Final: Parsons Flashcards

(50 cards)

1
Q

What three ways can we read his book, The Structure of Social Action?

A
  • as a history of sociology
  • as an exercise in theory construction
  • as a site of canon formation
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2
Q

How is his book read as a history of sociology?

A
  • it sets up Parsons interpretations of utilitarianism and work of four European thinkers
  • Marshall, Pareto, Durkheim, Weber
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3
Q

What were Parsons interpretations of utilitarianism and European thinkers equal to?

A
  • data Parsons used to generate his view of the history of sociology
  • it moved from the positivistic theory of action to the voluntaristic theory of action
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4
Q

What is an exemplar, core idea and view of actors in the positivistic theory of action?

A
  • the exemplar is utilitarianism
  • the core idea is the concept of rationality of action
  • actors were scientific investigators
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5
Q

What doesn’t have a place with the positivistic theory of action?

A

-there is no place for non-rational, evaluative aspects of social action

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6
Q

What was Parsons response to the positivistic theory of action?

A
  • as an explanation of social life it is irremediably flawed
  • no place for norms and values
  • ignores the problem of order
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7
Q

What is Parsons alternative to the positivistic theory of action?

A

-voluntaristic theory of action

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8
Q

What is voluntarism?

A
  • freedom of choice

- subjective (meaningful) decision making processes of individuals

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9
Q

Explain the making of the voluntaristic theory of action?

A
  • voluntarism
  • but subjective decision making are always constrained by normative factors
  • so there must be normative integration of action
  • solving the problem of order
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10
Q

How does normative integration of action solve the problem of order?

A
  • by asking and answering what holds society together?

- this would be shared norms and values (Durkheim)

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11
Q

Where did Parsons come up with his convergence theory?

A

-by reading the four theorists works and discovering what they all converged on

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12
Q

What is the convergence thesis?

A

-Marshall, Pareto, Durkheim and Weber arrived independently at an approach to studying the social world that incorporates norms without suppressing human agency

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13
Q

What did the four theorists converge on?

A

-the voluntaristic theory of action a common theoretical framework

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14
Q

Is the convergence thesis thought to be good history of sociology?

A
  • answer depends on the validity of the convergence thesis

- if Parsons reached conclusion about Durkheim and Weber that do no sustain

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15
Q

How was his book an exercise in theory construction?

A
  • Parsons came up with his new theory, the voluntaristic theory of action
  • he borrowed the four other’s works to make his own
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16
Q

Why and what did Parson use from Marshall?

A
  • he used Marshall to show what utilitarianism got wrong and what utilitarianism got right;
  • actors are goal seekers
  • individuals have the ability to make choices through weighing alternative lines of action
  • actors are the creators of social systems
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17
Q

What did Parson use from Pareto?

A

-non-rational aspect of human action

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18
Q

What did Parson use from Durkheim?

A
  • non-contractual element of contract

- problem of order (and what holds society together)

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19
Q

What did Parson take from Weber?

A
  • role of value elements as motors of social change

- importance of subjective meaning

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20
Q

Define the voluntaristic theory of action

A
  • theory that combines a concern with human action with a concern for social structure
  • does this via the unit act
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21
Q

What is the unit act?

A
  • core idea that Parsons creates

- hypothetical construct

22
Q

What are the essential elements of the unit act?

A
  • an actor
  • an end or goal
  • a situation ( in which the action is initiated)
  • norms (constrain decisions about goals)
23
Q

What important part of the unit act separates voluntaristic from positivistic?

A

-actors are influenced by norms

24
Q

What is the normative orientation of action?

A
  • norms compel the conduct of the actor in the unit act

- S–>I

25
What is Parsons solution to the problem of agency?
-macroextremist?
26
What is a Canon?
- set of standard thinkers, texts, examples, historical narratives - by which a discipline is recognized - its practitioners routinely use
27
What does making a canon involve?
-a selection of particular theorists, texts etc.
28
Who was the most important 20th century contributor (pre WW2)?
Parsons
29
Who started the debate on the sociological canon?
- Charles Lemert | - Steven Siedman
30
What were Lemert and Siedman's key question around the canon?
- why does the sociological canon stand in need of reassessment - how should the canon be reassessed?
31
Why did Lemert and Siedman choose to reassess the canon?
- sociological theory did not live up to its promises - with the development of American sociological theory canon the political and moral character of sociological theory was lost
32
What questions did they ask about Parsons canon making?
- who is included in the canon - nature of sociological theory as he said it would be an autonomous expert practice - autonomous means not painted by social interests or morals and expert meaning soci is an intellectual pursuit
33
Who did Parsons put in and exclude from the canon?
- Durkheim and Weber included | - Marx excluded
34
What do Lemert and Siedman see wrong with current sociological theory and how did they respond?
- their is an increasing remoteness of sociological theory, its disconnected from something - they responded by calling for a different kind of sociological theory
35
What kind of new sociological theory did L and S call for?
- takes its problems, themes and languages of argumentation from a public world - abandons textual analysis in favour of social analysis - abandons synthetic theories in favour of social criticism - pushed down closer to life and out from the canon
36
How did L and S say they should reassess the canon?
- by reading canonical classical sociological theorists in a new way - by reading excluded classical sociological theorists
37
What are the original canonical classical theorists like?
- Male white advocates for European culture | - sharing a common culture of critical discourse (how things out to be and not be)
38
What assumptions does the current canon have?
- there is one culture of critical discourse which is the exclusive domain of experts - modernity was associated with progress but this was only one type of modernity
39
What is the second face of modernity though?
-the dark side of modernity
40
Did Marx talk about the two sides of modernity?
-yes
41
Progress side for Marx?
- shift to socialist system | - this would be progress because a classless society w/o exploitation will produce positive labour as labour should be
42
Darker side for Marx
- alienation - labour should be a creative interplay but is not under capitalism - instead, labour devalues and dehumanizes
43
Did Durkheim talk about the two sides of modernity?
Yes
44
Progress side for Durkheim?
- mechanical solidarity to organic solidarity - if we have this we will have a healthy division of labour and then would be living in a society classified by social justice and equality
45
Darker side for Durkheim?
- contractual exchanges not fully regulated causing anomic suicide - anomie
46
Did Weber talk about the two sides of modernity?
yes
47
Progress side for Weber?
- rationalization of economic production and capitalism | - morally enabling parts of capitalism
48
Darker side for Weber?
- morally disabling parts of capitalism | - iron cage
49
Why was is it important to read the excluded sociological theorists?
- because we need to read those that were oppressed by the dominant forces of modern culture - voices were silenced by the prejudice of their time
50
What two excluded sociologists wrote about the darker sides of modernity?
- Charlotte Perkins Gilman on the exploitation of women | - W. E. B. DuBois on Black people in America