Techniques and Problems of Theory Construction in Sociology PDF Download

Author: Jerald Hage
Publisher: New York : J. Wiley
ISBN:
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 294

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Author: Sharlene Nagy Hesse-Biber
Publisher: Oxford Library of Psychology
ISBN: 0199933626
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 777

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Offering a variety of innovative methods and tools, this book provides a comprehensive and up-to-date presentation on multi and mixed methods research.

Author: Jonathan H. Turner
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 0387324585
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 731

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Book Description
Sociology is experiencing what can only be described as hyperdifferentiation of theories - there are now many approaches competing for attention in the intellectual arena . From this perspective, we should see a weeding out of theories to a small number, but this is not likely to occur because each of the many theoretical perspectives has a resource base of adherents. As a result, theories in sociology do not compete head on with each other as much as they coexist. This seminal reference work was brought together with an eye to capturing the diversity of theoretical activity in sociology - specifically the forefront of theory. Contributors describe what they themselves are doing right now rather than what others have done in the past. The goal of this volume is to allow prominent theorists working in a variety of traditions - who wouldn't usually come together - to review their work. The chapters in this volume represent a mix of theoretical orientations and strategies, but these these theories are diverse and represent the prominent theoretical discussions in sociology today. Some areas included are: Section I: Theoretical Methodologies and Strategies Section II: The Cultural Turn in Sociological Theorizing Section III: Theorizing Interaction Processes Section IV: Theorizing from the Systemic and Macrolevel Section V: New Directions in Evolutionary Theorizing Section VI: Theorizing on Power, Conflict, and Change SectionVII: Theorizing from Assumptions of Rationality This handbook will be of interest to those wanting a broad spectrum and overview of late 20th - early 21st century sociological theory.

Author: James Jaccard
Publisher: Guilford Publications
ISBN: 1462542433
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 545

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Book Description
"This book provides young scientists with tools to assist them in the practical aspects of theory construction. We take an informal journey through the cognitive heuristics, tricks of the trade, and ways of thinking that we have found to be useful in developing theories-essentially, conceptualizations-that can advance knowledge in the social sciences. This book is intended to provide the instructor with a useful source for helping students come up with ideas for research and for fine-tuning the resultant theories that emerge from such thinking. An objective of this book is to move toward a needed balance in the emphases given to theory construction and theory testing"--

Author: George Ritzer
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 9780761941873
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 570

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Book Description
The Handbook of Social Theory presents an authoritative and panoramic critical survey of the development, achievement and prospects of social theory.

Author: Jonathan H. Turner
Publisher: SAGE Publications
ISBN: 1483307204
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 769

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Book Description
Written by award-winning scholar, Jonathan Turner, Contemporary Sociological Theory covers the range of diversity of theory in nine theoretical traditions, and variants of theoretical approaches in these traditions. The result is a comprehensive review of present-day theorizing in sociology covering functional, evolutionary, ecological, conflict, interactionist, exchange, structuralist, cultural, and critical theories and the major proponents of these theories. Moreover, for each theoretical tradition, it origins are examined in a separate chapter with an eye to how classical theorists influenced the work of key contemporary scholars. This book will serve as a valuable resource for those readers seeking in-depth and comprehensive coverage of contemporary traditions in their historical contexts. Unlike many texts, coverage is comprehensive and deep. The theories and their origins are examined in detail so that readers can fully understand the origins and present profile of theories in present-day sociology. Unlike many texts that skim over theories on the surface, this book seeks to unlock for the reader their underlying structure of each theory. The book is written in a modular format so that theories and traditions can be examined in any order, and in many diverse combinations. If desired, only the contemporary theories can be read without attention to their historical contexts, or the reverse is true if readers want to understand the historical origins of a particular theoretical tradition. Since Jonathan Turner is an active theorist in his own right, he brings to the book an appreciation of how theories are created as an insider rather than as only a commentator on theory. As such, he is able to bring out the underlying assumptions, structure, and form of a theory in new and interesting ways for casual readers and scholars alike.

Author:
Publisher: Elsevier
ISBN: 0080466648
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 901

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Book Description
This volume concerns philosophical issues that arise from the practice of anthropology and sociology. The essays cover a wide range of issues, including traditional questions in the philosophy of social science as well as those specific to these disciplines. Authors attend to the historical development of the current debates and set the stage for future work.· Comprehensive survey of philosophical issues in anthropology and sociology· Historical discussion of important debates· Applications to current research in anthropology and sociology

Author: Pamela J. Shoemaker
Publisher: SAGE Publications
ISBN: 1452210438
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 241

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Book Description
Click ′Additional Materials′ to read the foreword by Jerald Hage As straightforward as its title, How to Build Social Science Theories sidesteps the well-traveled road of theoretical examination by demonstrating how new theories originate and how they are elaborated. Essential reading for students of social science research, this book traces theories from their most rudimentary building blocks (terminology and definitions) through multivariable theoretical statements, models, the role of creativity in theory building, and how theories are used and evaluated. Authors Pamela J. Shoemaker, James William Tankard, Jr., and Dominic L. Lasorsa intend to improve research in many areas of the social sciences by making research more theory-based and theory-oriented. The book begins with a discussion of concepts and their theoretical and operational definitions. It then proceeds to theoretical statements, including hypotheses, assumptions, and propositions. Theoretical statements need theoretical linkages and operational linkages; this discussion begins with bivariate relationships, as well as three-variable, four-variable, and further multivariate relationships. The authors also devote chapters to the creative component of theory-building and how to evaluate theories. How to Build Social Science Theories is a sophisticated yet readable analysis presented by internationally known experts in social science methodology. It is designed primarily as a core text for graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in communication theory. It will also be a perfect addition to any course dealing with theory and research methodology across the social sciences. Additionally, professional researchers will find it an indispensable guide to the genesis, dissemination, and evaluation of social science theories.

Author: Vern L. Bengtson
Publisher: SAGE
ISBN: 9780761930655
Category : Family & Relationships
Languages : en
Pages : 692

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Now available in paperback for classroom use!"This comprehensive text provides a rich source of perspectives on theorising about the family for scholars, researchers, and students. Another of the book′s strengths is the emphasis on multimethod approaches in family research. The book covers an impressive range of topics and issues - marital happiness, adjustment of children in divorce marriages, gay marriage, sibling ties, ethnic families of colour, stepfamilies, aggression culture, work and family, religion, and social policy, to name a few. In summary, this superb volume is highly recommended and amply reflects the many contemporary perspectives on the family." --Philip Siebler, Monash University, VictoriaSponsored by the National Council on Family Relations, the Sourcebook of Family Theory and Research is the reference work on theory and methods for family scholars and students around the world. This volume provides a diverse, eclectic, and paradoxically mature approach to theorizing and demonstrates how the development of theory is crucial to the future of family research. The Sourcebook reflects an interactive approach that focuses on the process of theory building and designing research, thereby engaging readers in "doing" theory rather than simply reading about it. An accompanying website offers additional participation and interaction in the process of doing theory and making science. Editors Vern L. Bengtson, Alan C. Acock, Katherine R. Allen, Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, and David M. Klein have brought together a prominent group of diverse contributors ranging in race and ethnicity, age and seniority, and gender and sexual orientation. The Sourcebook begins with a section that sets the context for future family research. The subsequent sections explore changing family patterns, changing family interactions within and across generations, and families and larger social forces. A concluding section discusses issues of teaching family theories and research.Key Features Focuses on the process rather than the outcomes of family theory and research methods Emphasizes the value of multi-methods approaches in family research by integrating theory development with the development of research methods Differs from many other publications on family research by describing the development of new ideas rather than just summarizing existing findings The interactive Web site and the special feature boxes within the chapters engage readers with theory and methodology. Boxed features include Case Studies, Spotlights on Theory, Spotlights on Methods, and a Discussion and Extension sections. Represents a "Who′s Who" of family researchers with contributions from many of the best researchers in the family realm The Sourcebook will be an excellent addition to any academic library. It is an authoritative reference for scholars and researchers in Human Development and Family Studies, Sociology, Social Work, and Psychology. In addition, the Sourcebook can also be used in graduate courses on family theory and methodology.

Author: C.C. Pinder
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9400987331
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 418

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Book Description
Late one afternoon in the fall of 1976, we were sipping Sanka and speculating on the possible directions towards which research and theory in organizational science might lead. One of us had just re-read Walter Nord's Marxist critique of Human Resource Management, and the discussion evolved into an enumeration of the many articles that had appeared in the recent literature attacking the discipline, its mission, and its methods. In no time the list was long enough to suggest that a number of scholars, both young and established, were dissatisfied with the rate of progress begin made in the accumulation of knowledge about organizations. The critics we identified were located at many different schools, and they were associated with diverse research traditions and biases. The causes they identified as underlying the problems they cited varied, as did the solutions they offered. We decided to pursue these polemics with a view to seeking com monalities among them, hoping that if there were any dominant common themes, it might be possible to anticipate the directions the field could take. Our reading and thinking led us to the conclusion that many of the issues being raised by the critics of the discipline could be seen as disagreements over some implicit (or ignored) metaphysical and epistemological assumptions about organizations. We hypothesized that much of the controversy resulted from a lack of consensus regarding what organizations are and how knowledge about them can be developed.