Soc 510: Fall 2013
Sharon Hays
Classical Sociological Theory
This is a reading-intensive seminar course. These readings are quite dense, and they
are also crucial to your development as theorists and as sociologists. No one provides better
theoretical training than thinkers like Marx, Weber, and Durkheim. If you want to be a real
intellectual, all you need to do is train yourself to think like these guys.
Be prepared to dedicate a good deal of time preparing for each class meeting. Your
task includes not only the completion of all the assigned books and articles, but also preparation
for analyzing the overall logic, underlying methodology, and central concepts of these readings.
You will be expected to regularly -- and intelligently -- participate in all seminar discussions.
The following books are required and available at the university bookstore:
Tucker, Robert C. (ed.). The Marx-Engels Reader (Norton)
Weber, Max. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
(Routledge)
Gerth, H.H. and C. Wright Mills (eds.). From Max Weber (Oxford)
Durkheim, Emile. The Division of Labor in Society (Free Press)
Durkheim, Emile. Suicide (Free Press)
Durkheim, Emile. The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life (Free
Press)
There is also a set of required articles for which copying will be arranged.
Your grade will be based on:
First Essay: 25% (optional)
Final Essay: 45% (to 70% option)
Participation and Theory Queries: 30%
All photocopied/pdf readings are marked in the syllabus with an asterisk (*).
The Marx-Engels Reader is referenced as M-E. From Max Weber is referenced as G&M.
Aug. 28: Introduction/Logistics
Sept. 4:
Historical Context and Comparative Theorizing
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SOC 510, Fall 2013
* Poggi, Gianfranco. "Lego Quia Inutile: An Alternative Justification for the Classics." pages 3947 in Social Theory and Sociology, edited by Stephen P. Turner. Blackwell
1996.
* Hobsbawm, E.J. "Introduction," "The World in the 1780s," "Conclusion: Towards 1848."
pages 17-43, 349-362 in The Age of Revolution, 1789-1848. New American Library,
1962.
* Nisbet, Robert A. "The Two Revolutions." pages 21-44 in The Sociological Tradition. Basic
Books, 1966.
Sept. 11:
Marx I:
"Ruthless Critique"
Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right: Introduction
M-E pages 53-54
On the Jewish Question
M-E pages 26-46
Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1844
M-E pages 70-101
Theses on Feuerbach
M-E pages 143-145
Sept. 18:
Marx II:
Economy, Culture, and Politics
The German Ideology
M-E pages 148-166, 172-174, 176-200
Manifesto of the Communist Party
M-E pages 473-491, 499-500
Preface to A Contribution to the Critique of Political Economy
M-E pages 3-6
Sept. 25:
Marx III:
The Logic and Dynamics of Capitalism
Wage Labor and Capital
M-E pages 203-217
Capital
M-E pages 302-438
First Essay (optional) Assigned: Sept. 25
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SOC 510, Fall 2013
Due: Oct. 17 by 4:30 pm
Oct. 2:
Weber I:
Capitalism, Domination, Culture, and Religion
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
from Author's Introduction - thru end of: IV. Religious Foundations, sect. A)
xxviii-80; 102-125
Oct. 9:
Weber II:
Domination, Authority, and Bureaucracy
* The Definition of Sociology
page 4 in Economy and Society, edited by Guenther Roth and Claus Wittich.
University of California Press, 1978.
* Types of Social Action
pages 24-26 in Economy and Society.
* Power and Domination
pages 53-54 in Economy and Society.
* The Types of Legitimate Domination
pages 212-216 in Economy and Society
* Bureaucracy and Political Leadership
pages 1393-1403 in Economy and Society
Bureaucracy
G&M pages 196-209, 214-230
Discipline and Charisma
G&M pages 262-264
* The Nature and Impact of Charisma
pages 1111- 1117, 1121-1123 in Economy and Society
* Socialism
pages 191-219 in Max Weber: The Interpretation of Social Reality, edited by
Elridge. Michael Joseph, London, 1971.
Oct. 16:
FREE DAY!!! -
NO CLASS/ MIDTERMS DUE 17th
J.E.T.
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SOC 510, Fall 2013
Oct. 23:
Weber III:
Culture and Social Hierarchy
The Social Psychology of the World Religions
G&M pages 267-301
Class, Status, and Party
G&M pages 180-195
Oct 30:
Weber IV:
Ethical Philosophy, Science, and Politics
Politics as a Vocation
G&M pages 115-128
Science as a Vocation
G&M pages 129-156
* "Objectivity" in Social Science and Social Policy
excerpts, pages 49-63, 92-97, 111-112 in The Methodology of the Social Sciences,
edited by Edward A. Shils and Henry A. Finch. Free Press, 1964.
Nov. 6:
Durkheim I:
Solidarity and Anomie
The Division of Labor in Society
Book I:
Ch. 1 (11-17, 22-29)
Ch. 2 (first paragraph on p. 31, bottom of 38-47, 60-64)
Ch. 3 (68-72, bottom of 81-87)
Ch. 5 (101-106, 118-123)
Ch. 7 (149-165, 172-74)
Book II:
Ch 5 (283-287)
Book III:
Ch. 1 (entire: 291-)
Ch. 2 (entire: 310-)
Conclusion (entire: 329-)
Preface to 2nd Edition (entire: xxxi-)
* "Individualism and the Intellectuals"
pages 43-57 in Emile Durkheim on Morality and Society, edited by Robert
University of Chicago Press, 1973.
Nov. 13:
Durkheim II: The Individual and Society
Bellah.
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SOC 510, Fall 2013
Suicide
Preface (entire: 35-)
Introduction (entire: 41-)
Book Two:
Ch. 1 (entire: 145-)
Ch. 2 (entire: 152-)
Ch. 3 (first paragraph on 171, 201-216)
Ch. 4 (entire: 217-)
Ch. 5 (entire: 241-)
Book Three: Ch. 1 (entire: 297-)
Ch. 2 (332-338)
Ch. 3 (386-392)
Nov. 20:
Durkheim III: Culture and Society
The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life
Introduction (entire: 1-)
Book II: Ch. 7 (entire: 207-)
Book III: Ch. 1 (entire: 303-)
Conclusion (entire: 418-)
* "The Dualism of Human Nature and Its Social Conditions"
pages 325-340 in Essays on Sociology and Philosophy, edited by Kurt H. Wolff. Harper
Torchbooks, 1960.
Nov 28:
Happy Turkey Day. 
Dec. 5:
Catch-up, Comparisons and other Conversations
(our spill-over day, and time for "big picture" discussions.)
Final Essay Assigned: November 13
Due: Friday, December 13, by 3:00 pm
[no extensions !]
Secondary Sources
None of these readings are required. In fact, it's a great idea to just read the classical
theorists without any "outside help, since they stand on their own and are also subject to
multiple interpretations.
of course, there are many, many additional secondary sources beyond those listed here.
but, be careful. everyone is an "expert" on the classical theorists (and many of them look to me
SOC 510, Fall 2013
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like snake oil salesmen). I want you to avoid becoming a clone of the experts; instead, dream of
developing your own interpretation of these classical theorists of society.
General Overviews of the Classical Sociological Tradition
Raymond Aron, Main Currents in Sociological Thought
Anthony Giddens, Capitalism and Modern Social Theory
Robert Nisbet, The Sociological Tradition
Gianfranco Poggi, Images of Society
Bryan S. Turner, Classical Sociology
Randall Collins, Three Sociological Traditions
Talcott Parsons, The Structure of Social Action
Steve Seidman, Liberalism and the Origins of European Social Theory
Herbert Marcuse, Reason and Revolution
Lewis Coser, Masters of Sociological Thought
Jeffrey Alexander, Theoretical Logic in Sociology
George Ritzer, Sociological Theory
Krishan Kumar, Prophecy and Progress
The Classical Tradition in Contemporary Context
R.W. Connell, "Why is Classical Theory Classical?" American Journal of Sociology 102
(6): 1511-1557
R.W. Connell, Southern Theory: The Global Dynamics of Knowledge in Social Science
Steven Siedman, Contested Knowledge: Social Theory in the Postmodern Era
Stephen P. Turner (editor), Social Theory and Sociology: The Classics and Beyond
Charles Lemert (editor), Social Theory: The Multicultural and Classic Readings
Other Sources
Marx
George Lichtheim, Marxism
Shlomo Avineri, The Social and Political Thought of Karl Marx
Leszek Kolakowski, Main Currents in Marxism
Henri Lefevre, The Sociology of Marx
Louis Althusser, For Marx
Weber
Reinhard Bendix, Max Weber: An Intellectual Portrait
Frank Parkin, Max Weber
Bendix and Roth, Scholarship and Partisanship: Essays on Max Weber
Gianfranco Poggi, Calvinism and the Capitalist Spirit
Roth and Schluchter, Max Weber's Vision of History
SOC 510, Fall 2013
Durkheim
Gianfranco Poggi, Durkheim
Robert Bellah, Introduction to Emile Durkheim on Morality and Society
Steven Lukes, Emile Durkheim: His Life and Work
Robert Nisbet, The Sociology of Emile Durkheim
Dominick LaCapra, Emile Durkheim: Sociologist and Philosopher
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