Page 4 - DSOC401_SOCIOLOGICAL_THOUGHT_ENGLISH

(sYLLabus)
sociological thought

Objectives

y To familiarise the students with the social, political, economic and intellectual contexts
in which sociology emerged as a distinctive discipline.

y To help students gain an understanding of some of the classical contributions in
sociology and their continuing relevance to its contemporary concerns.

Sr. No. Content

1 The Development of Sociology in the 19th Century

2 Auguste Comte: Intellectual Background, Theory of evolution and progress, The
law of three stages, Hierarchy of the sciences, Social statics and social dynamics

3 Karl Marx: Intellectual Background, Materialistic interpretation of history,
Emergence of capitalism, theory of capitalist development- Commodities,

surplus value, and processes of capitalism
4 Karl Marx: Emergence of classes and class conflict, Alienation in the capitalist
society, Marx’s theory of social change

5 Emile Durkheim: Intellectual Background, Contribution to the methodology of
Sociology – Sociology as a Science - concept of social facts

6 Emile Durkheim: Division of labour in Society – mechanical solidarity and
organic solidarity, Theory of suicide, Theories of Religion

7 Max Weber: Intellectual Background, Sociology as an interpretative science,
Concepts of Verstehen and ideal types, Theory of social action – types of social

actions

8 Max Weber: Analysis of modern capitalism. Protestant ethic and emergence of
capitalism, Concepts of status, class and power, Authority and power – types of

authority, Bureaucracy

9 Vilfredo Pareto: Intellectual Background, Contribution to the methodology –

logico – experimental method,

10 Vilfredo Pareto: Classification of logical and non-logical actions, Theory of

residues and derivatives, Theory of social change- Types of elites, their
classification, circulation of Elites.