Contemporary sociological theorists and theories

The ‘classical’ thinkers in sociology — the modernists of their day, particularly Karl Marx, Émile Durkheim, and Max Weber—were ‘engaged in an analysis and critique of modern society’ (Ritzer 2000, p. 422). All were interested in the changes brought about by the Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution. All of them saw that modernity was a result of these changes and tried to analyse the problems they perceived to be associated with it. For Marx, the problem was the development of a capitalist economy that accompanied industrialisation; for Weber, the problem was the ‘expansion of rationality’; for Durkheim, it was the weakening of the collective conscience or common values so that people found themselves in a life without meaning in the modern world (Ritzer 2000). Contemporary theorists, while influenced by this tradition, necessarily explore different forms of social change, such as the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and the social implications of globalisation. This chapter begins by discussing the earlier but influential sociological contributions of symbolic interactionists George Herbert Mead and Charles Horton Cooley, and then focuses on the more contemporary work of Erving Goffman and Arlie Hochschild. It then goes on to discuss the ideas of Talcott Parsons and Robert Merton, and the perspective of structural functionalism, which rose to prominence in the mid-twentieth century. This is followed by a discussion of feminist perspectives, focusing on the work of Dorothy Smith and Sylvia Walby. The chapter then turns to postmodern social theory, particularly the work of Michel Foucault and Judith Butler, before exploring the contemporary theories of Anthony Giddens, Ulrich Beck, Manuel Castells, George Ritzer, Pierre Bourdieu, Zygmunt Bauman, and Raewyn Connell. A hallmark of these authors’ work is their attempt to synthesise ideas from various perspectives—notably the first generation of sociologists, such as Marx, Weber, and Durkheim—as well as to produce theories that endeavour to integrate notions of structure and agency. At the outset, it should be noted that this chapter aims to provide an awareness of the breadth of contemporary sociological theories and concepts, but does not attempt a comprehensive overview or offer in-depth evaluations of each theory covered. Some colleagues would no doubt include other theorists, but we are confident that the chapter allows you to develop an appreciation of the benefits of theoretical pluralism in sociology.3r