UVA Amsterdam - Classical Sociological Theory 

1.1 What is this course about?

1.2 Implicit Theories in Everyday Life

1.3 What is Sociological Theory?

1.4 Founding Fathers

1.5 Sociology in the Modern Industrial Age

1.6 Linking Classical to Contemporary Theories

1.7 The Sociological Theoretical Field

1.8 Aims and Claims of this Course

Welcome note

Transcripts

Classical Sociological Theory - An Introduction

Classical Sociological Theory - An Introduction

Session 2: Bernard Mandeville (1670-1733) and Adam Smith (1723-1790)

2.1 The Fable of the Bees

2.2 The Invisible Hand

2.3 The Division of Labour

2.4 The Wealth of Nations

2.5 Exchange and Self-interest

2.6 Social Stratification

2.7 The Importance of Adam Smith

Bernard Mandeville (1670-1733) and Adam Smith (1723-1790)

Bernard Mandeville (1670-1733) and Adam Smith (1723-1790)

Session 3: Auguste Comte (1798-1857)

3.1 Religious and Scientific Knowledge

3.2 The Law of the Three Stages of the Human Mind

3.3 Sociology as a Means to Establish Social Harmony

3.4 The Law of the Classification of Sciences

3.5 Religious Thought as Starting Point

3.6 Comte?s Religion of Humanity

3.7 Early Functionalism

3.8 The Importance of Auguste Comte

Auguste Comte (1798-1857)

Auguste Comte (1798-1857)

Session 4: Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859)

4.1 Tocqueville as a Precursor of Modern Sociology

4.2 An Aristocratic Perspective

4.3 On Democratisation

4.4 The Dominance of the Middle-Class

4.5 The Dangers of Centralisation

4.6 Grassroots Politics as the Heart of Democracy

4.7 ?Revolutions Will Become Rare?

4.8 Tocqueville?s Predictions

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859)

Alexis de Tocqueville (1805-1859)

Session 5: Karl Marx (1818-1883)

5.1 The Unexpected Force of Social Thought

5.2 Economic Chains of Interdependency

5.3 Homo Faber

5.4 Alienation

5.5 Class Struggle

5.6 Caught in the Capitalist System

5.7 Class Consciousness

5.8 Marx?s Predictions

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Karl Marx (1818-1883)

Session 6: ?mile Durkheim (1858-1917)

6.1 Establishing a New Science

6.2 Mechanic and Organic Solidarity

6.3 Social Facts

6.4 Suicide, a Sociological Study

6.5 Egoistic and Altruistic Suicide

6.6 Anomic and Fatalistic Suicide

6.7 The Elementary Forms of Religious Life

6.8 The Social Functions of Religion

?mile Durkheim (1858-1917)

?mile Durkheim (1858-1917)

Session 7: Max Weber (1864-1920)

7.1 Value-Free Sociology

7.2 Understanding Social Action

7.3 The Ideal Type

7.4 Methodological Individualism

7.5 The Four Ideal Types of Social Action

7.6 The Three Ideal Types of Authority

7.7 Rationalisation

7.8 The Protestant Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism

Max Weber (1864-1920)

Max Weber (1864-1920)

Session 8: Norbert Elias (1897-1990)

8.1 The Last of the Great Classic Sociologists

8.2 Introduction to the Civilizing Process

8.3 The Social Constraint Towards Self-Constraint

8.4 The Conditions of Civilisation

8.5 The Importance of Norbert Elias

8.6 A Base for Contemporary Studies

8.7 Figurational Processes

8.8 Classical Sociological Theories: a Focus on Long Term Trends

Norbert Elias (1897-1990)

Norbert Elias (1897-1990)

Final Test