An Invitation to Social Theory Professor Andrew J. Perrin TAs: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

an invitation to social theory
SMART_READER_LITE
LIVE PREVIEW

An Invitation to Social Theory Professor Andrew J. Perrin TAs: - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

An Invitation to Social Theory Professor Andrew J. Perrin TAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar Sociology 250 January 8, 2015 Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January


slide-1
SLIDE 1

An Invitation to Social Theory

Professor Andrew J. Perrin TAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar Sociology 250 January 8, 2015

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 1 / 18

slide-2
SLIDE 2

Today’s Course

  • I. Your professor and TAs
  • II. Why Theory?
  • III. Central Proposition
  • IV. The Theory Cycle
  • V. Questions for Social Theory
  • VI. What Does it Mean to Think Theoretically?
  • VII. Theory in Everyday Life
  • VIII. The Theory Arc
  • IX. Plans and business for the course

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 2 / 18

slide-3
SLIDE 3

Your Professor

14 years at UNC Publications Chair of ASA Theory Section

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 3 / 18

slide-4
SLIDE 4

Your Professor

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 4 / 18

slide-5
SLIDE 5

Your TAs

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 5 / 18

slide-6
SLIDE 6

Why Theory?

Sociology is a Weak-Theory Discipline

Contrast to economics: theoretical claims about human and institutional behavior are widely accepted within the discipline There are very few widely-accepted tenets of behavior in sociology. Good sociological research therefore builds theory as an integral step. Theory guides and encourages the asking of big questions and the systematic approaches to considering them.

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 6 / 18

slide-7
SLIDE 7

Central Proposition

The fundamental unit of human behavior is the group.

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 7 / 18

slide-8
SLIDE 8

The Theory Cycle

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 8 / 18

slide-9
SLIDE 9

The Theory Cycle

Simplified Version

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 9 / 18

slide-10
SLIDE 10

Questions for Social Theory

1 Who are we? 2 What can we know? 3 What can we do? 4 Who’s in control? 5 Why do things happen? 6 (Why) do we care? Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 10 / 18

slide-11
SLIDE 11

What Does it Mean to Think Theoretically?

Nothing is simply “natural” or “human nature” Everything comes from somewhere What can the patterns we observe tell us about the systems of which they are a part?

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 11 / 18

slide-12
SLIDE 12

Theory in Everyday Life

Example 1: The iPod

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 12 / 18

slide-13
SLIDE 13

Theory in Everyday Life

Example 2: Elysium

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSAS79fBVxs

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 13 / 18

slide-14
SLIDE 14

Theory in Everyday Life

Example 3: Racial Coding

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 14 / 18

slide-15
SLIDE 15

Theory in Everyday Life

Example 3: Racial Coding

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 15 / 18

slide-16
SLIDE 16

Theory in Everyday Life

Example 3: Racial Coding

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 16 / 18

slide-17
SLIDE 17

The Theory Arc

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 17 / 18

slide-18
SLIDE 18

A Short Exercise

On an index card, write: Your name Your class year Your major A six-word biography of yourself The strangest place or situation you’ve been in

Professor Andrew J. PerrinTAs: Brionca Taylor and Nathan Dollar An Invitation to Social Theory Sociology 250January 8, 2015 18 / 18