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Few concepts are as central to sociology as institutions. Yet, like
so many sociological concepts, institutions remain vaguely defined.
This book expands a foundational definition of the institution, one
which locates them as the basic building blocks of human
societies-as structural and cultural machines for survival that
make it possible to pass precious knowledge from one generation to
the next, ensuring the survival of our species. The book extends
this classic tradition by, first, applying advances in biological
evolution, neuroscience, and primatology to explain the origins of
human societies and, in particular, the first institutional sphere:
kinship. The authors incorporate insights from natural sciences
often marginalized in sociology, while highlighting the limitations
of purely biogenetic, Darwinian explanations. Secondly, they build
a vivid conceptual model of institutions and their central dynamics
as the book charts the chronological evolution of kinship, polity,
religion, law, and economy, discussing the biological evidence for
the ubiquity of these institutions as evolutionary adaptations
themselves.
Few concepts are as central to sociology as institutions. Yet, like
so many sociological concepts, institutions remain vaguely defined.
This book expands a foundational definition of the institution, one
which locates them as the basic building blocks of human
societies-as structural and cultural machines for survival that
make it possible to pass precious knowledge from one generation to
the next, ensuring the survival of our species. The book extends
this classic tradition by, first, applying advances in biological
evolution, neuroscience, and primatology to explain the origins of
human societies and, in particular, the first institutional sphere:
kinship. The authors incorporate insights from natural sciences
often marginalized in sociology, while highlighting the limitations
of purely biogenetic, Darwinian explanations. Secondly, they build
a vivid conceptual model of institutions and their central dynamics
as the book charts the chronological evolution of kinship, polity,
religion, law, and economy, discussing the biological evidence for
the ubiquity of these institutions as evolutionary adaptations
themselves.
There may not be a concept so central to sociology, yet so vaguely
defined in its contemporary usages, than institution. In Revisiting
Institutionalism in Sociology, Abrutyn takes an in-depth look at
what institutions are by returning to some of the insights of
classical theorists like Max Weber and Herbert Spencer, the
functionalisms of Talcott Parsons and S.N. Eisenstadt, and the more
recent evolutionary institutionalisms of Gerhard Lenski and
Jonathan Turner. Returning to the idea that various levels of
social reality shape societies, Abrutyn argues that institutions
are macro-level structural and cultural spheres of action,
exchange, and communication. They have emergent properties and
dynamics that are not reducible to other levels of social reality.
Rather than fall back on old functionalist solutions, Abrutyn
offers an original and synthetic theory of institutions like
religion or economy; the process by which they become autonomous,
or distinct cultural spaces that shape the color and texture of
action, exchange, and communication embedded within them; and how
they gain or lose autonomy by theorizing about institutional
entrepreneurship. Finally, Abrutyn lays bare the inner workings of
institutions, including their ecology, the way structure and
culture shape lower-levels of social reality, and how they develop
unique patterns of stratification and inequality founded on their
ecology, structure, and culture. Ultimately, Abrutyn offers a
refreshing take on macrosociology that brings functionalist,
conflict, and cultural sociologies together, while painting a new
picture of how the seemingly invisible macro-world influences the
choices humans make and the goals we set.
Since Durkheim's influential work a century ago, sociological
theory has been among the most integrative and useful tools for
social scientists across many disciplines. Sociological theory has
nevertheless, due to its usefulness, expanded so very broadly that
some wonder whether the concept of "general theory," or even the
attempt to link middle-range theories, is still of any use. This
book, a collection of top theorists reflecting on the present and
future of the craft, addresses this most important question. Taking
their lead from Jonathan Turner's important recent work, and
drawing on their own broad experience, Seth Abrutyn and Kevin
McCaffree have organized the chapters in this book from the
general, integrative and review-focused bookend chapters to more
specific chapters on innovations in theory construction at the
micro, meso and macro levels. Moreover, the book's
microsociological content on interpersonal violence, solidarity,
identity and emotion coheres with chapters in mesosociological
dynamics on class, education and networks, which in turn integrate
with the chapters on inequality, justice, morality and cultural
evolution found in the section on macrosociology. The distinguished
contributors share a distinct commitment to the development,
innovation and relevance of general sociological theory. This
volume is an invaluable sourcebook for advanced students and social
science faculty interested in understanding how sociological
theory's past and present are informing its future.
This is the first handbook focussing on classical social theory. It
offers extensive discussions of debates, arguments, and discussions
in classical theory and how they have informed contemporary
sociological theory. The book pushes against the conventional
classical theory pedagogy, which often focused on single theorists
and their contributions, and looks at isolating themes capturing
the essence of the interest of classical theorists that seem to
have relevance to modern research questions and theoretical
traditions. This book presents new approaches to thinking about
theory in relationship to sociological methods.
Since Durkheim's influential work a century ago, sociological
theory has been among the most integrative and useful tools for
social scientists across many disciplines. Sociological theory has
nevertheless, due to its usefulness, expanded so very broadly that
some wonder whether the concept of "general theory," or even the
attempt to link middle-range theories, is still of any use. This
book, a collection of top theorists reflecting on the present and
future of the craft, addresses this most important question. Taking
their lead from Jonathan Turner's important recent work, and
drawing on their own broad experience, Seth Abrutyn and Kevin
McCaffree have organized the chapters in this book from the
general, integrative and review-focused bookend chapters to more
specific chapters on innovations in theory construction at the
micro, meso and macro levels. Moreover, the book's
microsociological content on interpersonal violence, solidarity,
identity and emotion coheres with chapters in mesosociological
dynamics on class, education and networks, which in turn integrate
with the chapters on inequality, justice, morality and cultural
evolution found in the section on macrosociology. The distinguished
contributors share a distinct commitment to the development,
innovation and relevance of general sociological theory. This
volume is an invaluable sourcebook for advanced students and social
science faculty interested in understanding how sociological
theory's past and present are informing its future.
This Handbook provides the hidden common threads that tie
sociological inquiry together and featuring eminent scholars, it
separates itself from its predecessors in substance and
organization. Rather than rehashing old debates or longingly gazing
at the past, this book presents sociologists with new ways of
conceptualizing the organization and presentation of sociological
theory. At the heart of this Handbook's vision is the twin goals of
making theory a viable enterprise by reconceptualizing how we teach
theory and keeping theory closely tied to its empirical
applications. Three strategies are offered: (1) Elucidating how
classic issues like integration or interaction are interrogated
today; (2) Presenting a coherent vision of the social levels of
reality that theorists work on such as communities, groups, and the
self as well as how the coherence of these levels speaks to the
macro-micro link; and, (3) Theorizing the social world rather than
celebrating theorists or theories; that is, one can look at how
theory is used holistically to understand the constraints the
social world places on our lived experience or the dynamics of
social change. Hence, in the second decade of the 21st century, it
has become clear that sociology is at a crossroads as the number of
theorists and amount of theory available is increasingly
unmanageable and unknowable by the vast majority of professionals
and students. As such, this Handbook of Contemporary Sociological
Theory presents the novice and the expert with the a roadmap for
traversing this crossroad and building a more coherent, robust, and
cumulative sociology.
This is the first handbook focussing on classical social theory. It
offers extensive discussions of debates, arguments, and discussions
in classical theory and how they have informed contemporary
sociological theory. The book pushes against the conventional
classical theory pedagogy, which often focused on single theorists
and their contributions, and looks at isolating themes capturing
the essence of the interest of classical theorists that seem to
have relevance to modern research questions and theoretical
traditions. This book presents new approaches to thinking about
theory in relationship to sociological methods.
This Handbook provides the hidden common threads that tie
sociological inquiry together and featuring eminent scholars, it
separates itself from its predecessors in substance and
organization. Rather than rehashing old debates or longingly gazing
at the past, this book presents sociologists with new ways of
conceptualizing the organization and presentation of sociological
theory. At the heart of this Handbook's vision is the twin goals of
making theory a viable enterprise by reconceptualizing how we teach
theory and keeping theory closely tied to its empirical
applications. Three strategies are offered: (1) Elucidating how
classic issues like integration or interaction are interrogated
today; (2) Presenting a coherent vision of the social levels of
reality that theorists work on such as communities, groups, and the
self as well as how the coherence of these levels speaks to the
macro-micro link; and, (3) Theorizing the social world rather than
celebrating theorists or theories; that is, one can look at how
theory is used holistically to understand the constraints the
social world places on our lived experience or the dynamics of
social change. Hence, in the second decade of the 21st century, it
has become clear that sociology is at a crossroads as the number of
theorists and amount of theory available is increasingly
unmanageable and unknowable by the vast majority of professionals
and students. As such, this Handbook of Contemporary Sociological
Theory presents the novice and the expert with the a roadmap for
traversing this crossroad and building a more coherent, robust, and
cumulative sociology.
There may not be a concept so central to sociology, yet so vaguely
defined in its contemporary usages, than institution. In Revisiting
Institutionalism in Sociology, Abrutyn takes an in-depth look at
what institutions are by returning to some of the insights of
classical theorists like Max Weber and Herbert Spencer, the
functionalisms of Talcott Parsons and S.N. Eisenstadt, and the more
recent evolutionary institutionalisms of Gerhard Lenski and
Jonathan Turner. Returning to the idea that various levels of
social reality shape societies, Abrutyn argues that institutions
are macro-level structural and cultural spheres of action,
exchange, and communication. They have emergent properties and
dynamics that are not reducible to other levels of social reality.
Rather than fall back on old functionalist solutions, Abrutyn
offers an original and synthetic theory of institutions like
religion or economy; the process by which they become autonomous,
or distinct cultural spaces that shape the color and texture of
action, exchange, and communication embedded within them; and how
they gain or lose autonomy by theorizing about institutional
entrepreneurship. Finally, Abrutyn lays bare the inner workings of
institutions, including their ecology, the way structure and
culture shape lower-levels of social reality, and how they develop
unique patterns of stratification and inequality founded on their
ecology, structure, and culture. Ultimately, Abrutyn offers a
refreshing take on macrosociology that brings functionalist,
conflict, and cultural sociologies together, while painting a new
picture of how the seemingly invisible macro-world influences the
choices humans make and the goals we set.
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