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Social Theory as a Vocation

Genres of Theory Work in Sociology

Donald N Levine author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Inc

Published:30th Aug '14

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In this unprecedented collection, Donald N. Levine rejuvenates the field of social theory in the face of lagging institutional support. The work canvasses the universe of types of theory work in sociology and offers probing examples from his array of scholarly investigations.

Social Theory as a Vocation throws fresh light on the texts of classic authors (Comte, Durkheim, Simmel, Weber, Park, Parsons, and Merton). Ranging widely, its substantive chapters deal with the sociology of strangers and the somatic dimensions of social conflict; the social functions of ambiguity and the use of metaphors in science; contemporary dilemmas of Ethiopian society; logical tensions in the ideas of freedom and reason; and the meaning of nationhood in our global era. The book includes Levine's transformative analysis of the field of Ethiopian studies, and his acclaimed interpretation of the discontents of modernity. It makes the bold move to merge philosophically informed analyses with empirical work.

Finally, Levine focuses on what he views as the contemporary crisis of liberal education, and offers suggestions for ways to stimulate new efforts in teaching and learning to do social theory. This book is an integral contribution to social science collections and should be read by all interested in the future of the social sciences.

"[Social Theory as a Vocation] is a worthy conclusion of a lifetime of work on rejuvenating, or indeed resurrecting, the genre of sociological theory... Levine was one of the most prominent custodians of the sociological tradition in American scholarship... A crucial aspect of social theory as vocation, as explained in the book's prologue, is to enhance 'morally informed discourses resting on good sociological knowledge' in order to 'promote more enlightened public policies and ideas for creating better lives.' ...There can be no doubt as to the profound interplay between Levine's vision of sociological theory as vocation and his ideal of the university, another Leitmotif of his writing." - M Max Weber Studies "Examining the career of Donald N. Levine ... theory is rarely or never isolated from actual empirical work ... Levine remained critical of narrow empirical research undertaken without supporting clear aims, dissecting caches of data with no arguable significance; uses concepts in sloppy and unrevealing ways; propounds claims that rest on facile argumentation; and ignores relevant prior work ... " - Bryan S. Turner , Journal of Classical Sociology

ISBN: 9781412855020

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 703g

430 pages