examining. For instance, Charles Dickens’s Hard Times (1854) portrays the hardships of the Industrial Revolution, while Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables (1862) addresses the political and social dynamics of the French Revolution. Read either of these works, or watch the movies or plays based on them, and discuss the tremendous social changes they highlight.
  1. One’s answer to the questions of order and action have methodological as well as theoretical implications. Theories, after all, should be testable through the use of empirical data. Particularly with regard to the question of order, the perspective one adopts will have an important bearing on what counts as evidence and how to collect it. Consider both an individualist and collectivist perspective: How might you design a research project studying the causes and effects of job outsourcing, or the causes and effects of affirmative action? How about a study of the causes and effects of the rising costs of college tuition, or the causes and effects of drug and alcohol abuse? What types of questions or data would be most relevant for each approach? How would you collect the answers to these questions? What are some of the strengths and weaknesses associated with each approach?
  1. Consider the alleged conversation between F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemmingway:

F. Scott Fitzgerald: “The rich are different than you and me.”

E. Hemingway: “Yes, they have more money.”

How does this brief exchange relate to the metatheoretical framework used in this book? Use concrete examples to explain.

  1. Consider the following famous quote attributed to John Stuart Mill: “One person with a belief is equal to a force of 99 who have only interests.” How does this quote relate to the metatheoretical framework used in this book? Use concrete examples to explain. To what extent do you agree or disagree with Mill? How so?