ALBERTZ RAINER
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780197264010
- eISBN:
- 9780191734946
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- British Academy
- DOI:
- 10.5871/bacad/9780197264010.003.0017
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
The historical approach to the Bible with explicit reference to the social sciences (including sociology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, economics, social psychology, and political science) ...
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The historical approach to the Bible with explicit reference to the social sciences (including sociology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, economics, social psychology, and political science) became popular among biblical scholars and archaeologists during the 1970s, often induced by social turmoil in several countries. Any endeavour to reconstruct a societal development according to a sociological or anthropological model without using as much historical data as possible, be it from textual, iconographic, or archaeological sources, is very risky. Sociological models will never reach the degree of unambiguity that is a distinguishing feature of scientific models. Therefore, a model that is not permanently tested against data can be misleading. This chapter discusses the social history of ancient Israel, arguing for a careful balance between sociological theory and anthropological knowledge on the one hand, and exegetical and historical investigation on the other. It also examines social-historical perspectives on the early monarchy in Israel and Judah up to the ninth century, along with social-historical perspectives on problems associated with religion and politics during the period.Less
The historical approach to the Bible with explicit reference to the social sciences (including sociology, cultural anthropology, archaeology, economics, social psychology, and political science) became popular among biblical scholars and archaeologists during the 1970s, often induced by social turmoil in several countries. Any endeavour to reconstruct a societal development according to a sociological or anthropological model without using as much historical data as possible, be it from textual, iconographic, or archaeological sources, is very risky. Sociological models will never reach the degree of unambiguity that is a distinguishing feature of scientific models. Therefore, a model that is not permanently tested against data can be misleading. This chapter discusses the social history of ancient Israel, arguing for a careful balance between sociological theory and anthropological knowledge on the one hand, and exegetical and historical investigation on the other. It also examines social-historical perspectives on the early monarchy in Israel and Judah up to the ninth century, along with social-historical perspectives on problems associated with religion and politics during the period.
Sandra M. Den Otter
- Published in print:
- 1996
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780198206002
- eISBN:
- 9780191676901
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198206002.003.0005
- Subject:
- History, British and Irish Modern History, History of Ideas
The slow inclusion of sociology in the older universities is a recurrent theme in studies attributing the failure of British sociology to institutional or organizational factors. Philip Abrams argued ...
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The slow inclusion of sociology in the older universities is a recurrent theme in studies attributing the failure of British sociology to institutional or organizational factors. Philip Abrams argued in this vein that British sociology was in no sense a success story because of its social and institutional setting rather than an effect of inadequate intellectual resources or a problem of theory or method. Abrams suggested that focus on reformist governmental policies had subverted independent sociological theory. These arguments about the reputed theoretical bankruptcy of British sociology are immediately relevant to idealism. At first glance, the connection between idealism and sociology may appear remote or even implausible. Although the late 19th century saw a move towards professionalization of disciplines and the gradual definition of distinct methodologies and languages, these inquiries still overlapped.Less
The slow inclusion of sociology in the older universities is a recurrent theme in studies attributing the failure of British sociology to institutional or organizational factors. Philip Abrams argued in this vein that British sociology was in no sense a success story because of its social and institutional setting rather than an effect of inadequate intellectual resources or a problem of theory or method. Abrams suggested that focus on reformist governmental policies had subverted independent sociological theory. These arguments about the reputed theoretical bankruptcy of British sociology are immediately relevant to idealism. At first glance, the connection between idealism and sociology may appear remote or even implausible. Although the late 19th century saw a move towards professionalization of disciplines and the gradual definition of distinct methodologies and languages, these inquiries still overlapped.
Piotr Sztompka
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520241367
- eISBN:
- 9780520937857
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520241367.003.0016
- Subject:
- Sociology, Social Theory
This chapter argues why explanatory theory should remain in the forefront of sociological teaching and not be put aside by other modes of theorizing. Inspired by Smelser's commitment to theorizing as ...
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This chapter argues why explanatory theory should remain in the forefront of sociological teaching and not be put aside by other modes of theorizing. Inspired by Smelser's commitment to theorizing as sociological vocation, this chapter embraces the notion that theory provides the sociological apprentice with the “language” and “vision” required to engage in any kind of empirical work. It also crystallizes the different modes of theorizing in which Smelser has so fruitfully engaged. Topics discussed in this chapter include: sociological imagination, sociological theory, explanatory theory, heuristic theory, and exegetic theory.Less
This chapter argues why explanatory theory should remain in the forefront of sociological teaching and not be put aside by other modes of theorizing. Inspired by Smelser's commitment to theorizing as sociological vocation, this chapter embraces the notion that theory provides the sociological apprentice with the “language” and “vision” required to engage in any kind of empirical work. It also crystallizes the different modes of theorizing in which Smelser has so fruitfully engaged. Topics discussed in this chapter include: sociological imagination, sociological theory, explanatory theory, heuristic theory, and exegetic theory.
Daniel B. Cornfield
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780691160733
- eISBN:
- 9781400873890
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Princeton University Press
- DOI:
- 10.23943/princeton/9780691160733.003.0002
- Subject:
- Sociology, Culture
This chapter presents a new sociological theory of artist activism that addresses the question of how artist activists fashion their roles as artist activists. Specifically, the theory addresses how ...
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This chapter presents a new sociological theory of artist activism that addresses the question of how artist activists fashion their roles as artist activists. Specifically, the theory addresses how individual subjective orientations shape the repertoire of individual and collective actions and roles assumed and enacted by artist activists. The theory attributes individual variations in role assumption and enactment to artist orientations toward success, audience, risk, and career inspiration. This is a theory-building project of the new sociology of work. Research in the new sociology of work has addressed individual risk-management strategies for advancing individual careers and social mobility of free agents. In contrast, the sociological theory of artist activism presented here addresses how artist activists build a peer community for sustaining the livelihoods of individuals and the whole occupation.Less
This chapter presents a new sociological theory of artist activism that addresses the question of how artist activists fashion their roles as artist activists. Specifically, the theory addresses how individual subjective orientations shape the repertoire of individual and collective actions and roles assumed and enacted by artist activists. The theory attributes individual variations in role assumption and enactment to artist orientations toward success, audience, risk, and career inspiration. This is a theory-building project of the new sociology of work. Research in the new sociology of work has addressed individual risk-management strategies for advancing individual careers and social mobility of free agents. In contrast, the sociological theory of artist activism presented here addresses how artist activists build a peer community for sustaining the livelihoods of individuals and the whole occupation.
Alberto Martinelli
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520241367
- eISBN:
- 9780520937857
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520241367.003.0007
- Subject:
- Sociology, Social Theory
This chapter examines rational choice as one of the main paradigms in contemporary social sciences. It begins by discussing the original “opposition” between sociological theory and rational ...
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This chapter examines rational choice as one of the main paradigms in contemporary social sciences. It begins by discussing the original “opposition” between sociological theory and rational utilitarianism. Second, the chapter reviews the key concepts of rational choice and their main sociological critiques, with a few references to the contributions made by George Homans, James Coleman, and Raymond Boudon. Third, the chapter assesses and evaluates Coleman's theory which attempted to build a general sociological theory based on rational choice. Then the chapter discusses Smelser's attempt to develop a supplement to rational choice by analyzing ambivalence. The chapter ends with some reflections on the multiplicity of paradigms and the difficulties of general theory building in sociology. The chapter also argues for a “tool kit version” of rational choice rather than a general theory perspective.Less
This chapter examines rational choice as one of the main paradigms in contemporary social sciences. It begins by discussing the original “opposition” between sociological theory and rational utilitarianism. Second, the chapter reviews the key concepts of rational choice and their main sociological critiques, with a few references to the contributions made by George Homans, James Coleman, and Raymond Boudon. Third, the chapter assesses and evaluates Coleman's theory which attempted to build a general sociological theory based on rational choice. Then the chapter discusses Smelser's attempt to develop a supplement to rational choice by analyzing ambivalence. The chapter ends with some reflections on the multiplicity of paradigms and the difficulties of general theory building in sociology. The chapter also argues for a “tool kit version” of rational choice rather than a general theory perspective.
Henry Phelps Brown
- Published in print:
- 1979
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198851202
- eISBN:
- 9780191596780
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198851200.003.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Public and Welfare
This is an introductory chapter. The first three main sections outline the growth of interest in the inequality of pay, the economist's approach to pay determination, and the sociologist's approach ...
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This is an introductory chapter. The first three main sections outline the growth of interest in the inequality of pay, the economist's approach to pay determination, and the sociologist's approach to pay determination. The fourth section discusses the practical issue of whether differences in pay can be reduced substantially and generally on conditions not in themselves acceptable. Sociologists hold that there is nothing in the nature of things to prevent this, while most economists would rejoin that the imposition of pay equalization would bring about disruptive consequences that could only be contained by non‐egalitarian measures. The last section of the chapter outlines the plan of the book, which is in two main sections: inequality of pay presents itself in two main aspects, differences between the average pay in different occupations (pay structure), which are addressed in Chs. 2–7, and the distribution of individual earnings, which is addressed in Chs. 8–9; Ch. 10 brings together the main findings that have been reached in these two ways.Less
This is an introductory chapter. The first three main sections outline the growth of interest in the inequality of pay, the economist's approach to pay determination, and the sociologist's approach to pay determination. The fourth section discusses the practical issue of whether differences in pay can be reduced substantially and generally on conditions not in themselves acceptable. Sociologists hold that there is nothing in the nature of things to prevent this, while most economists would rejoin that the imposition of pay equalization would bring about disruptive consequences that could only be contained by non‐egalitarian measures. The last section of the chapter outlines the plan of the book, which is in two main sections: inequality of pay presents itself in two main aspects, differences between the average pay in different occupations (pay structure), which are addressed in Chs. 2–7, and the distribution of individual earnings, which is addressed in Chs. 8–9; Ch. 10 brings together the main findings that have been reached in these two ways.
Brad Vermurlen
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- September 2020
- ISBN:
- 9780190073510
- eISBN:
- 9780190073541
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190073510.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Chapter 4 develops a field-theoretic model of religious strength. It starts by revisiting the question of religious strength vis-à-vis the secularization thesis, and then it lays out the five leading ...
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Chapter 4 develops a field-theoretic model of religious strength. It starts by revisiting the question of religious strength vis-à-vis the secularization thesis, and then it lays out the five leading theoretical frameworks currently on offer in the sociology of religion for making sense of religious vitality. Next, this chapter critically reviews each of these theories, drawing out the “nugget of truth” in each but finally showing how each is ill-suited, or at least incomplete, for explaining the New Calvinist movement sociologically. What each framework gets right is integrated into a new approach to religious strength based on Fligstein and McAdam’s strategic action field theory. After working through some “nuts and bolts” of this theory, the chapter concludes with a systematization of the theory/model, in which seventeen general social mechanisms are specified as causes that together produced the Reformed resurgence.Less
Chapter 4 develops a field-theoretic model of religious strength. It starts by revisiting the question of religious strength vis-à-vis the secularization thesis, and then it lays out the five leading theoretical frameworks currently on offer in the sociology of religion for making sense of religious vitality. Next, this chapter critically reviews each of these theories, drawing out the “nugget of truth” in each but finally showing how each is ill-suited, or at least incomplete, for explaining the New Calvinist movement sociologically. What each framework gets right is integrated into a new approach to religious strength based on Fligstein and McAdam’s strategic action field theory. After working through some “nuts and bolts” of this theory, the chapter concludes with a systematization of the theory/model, in which seventeen general social mechanisms are specified as causes that together produced the Reformed resurgence.
Mona Abaza
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- September 2020
- ISBN:
- 9781526145116
- eISBN:
- 9781526152114
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7765/9781526145123
- Subject:
- Anthropology, Middle Eastern Cultural Anthropology
In Cairo collages, the large-scale political, economic, and social changes in Egypt brought on by the 2011 revolution are set against the declining fortunes of a single apartment building in a ...
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In Cairo collages, the large-scale political, economic, and social changes in Egypt brought on by the 2011 revolution are set against the declining fortunes of a single apartment building in a specific Cairo neighbourhood. The violence in Tahrir Square and Mohamed Mahmud Street; the post-January euphoric moment; the increasing militarisation of urban life; the flourishing of dystopian novels set in Cairo; the neo-liberal imaginaries of Dubai and Singapore as global models; gentrification and evictions in poor neighbourhoods; the forthcoming new administrative capital for Egypt – all are narrated in parallel to the ‘little’ story of the adventures and misfortunes of everyday interactions in a middle-class building in the neighbourhood of Doqi.Less
In Cairo collages, the large-scale political, economic, and social changes in Egypt brought on by the 2011 revolution are set against the declining fortunes of a single apartment building in a specific Cairo neighbourhood. The violence in Tahrir Square and Mohamed Mahmud Street; the post-January euphoric moment; the increasing militarisation of urban life; the flourishing of dystopian novels set in Cairo; the neo-liberal imaginaries of Dubai and Singapore as global models; gentrification and evictions in poor neighbourhoods; the forthcoming new administrative capital for Egypt – all are narrated in parallel to the ‘little’ story of the adventures and misfortunes of everyday interactions in a middle-class building in the neighbourhood of Doqi.
Michael Donnelly and Murray Straus (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- October 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780300085471
- eISBN:
- 9780300133806
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300085471.001.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law
Despite being commonplace in American households a generation ago, corporal punishment of children has been subjected to criticism and shifting attitudes in recent years. Many school districts have ...
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Despite being commonplace in American households a generation ago, corporal punishment of children has been subjected to criticism and shifting attitudes in recent years. Many school districts have banned it, and many child advocates recommend that parents no longer spank or strike their children. This book taps into the expertise of social science scholars and researchers who address issues of corporal punishment, a subject that is now characterized as a key issue in child welfare. The chapters discuss corporal punishment, its use, causes, and consequences, drawing on a wide array of comparative, psychological, and sociological theories. Together, they clarify the analytical issues and lay a strong foundation for future research and interdisciplinary collaboration.Less
Despite being commonplace in American households a generation ago, corporal punishment of children has been subjected to criticism and shifting attitudes in recent years. Many school districts have banned it, and many child advocates recommend that parents no longer spank or strike their children. This book taps into the expertise of social science scholars and researchers who address issues of corporal punishment, a subject that is now characterized as a key issue in child welfare. The chapters discuss corporal punishment, its use, causes, and consequences, drawing on a wide array of comparative, psychological, and sociological theories. Together, they clarify the analytical issues and lay a strong foundation for future research and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Pamela Barnhouse Walters
- Published in print:
- 2007
- Published Online:
- February 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226090948
- eISBN:
- 9780226090962
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226090962.003.0019
- Subject:
- Sociology, Comparative and Historical Sociology
Sociology of education emerged as an important specialty shortly after the founding of American sociology, but its location with respect to its parent fields—sociology and education—and its ...
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Sociology of education emerged as an important specialty shortly after the founding of American sociology, but its location with respect to its parent fields—sociology and education—and its prominence within sociology exhibit a series of interesting continuities and discontinuities. This chapter situates the development of the subfield in the context of intellectual and organizational developments in the discipline of sociology more generally. It looks at the development of professional schools of education within the American university; shifts in prevailing understandings of the problems that beset education; and methodological developments within sociology. It argues that the ways in which scholars have managed the fundamental tension between two approaches to the sociological analysis of education—scholarship that uses the case of education to advance sociological theory versus scholarship oriented to the improvement of educational policy and practice—has shaped and constrained the development from its inception of what came to be known as the sociology of education.Less
Sociology of education emerged as an important specialty shortly after the founding of American sociology, but its location with respect to its parent fields—sociology and education—and its prominence within sociology exhibit a series of interesting continuities and discontinuities. This chapter situates the development of the subfield in the context of intellectual and organizational developments in the discipline of sociology more generally. It looks at the development of professional schools of education within the American university; shifts in prevailing understandings of the problems that beset education; and methodological developments within sociology. It argues that the ways in which scholars have managed the fundamental tension between two approaches to the sociological analysis of education—scholarship that uses the case of education to advance sociological theory versus scholarship oriented to the improvement of educational policy and practice—has shaped and constrained the development from its inception of what came to be known as the sociology of education.
Henry Phelps Brown
- Published in print:
- 1979
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198851202
- eISBN:
- 9780191596780
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198851200.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Public and Welfare
Why does or why should any one person earn eight times as much as another? The economist's answer relies mainly on supply and demand in the labour market, but the sociologist finds more significance ...
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Why does or why should any one person earn eight times as much as another? The economist's answer relies mainly on supply and demand in the labour market, but the sociologist finds more significance in the differentiation of the labour force by class, status, and power, and in his or her view, there is a much greater possibility of reducing inequality than in the view of the economist. The aim of this book is to examine both these ways of accounting for the inequality of pay, not at an abstract level but in the light of a wide and detailed study of the evidence. What can we learn, for instance, by comparing the pay structures of different countries, including those of the Soviet economies, China, and the West? How can we account for the general agreement between rank order in the pay structure and the social hierarchy? The study of such questions focuses attention on the factors that differentiate the individual's capacity to earn, and especially the way in which social and economic differentiation is transmitted through the family, both genetically and by early upbringing. The forces moulding personal development are built into a theory to account for the remarkable properties of the distribution of individual earnings. The insights gained into the sources of the inequality of pay in these ways are used finally to assess the possibilities of achieving a more equal society. In relating a mass of empirical evidence from a wide range of countries to economic, sociological, and psychological theory, the author has produced a comprehensive and thought‐provoking examination of the question of relativities in pay––a question that continues to present itself more and more acutely to governments, employers, and employees.Less
Why does or why should any one person earn eight times as much as another? The economist's answer relies mainly on supply and demand in the labour market, but the sociologist finds more significance in the differentiation of the labour force by class, status, and power, and in his or her view, there is a much greater possibility of reducing inequality than in the view of the economist. The aim of this book is to examine both these ways of accounting for the inequality of pay, not at an abstract level but in the light of a wide and detailed study of the evidence. What can we learn, for instance, by comparing the pay structures of different countries, including those of the Soviet economies, China, and the West? How can we account for the general agreement between rank order in the pay structure and the social hierarchy? The study of such questions focuses attention on the factors that differentiate the individual's capacity to earn, and especially the way in which social and economic differentiation is transmitted through the family, both genetically and by early upbringing. The forces moulding personal development are built into a theory to account for the remarkable properties of the distribution of individual earnings. The insights gained into the sources of the inequality of pay in these ways are used finally to assess the possibilities of achieving a more equal society. In relating a mass of empirical evidence from a wide range of countries to economic, sociological, and psychological theory, the author has produced a comprehensive and thought‐provoking examination of the question of relativities in pay––a question that continues to present itself more and more acutely to governments, employers, and employees.
Richard Nobles
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199282548
- eISBN:
- 9780191700200
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199282548.003.0003
- Subject:
- Law, Philosophy of Law
This chapter explores the implications of sociological theory and systems theory, most particularly as set out in the writings of Niklas Luhmann, for jurisprudence. This theory offers a sociological ...
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This chapter explores the implications of sociological theory and systems theory, most particularly as set out in the writings of Niklas Luhmann, for jurisprudence. This theory offers a sociological account for endless debates amongst and between different schools of jurisprudence on topics such as the origin and/or source of law, the nature of law's determinacy or indeterminacy, and the role of justice. This project aims to extend the work started by Luhmann in his book, Das Recht der Gesellschaft. It also tries to illustrate the explanatory power and sociological enterprise of systems theory by applying it to the writings of Ronald Dworkin, in the context of his debate with analytical positivists, most notably Joseph Raz, on the nature or basis of the unity or identity of law. In addition, it discusses Dworkin's attempt to defuse the tautology and unfold the paradox of law. It is noted that systems theory agrees with Raz by showing that judges have regard towards morality in their decisions, Dworkin has not indicated that morality is part of law.Less
This chapter explores the implications of sociological theory and systems theory, most particularly as set out in the writings of Niklas Luhmann, for jurisprudence. This theory offers a sociological account for endless debates amongst and between different schools of jurisprudence on topics such as the origin and/or source of law, the nature of law's determinacy or indeterminacy, and the role of justice. This project aims to extend the work started by Luhmann in his book, Das Recht der Gesellschaft. It also tries to illustrate the explanatory power and sociological enterprise of systems theory by applying it to the writings of Ronald Dworkin, in the context of his debate with analytical positivists, most notably Joseph Raz, on the nature or basis of the unity or identity of law. In addition, it discusses Dworkin's attempt to defuse the tautology and unfold the paradox of law. It is noted that systems theory agrees with Raz by showing that judges have regard towards morality in their decisions, Dworkin has not indicated that morality is part of law.
Moshe Hirsch
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- December 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199688111
- eISBN:
- 9780191767456
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199688111.003.0002
- Subject:
- Law, Public International Law, Legal History
Chapter 2 analyses the long-standing debate in international trade law regarding regional trade agreements (RTAs) from three major theoretical perspectives in sociological literature. The ...
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Chapter 2 analyses the long-standing debate in international trade law regarding regional trade agreements (RTAs) from three major theoretical perspectives in sociological literature. The unprecedented proliferation of free trade areas and customs unions has intensified the debate among scholars and policy-makers regarding the repercussions of RTAs, and whether the World Trade Organization (WTO) legal system should promote, tolerate, or restrict the formation of RTAs. The answers affect the interpretation of existing WTO legal provisions regarding RTAs, as well as negotiations regarding future legal rules in this sphere. The chapter analyses these questions with the most influential sociological theories: the structural-functional perspective, the symbolic-interactionist approach, and the social conflict perspective. While each of the above core sociological approaches underscores certain significant aspects of the global/regional debate, the chapter concludes that the symbolic-interactionist perspective should serve as the point of departure for legal and policy-making in this sphere.Less
Chapter 2 analyses the long-standing debate in international trade law regarding regional trade agreements (RTAs) from three major theoretical perspectives in sociological literature. The unprecedented proliferation of free trade areas and customs unions has intensified the debate among scholars and policy-makers regarding the repercussions of RTAs, and whether the World Trade Organization (WTO) legal system should promote, tolerate, or restrict the formation of RTAs. The answers affect the interpretation of existing WTO legal provisions regarding RTAs, as well as negotiations regarding future legal rules in this sphere. The chapter analyses these questions with the most influential sociological theories: the structural-functional perspective, the symbolic-interactionist approach, and the social conflict perspective. While each of the above core sociological approaches underscores certain significant aspects of the global/regional debate, the chapter concludes that the symbolic-interactionist perspective should serve as the point of departure for legal and policy-making in this sphere.
Omer Bartov
- Published in print:
- 1994
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195079036
- eISBN:
- 9780199854455
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195079036.003.0003
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
Cohesion in the German army was to a large extent maintained by a conscious and systematic nurturing of what has come to be termed as “primary groups”, a social organization with its roots tracing ...
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Cohesion in the German army was to a large extent maintained by a conscious and systematic nurturing of what has come to be termed as “primary groups”, a social organization with its roots tracing back to military tradition that expected soldiers to feel a special kind of bond and loyalty to their unit. This chapter explores the destruction of the “primary group,” the social unit which had traditionally constituted the backbone of the German army. The chapter explores how the tremendous losses in the fighting, the lack of replacements, and the rapid manpower turnover among combat units, diminished the Wehrmacht reliance on the “primary group” as the key for its cohesion. Further, the chapter displays how the widely accepted sociological theory of Shils and Janowitz, which states that the Wehrmacht avoided disintegration due to its social organization, is irrelevant in Eastern Front conditions.Less
Cohesion in the German army was to a large extent maintained by a conscious and systematic nurturing of what has come to be termed as “primary groups”, a social organization with its roots tracing back to military tradition that expected soldiers to feel a special kind of bond and loyalty to their unit. This chapter explores the destruction of the “primary group,” the social unit which had traditionally constituted the backbone of the German army. The chapter explores how the tremendous losses in the fighting, the lack of replacements, and the rapid manpower turnover among combat units, diminished the Wehrmacht reliance on the “primary group” as the key for its cohesion. Further, the chapter displays how the widely accepted sociological theory of Shils and Janowitz, which states that the Wehrmacht avoided disintegration due to its social organization, is irrelevant in Eastern Front conditions.
Phil Zuckerman
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- January 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199740017
- eISBN:
- 9780199918690
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199740017.003.0011
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
A thorough summing up of how and why people reject religion. The key reasons are presented and discussed. They include education; misfortune; other cultures or religions; friends, colleagues, and ...
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A thorough summing up of how and why people reject religion. The key reasons are presented and discussed. They include education; misfortune; other cultures or religions; friends, colleagues, and lovers; politics; sex and sexuality; Satan and hell; the malfeasance of religious associates, and others. A theoretical discussion follows, considering the ways in which reasons may not be objective causes, what a sociological theory of apostasy entails, and discussion of the possibility that secularity may have an innate or natural component.Less
A thorough summing up of how and why people reject religion. The key reasons are presented and discussed. They include education; misfortune; other cultures or religions; friends, colleagues, and lovers; politics; sex and sexuality; Satan and hell; the malfeasance of religious associates, and others. A theoretical discussion follows, considering the ways in which reasons may not be objective causes, what a sociological theory of apostasy entails, and discussion of the possibility that secularity may have an innate or natural component.
- Published in print:
- 2000
- Published Online:
- June 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780853238058
- eISBN:
- 9781846312960
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Liverpool University Press
- DOI:
- 10.5949/liverpool/9780853238058.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
This chapter explores the development of a sociological theory of discourse. It analyses the construction of sociology within the context of the discourse of modernity. The chapter also introduces ...
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This chapter explores the development of a sociological theory of discourse. It analyses the construction of sociology within the context of the discourse of modernity. The chapter also introduces the theory of cognitive structures or the so-called ‘frames’.Less
This chapter explores the development of a sociological theory of discourse. It analyses the construction of sociology within the context of the discourse of modernity. The chapter also introduces the theory of cognitive structures or the so-called ‘frames’.
Michael Gottfredson and Travis Hirschi
- Published in print:
- 2020
- Published Online:
- October 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780190069797
- eISBN:
- 9780190069834
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190069797.003.0009
- Subject:
- Sociology, Law, Crime and Deviance, Gerontology and Ageing
This chapter uses self-control theory to explain the generally low crime rates for immigrants in the United States. The benefits of control theory versus other common sociological theories of crime ...
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This chapter uses self-control theory to explain the generally low crime rates for immigrants in the United States. The benefits of control theory versus other common sociological theories of crime is demonstrated with contemporary and historical research on immigration and crime. The misinterpretation of the relationship historically in American criminology was used to support sociological perspectives on the causes of crime, such as cultural deviance and social disorganization, by implying a high rate of criminal involvement by immigrants. Modern research on causes and consequences of immigration disputes these earlier depictions and illustrates how characteristics of recent immigrants result in comparatively low crime rates, consistent with the theory of self control. The immigration–crime relationship illustrates the theory of self control and how the theory can be used for effective public policy.Less
This chapter uses self-control theory to explain the generally low crime rates for immigrants in the United States. The benefits of control theory versus other common sociological theories of crime is demonstrated with contemporary and historical research on immigration and crime. The misinterpretation of the relationship historically in American criminology was used to support sociological perspectives on the causes of crime, such as cultural deviance and social disorganization, by implying a high rate of criminal involvement by immigrants. Modern research on causes and consequences of immigration disputes these earlier depictions and illustrates how characteristics of recent immigrants result in comparatively low crime rates, consistent with the theory of self control. The immigration–crime relationship illustrates the theory of self control and how the theory can be used for effective public policy.
Tim Newburn and Paul Rock (eds)
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199565955
- eISBN:
- 9780191701948
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199565955.001.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Criminal Law and Criminology
This book brings together ten leading British criminologists to explore the contemporary politics of crime and its control. The volume is produced in honour of Britain's most important criminological ...
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This book brings together ten leading British criminologists to explore the contemporary politics of crime and its control. The volume is produced in honour of Britain's most important criminological scholar — David Downes of the London School of Economics. The chapters are grouped around the three major themes that run through David Downes' work — sociological theory, crime and deviance; comparative penal policy; and the politics of crime. The third theme also provides the overarching unifying thread for the volume. The contributions are broad ranging and cover such subjects as criminological theory and the new East End of London, the practice of comparative criminology including an analysis of variations in penal cultures within the United States, restorative justice in Colombia, New Labour's politics and policy in relation to dangerous personality-disordered offenders, the legal construction of torture, and the future for a social democratic criminology.Less
This book brings together ten leading British criminologists to explore the contemporary politics of crime and its control. The volume is produced in honour of Britain's most important criminological scholar — David Downes of the London School of Economics. The chapters are grouped around the three major themes that run through David Downes' work — sociological theory, crime and deviance; comparative penal policy; and the politics of crime. The third theme also provides the overarching unifying thread for the volume. The contributions are broad ranging and cover such subjects as criminological theory and the new East End of London, the practice of comparative criminology including an analysis of variations in penal cultures within the United States, restorative justice in Colombia, New Labour's politics and policy in relation to dangerous personality-disordered offenders, the legal construction of torture, and the future for a social democratic criminology.
Jess Gilbert and Richard S. Kirkendall
- Published in print:
- 2015
- Published Online:
- September 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780300207316
- eISBN:
- 9780300213393
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300207316.003.0008
- Subject:
- History, American History: 20th Century
This chapter introduces the work of community delineation done by rural sociologists and land economists of the Division of Farm Population and Rural Welfare under the U.S. Department of ...
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This chapter introduces the work of community delineation done by rural sociologists and land economists of the Division of Farm Population and Rural Welfare under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Bureau of Agricultural Economics (BAE). In the application of the sociological and participatory-democratic theories conferred by rural sociologists, the BAE initially organized a system of representation, wherein rural neighborhoods are represented by a community committee, and then local communities are represented by a county committee. Through an effective representation of social units, conflicting locality-based interests were brought together in order to develop collective solutions. The chapter also describes the actual implementation of the community delineation work to different rural counties.Less
This chapter introduces the work of community delineation done by rural sociologists and land economists of the Division of Farm Population and Rural Welfare under the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Bureau of Agricultural Economics (BAE). In the application of the sociological and participatory-democratic theories conferred by rural sociologists, the BAE initially organized a system of representation, wherein rural neighborhoods are represented by a community committee, and then local communities are represented by a county committee. Through an effective representation of social units, conflicting locality-based interests were brought together in order to develop collective solutions. The chapter also describes the actual implementation of the community delineation work to different rural counties.
Robert Wuthnow
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780520241367
- eISBN:
- 9780520937857
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- University of California Press
- DOI:
- 10.1525/california/9780520241367.003.0010
- Subject:
- Sociology, Social Theory
This chapter aims to situate the idea of trust in relation to one strand of sociological theory that has played a major role in the discipline's intellectual development and that emphasizes social ...
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This chapter aims to situate the idea of trust in relation to one strand of sociological theory that has played a major role in the discipline's intellectual development and that emphasizes social structure. It offers a theoretical framework for situating trust in relation to the broad conception of social structure characterizing Smelser's work. In this conception, norms and values are prominent. The chapter suggests several warrants for trust that reflect the norms of differentiated social structures. The chapter also considers secondary warrants for explaining what went wrong when trust is violated. It also offers survey research data that suggests some broader social norms with which trust is associated. It shows how the institutionalization of trust differs across contexts of professional-client relationships, religion, and local communities. In drawing attention to trust as an aspect of the normative system, the chapter rejects the reductionist view that trust is only an individual psychology or rational calculation. However, while drawing on the central Weberian idea that legitimations provide stability to social structure over time, the chapter also notes that the inherent tensions and contradictions of social structure are a source of change. Justifications for trust vary between settled and unsettled times, and across institutional settings. The chapter equally rejects a rigid social determinism. It contends that behaviour is partly a function of individual interpretation, calculation, and negotiation, as individuals draw from several cultural perspectives in pursuing their ends.Less
This chapter aims to situate the idea of trust in relation to one strand of sociological theory that has played a major role in the discipline's intellectual development and that emphasizes social structure. It offers a theoretical framework for situating trust in relation to the broad conception of social structure characterizing Smelser's work. In this conception, norms and values are prominent. The chapter suggests several warrants for trust that reflect the norms of differentiated social structures. The chapter also considers secondary warrants for explaining what went wrong when trust is violated. It also offers survey research data that suggests some broader social norms with which trust is associated. It shows how the institutionalization of trust differs across contexts of professional-client relationships, religion, and local communities. In drawing attention to trust as an aspect of the normative system, the chapter rejects the reductionist view that trust is only an individual psychology or rational calculation. However, while drawing on the central Weberian idea that legitimations provide stability to social structure over time, the chapter also notes that the inherent tensions and contradictions of social structure are a source of change. Justifications for trust vary between settled and unsettled times, and across institutional settings. The chapter equally rejects a rigid social determinism. It contends that behaviour is partly a function of individual interpretation, calculation, and negotiation, as individuals draw from several cultural perspectives in pursuing their ends.
