The status of “theory” in sociology remains ambiguous. For some, “theory” is basically a toolbox: researchers are free to pick and choose any concepts they like according to their immediate purposes or needs. Theory then has no autonomy. For others, “theory” is reminiscent of a museum: although still prestigious today, names like Weber and Durkheim nonetheless belong to the past. Theory then has little interest beyond its historical value. Still there is a third position: “theory” can be seen as a research field in its own right structured around a unique set of questions or problems posed to sociologists, such as the problem of order and disorder (e.g. Parsons, White, Luhmann), the problem of structure and agency (e.g. Giddens, Bourdieu, Bashkar), the problem of power (e.g. Foucault, Mann), the problem of social change (e.g. Tilly) or simply the problem of the origins of culture and institutions (e.g. Douglas, Collins). In this session, we invite researchers engaging in this sort of reflection to share their ideas. Speakers can reformulate one of the central problems at hands, offer new data or arguments for or against one solution already available, propose a new reading of an older model, or introduce their own model.
Session Organizer: Jean-Sebastien Guy, PhD, Dalhousie University, jsguy@dal.ca
This session has been divided into three sub-sessions
Research in sociological theory: Mind, body and society
Session Code: The3-A
Session Chair: Jean Sebastien Guy, Dalhousie University
Schedule, location, and presentations
Research in sociological theory: Updating theory
Session Code: The3-B
Session Chair: Eliana Herrera-Vega, University of Ottawa
Schedule, location, and presentations
Research in sociological theory: Sociology, history and methodology
Session Code: The3-C
Session Chair: Jean Sebastien Guy, Dalhousie University
Schedule, location, and presentations
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