SOCI 2110H Study Guide - Final Guide: Tim Hortons, Social Theory, Sensemaking

• School: Trent University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOCI 2110H
• Professor: Jesse Carlson

Document Summary

Ideal types in social science (max weber: one sided accentuation & synthesis of concrete phenomenon, can"t be found anywhere empirically but useful analytically, not a moral ideal, purely logical. 3 types of authority (max weber: rational grounds legality, based in rules, traditional grounds established belief, e. g. hereditary chief, charismatic grounds based in the extraordinary qualities of a person. O theory, then, is useful in making sense of our everyday lives. O in the explanatory and interpretive role played by the theorist in making sense of the social world, the role and the use of social theory is not a seamless endeavour. First of all, the theorist is part of the very social realm that is to be explained, and the concepts and ideas that form the basis of the theories are also drawn from the same social world. Consequently, theorists must be self-reflexive -- that is, aware of the contingencies of the vantage point from which they begin their reflections.