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Sociological theories are complex theoretical frameworks that are used to explain and analyze variously how social action, social processes, and social structures work. In seeking to understand society, sociologists use theories to organize social research.

Contents 1 Core assumptions 2 List of sociological theories 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

Sociological theories are based on certain basic core assumptions, or basic metaphysical, epistemological and moral premises, about the nature of the social world. Basic assumptions include positivism and antipositivism, materialism and idealism, determinism and free will (related to the problem of structure and agency), and individualism and collectivism.

Some theories, such as neo-marxist theory, feminist theory and variants of social constructionism, are often motivated by a strong sense of social justice and concerned with liberation from oppression and exploitation. Other theories, such as structural functionalism and systems theory, may be motivated by a concern with scientific objectivity and seeming value neutrality (which may entail value commitments, sometimes masked, such as to conformity or acceptance of the status quo in a given society).

Another dimension of basic assumptions is about the nature of socio-historical development and the current state of development of various societies. Distinctions used about contemporary societies in sociological theory include broad historical trends such as industrialization, urbanization, underdevelopment, and globalization and stages of development such as modernity, postindustrial, underdevelopment, postmodernity, and the network society.

Some of the mostly commonly used sociological theories include:

• conflict theory: focuses on the ability of some groups to dominate others, or resistance to such domination.
• ethnomethodology: examines how people make sense out of social life in the process of living it, as if each was a researcher engaged in enquiry.
• feminist theory: focuses on how male dominance of society has shaped social life.
• interpretative sociology: This theoretical perspective, based in the work of Max Weber, proposes that social, economic and historical research can never be fully empirical or descriptive as one must always approach it with an conceptual apparatus.
• social Darwinism: (also known as the evolutionary paradigm) sees a progressive evolution in social life.
• social positivism: Social Positivists believe that social processes should be studied in terms of cause and effect using the scientific method.
• structural functionalism: also known as a social systems paradigm addresses what functions various elements of the social system perform in regard to the entire system.
• symbolic interactionism: examines how shared meanings and social patterns are developed in the course of social interactions.
  • dramaturgical perspective - a specialized symbolic interactionism paradigm developed by Erving Goffman, seeing life as a performance
• rational choice theory: models social behavior as the interaction of utility maximizing individuals.

• List of basic sociology topics
• Social philosophy
• Social theory
• Sociology

• Adams, Bert N. and R. A. Sydie. 2001. Sociological Theory. Pine Forge Press
• Babbie, Earl R. 2003. The Practice of Social Research, 10th edition. Wadsworth, Thomson Learning Inc., ISBN 0-534-62029-9
• Michael Hughes, Carolyn J. Kroehler, James W. Vander Zanden. 'Sociology: The Core', McGraw-Hill, ISBN 0-07-240535-XOnline chapter summary
• Ritzer, George and Douglas Goodman. 2004. Sociological Theory, Sixth Edition. McGraw Hill.

• American Sociological Association - Theory Section
• International Sociological Association: Research Committee on Sociological Theory (RC16)
• Introduction to sociological perspective and paradigms for students
• Map of Sociologial Theory
• Sociological Theory (journal)
• Sociological Theory and Perspectives - sociosite