SOCY 122 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Sui Generis, Elective Affinities, Political Economy
15 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Weber and the Classical Tradition
October 31, 2016
DURKEHIM AND SOCIOLOGY
- Pivotal in development of empirical, natural science or positivist approach to the study of
society
- Establishing sociology as an independent science
o Society a sui generis entity (an entity unto itself – a unique entity) requiring a
unique science – that is, sociology as the study of social facts
- Provides a sociological solution to the problem of order
o The process of socialization
o Coercive nature of social facts
- Sociology was established to have an impact on peaceful social reform and change
Max Weber:
- One of three founders of the classical tradition in sociology – a modernist
- A bridge to postmodernist sociology
- Potentially one of the first postmodernist sociologists
- Political economist, economist, historian
- Work breaks into four parts:
o Studies in methodology
▪ Interested in establishing a method in sociology
▪ But very different from Durkheim
o Empirical, historical studies
o Studies of religion
▪ Interested in the elective affinity
• The influence that diff religious systems have on economies
o Unfinished treatise Economy and Society
▪ Influenced by Marx’ work
▪ Interested in examining the role that the economy plays in shaping our
lives
DURKHEIM VS WEBER
- Transition from traditional to market based societies
- What values will prevail?
- Born into groups where collective representations (Durkheim) or “frames of mind”
(Weber) dominate
- Society as sui generis entity vs. a skilled accomplishment of agency
- Natural science model vs. humanities
o Humanities gets at the frames of mind that help us understand what drives their
behaviour and how they see the world
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SOCY 122 Full Course Notes
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Document Summary
Pivotal in development of empirical, natural science or positivist approach to the study of society. Establishing sociology as an independent science: society a sui generis entity (an entity unto itself a unique entity) requiring a unique science that is, sociology as the study of social facts. Provides a sociological solution to the problem of order: the process of socialization, coercive nature of social facts. Sociology was established to have an impact on peaceful social reform and change. One of three founders of the classical tradition in sociology a modernist. Potentially one of the first postmodernist sociologists. Work breaks into four parts: studies in methodology. Interested in establishing a method in sociology: but very different from durkheim, empirical, historical studies, studies of religion. Interested in the elective affinity: the influence that diff religious systems have on economies, unfinished treatise economy and society. Interested in examining the role that the economy plays in shaping our lives.
