A.
Theories/Perspectives
Theories
Functionalist/Functionalism
Conflict/Conflict Theory
Interactionist/Symbolic
Interactionism
B. Theorists/Pioneers of Sociology
Early Sociologists
1. Auguste Comte
2. Herbert Spencer
3. Emile Durkheim
4. Max Weber
5. Karl Marx
Note: Please refer to any sociology book specifically “Sociology: A Brief Introduction” by Richard
Schaefer.
View of Society View of Individual Proponents
A society is like an An individual carries Talcott parsons
organism with value in terms of their Niklas Luhman
important parts that place in social
contribute to its systems
survival
A society is An individual carries Karl Marx
characterized by value based on power
continual struggle and authority.
between competing
groups.
A society is a An individual is Herbert Mead
generalization of carries value based on
everyday forms of their interactions and
social interaction. how they act in the
society
Key Works/Contribution to the field of Sociology
He coined the term “Sociology”, making it a theoretical
science of society and a systematic investigation of behavior
He suggested that since societies are bound to change
eventually, one need not be highly critical of present social
arrangements or work actively for social change
- The Division of Labor in Society 1893
- Suicide: A Study in Sociology 1897
- Elementary Forms of Religious Life 1912
He helped explain all forms of society through developing a
fundamental thesis.
- The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism 1904-1905
- Economy and Society 1921
He pointed out that we cannot analyze our social behavior by
the same type of objective criteria we use to measure weight
or temperature. He also developed the key conceptual tool:
the ideal type. This helped in presenting the ideal standard as
a reference to measure something without bias.
- The Communist Manifesto 1848
- Das Kapital 1867
He emphasized the group identification and associations that
influence an individual’s place in society, which is the major
focus of contemporary sociology.