Sociology 300						Jack D. Harris
Classical Sociological Theory					Trinity 302, X 3439

EXPECTATIONS and EVALUATION
1. Come prepared and participate in class about the assigned reading. (15%)
2. Through electronic mail you should provide me with at least two excellent questions on the assigned reading for each class. (10%)
3. You must keep a theory journal in which you have written precis or commentaries for each class on the scheduled reading. I will collect them periodically, and at random. (15%)
4. You will have a six papers that reveals your mastery of social theory analysis, and you will prepare to share each paper with the class. (60%)
6. You are expected to be diligent about attendance. In a class run as a seminar, each person's absence is deeply felt by the group. Absences will affect your grade, with each absence over two reducing your grade by one full grade.
 
READING FOR THE TERM
Giddens (ed.), Emile Durkheim: Selected Writings
Tucker (ed.), The Marx-Engels Reader
Gerth and Mills (eds.), From Max Weber
Freud, General Psychological Theory
Freud, Civilization and Its Discontents
Mead, Mind, Self and Society
and selected reserve reading

Week 1
Wednesday, Jan 3:
Introduction to Classical Sociological Theory
Meta-sociological assumptions
Theoretical Ancestors of the Good Society

EMILE DURKHEIM (1858-1918)
Friday, Jan 5:
1. The Field of Sociology
- "Social and Natural Phenomena," pp. 57-63.
- "The Subject-Matter of Sociology," pp. 63-68.
2. Methods of Explanation and Analysis
- "Emergent Properties," pp. 69-73.
- "Sociology and Psychology, pp. 73-82.
= Giddens, Introduction to Selected Writings, pp. l-48.
Week Two
Monday, Jan 8:
3. The Science of Morality, pp. 89-107.
4. Moral Obligation, Duty and Freedom
-"Discipline and Freedom," pp. 111-115.
l0. The Social Bases of Education
-"Education and Society,: pp. 203-205.
Wed, Jan 10:
ll. Religion and Ritual, pp. 2l9-238.
l2. Secularization and Rationality
-"The Persistence of Religion," pp. 243-246.
Fri, Jan 12
l3. Sociology of Knowledge
-"The Religious Origins of Knowledge," pp. 255-259.
-"Conceptual Knowledge and Sensory Experience," pp. 264-268.
Week 3
Mon, Jan 15:
5. Forms of Social Solidarity, pp. l23-l40.
6. The Division of Labor and Social Differentation, pp. l4l-l54.
Wed, Jan 17:
7. Analysis of Socialist Doctrines, pp. l55-l72.
8. Anomie and the Moral Structure of Industry, pp. l73-l88.
 
Friday, Jan 19,:
*PAPER: "Durkheim: What We Need in the Late 20th Century"

KARL MARX (1818-1882)
Week 4
Mon, Jan 22:
"Contribution to the Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right," pp. l6-25.
"Alienation and Social Classes," pp. 133-135
Wed, Jan 24:
"Economic and Philosophic Manuscripts of 1884," pp. 70-101.
"Thesis on Feuerbach," pp. 143-145.
Friday, Jan 26:
"The German Ideology," pp. 146-200.
Week 5
Mon, Jan 29:
"From Capital," V. l., pp. 302-388.
V. 3., pp. 439-442.
Wed, Jan 31:
"Manifesto of the Communist Party," pp. 473-500.
Friday, Feb 2:
*PAPER: "What Good is Marx After the Repudiation of Communism?"

MAX WEBER (1864-1920)
Week 6
Mon, Feb 5:
Wed, Feb 7:
1. "Politics as a Vocation," Gerth and Mills, pp. 77-128.
Fri, Feb 9:
2. "Science as a Vocation," Gerth and Mills.
Week 7
Mon, Feb 12:
3. "The Sociology of Charismatic Authority," Gerth and Mills, pp. 245-252.
Wed, Feb 14:
4. "Religious Rejections of the World...," Gerth and Mills, pp. 323-362.
Fri, Feb 16:
* PAPER: "The Crisis of Leadership in our Time: The Meanings of Authority"

SIGMUND FREUD (1856-1939)
Week 8
Mon, Feb 19:
"Formulations regarding the two principles in Mental Functioning," General Psychological Theory
"A Note on the Unconscious in Psychoanalysis," General Psychological Theory 
Wed, Feb 21:
"Instincts and Their Vicissitudes," General Psychological Theory
"Repression," General Psychological Theory
Fri, Feb 22:
"On Narcissism," General Psychological Theory
Week 9
Mon, Feb 26:
Wed, Feb 28:
Civilization and Its Discontents
Fri, Mar 1:
*PAPER: "Dr. Freud, Can I Ever Be Happy?"

GEORGE HERBERT MEAD (1863-1931)
Week 10
Mon, Mar 4:
Mind, Self and Society (Mind and Self)
Wed, Mar 6:
Mind, Self and Society (Society)
Friday, Mar 8:
*PAPER: "Who am I? How is a Meaningful Identity Possible?"
Week 11
Mon, Mar 11 -- An Invitation to Critique

*PAPER: "Post-mortem on some dead white guys: What have we learned since then?"
 
REMEMBER:
"There is no separating mind and its style. There is only one way to improve your style."
Philip Rieff