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A sociological theory is a supposition that intends to consider, analyze, and/or explain objects of social reality from a sociological perspective,[1]: 14 drawing connections between individual concepts in order to organize and substantiate sociological knowledge. Hence, such knowledge is composed of complex theoretical frameworks and methodology.[2]
These theories range in scope, from concise, yet thorough, descriptions of a single social process to broad, inconclusive paradigms for analysis and interpretation. Some sociological theories explain aspects of the social world and enable prediction about future events,[3] while others function as broad perspectives which guide further sociological analyses.[4]
Prominent sociological theorists include Talcott Parsons, Robert K. Merton, Randall Collins, James Samuel Coleman, Peter Blau, Niklas Luhmann, Immanuel Wallerstein, George Homans, Theda Skocpol, Gerhard Lenski, Pierre van den Berghe and Jonathan H. Turner.[5]
- ^ Macionis, John and Linda M. Gerber. 2010. Sociology (7th Canadian ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education. ISBN 978-0-13-700161-3.
- ^ Boundless team. "Theoretical Perspectives in Sociology". Sociology [OER course]. Boundless Sociology. Portland: Lumen Candela.
- ^ Keel, Robert. "What is Sociological Theory?". Robert Keel. Retrieved 29 February 2012.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Craig J. Calhoun (2002). Classical sociological theory. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 1–. ISBN 978-0-631-21348-2. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
- ^ Sanderson, Stephen K. (2005). "Reforming theoretical work in sociology: A modest proposal" (PDF). Perspectives: A Newsletter of the ASA Theory Section. 28 (2): 1–4 See p. 1.