A Philosophical History of German Sociology presents a systematic reconstruction of critical theory, from the founding fathers of sociology (Marx, Simmel, Weber) via Lukács to the Frankfurt School (Horkheimer, Adorno, Habermas). Through an in depth analysis of the theories of alienation, rationalisation and reification, it investigates the metatheoretical presuppositions of a critical theory of the present that not only highlights the reality of domination, but is also able to highlight the possibilities of emancipation. Although not written as a textbook, its clear and cogent introduction to some of the main theories of sociology make this book a valuable resource for undergraduates and postgraduates alike. The following in-depth investigation of theories of alienation and reification offer essential material for any critique of the dehumanizing tendencies of today’s global world. Recently translated into English from the original French for the first time, this text showcases Vandenberghe's mastery of the German, French and English schools of sociology study. The result is an important and challenging text that is essential reading for sociology students of all levels. Frédéric Vandenberghe is a Sociology professor and researcher at Iuperj (Instituto Universitário de Pesquisas do Rio de Janeiro), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. His writings on a broad range of sociological topics have been published as books and articles around the world.

A critical history of the sociologies of conflict of Lester Ward, Albion Small, Robert Park, and Arthur Bentley all of whom fell under the influence of German sociologists who explicitly approached the study of conflict from the perspective of realpolitik.

This book provides the first systematic overview of German sociology today. Thirty-four chapters review current trends, relate them to international discussions and discuss perspectives for future research. The contributions span the whole range of sociological research topics, from social inequality to the sociology of body and space, addressing pressing questions in sociological theory and innovative research methods. TOC: Introduction Culture / Uta Karstein and Monika Wohlrab-Sahr Demography and Aging / François Höpflinger Economic Sociology / Andrea Maurer Education and Socialization / Matthias Grundmann Environment / Anita Engels Europe / Monika Eigmüller Family and Intimate Relationships / Dirk Konietzka, Michael Feldhaus, Michaela Kreyenfeld, and Heike Trappe (Felt) Body. Sports, Medicine, and Media / Robert Gugutzer and Claudia Peter Gender / Paula-Irene Villa and Sabine Hark Globalization and Transnationalization / Anja Weiß Global South / Eva Gerharz and Gilberto Rescher History of Sociology / Stephan Moebius Life Course / Johannes Huinink and Betina Hollstein Media and Communication / Andreas Hepp Microsociology / Rainer Schützeichel Migration / Ludger Pries Mixed-Methods and Multimethod Research / Felix Knappertsbusch, Bettina Langfeldt, and Udo Kelle Organization / Raimund Hasse Political Sociology / Jörn Lamla Qualitative Methods / Betina Hollstein and Nils C. Kumkar Quantitative Methods / Alice Barth and Jörg Blasius Religion / Matthias Koenig Science and Higher Education / Anna Kosmützky and Georg Krücken Social Inequalities―Empirical Focus / Gunnar Otte, Mara Boehle, and Katharina Kunißen Social Inequalities―Theoretical Focus / Thomas Schwinn Social Movements / Thomas Kern Social Networks / Roger Häußling Social Policy / Birgit Pfau-Effinger and Christopher Grages Social Problems / Günter Albrecht Social Theory / Wolfgang Ludwig Schneider Society / Uwe Schimank Space. Urban, Rural, Territorial / Martina Löw Technology and Innovation / Werner Rammert Work and Labor / Brigitte Aulenbacher and Johanna Grubner List of Contributors Index

Contemporary sociology increasingly seems to be adopting a perspective similar to that on which Georg Simmel's analysis and interpretations rested. To a significant degree, therefore, sociologists continue to turn to Simmel for a basic understanding of the forms and processes of social life. Nicholas Spykman's The Social Theory of Georg Simmel, originally published in 1925, was the first comprehensive account of Simmel's ideas. It remains a most valuable summary of the major elements of his thought.Spykman wrote this study for a specific purpose: to indicate Simmel's conception of the relations between different fields of theoretic inquiry into socio-historical actuality; to make Simmel's contributions to the methodology of the social sciences understood; and to illustrate Simmel's conception of sociology as a science. He shows that Simmel was primarily a social philosopher interested in a functional understanding of socio-historical realities, art and economic values, morals and aesthetics, religion, and the function of money. Spykman identifies three major phases in the development of Simmel's thought: the first is primarily occupied with methodology and the presuppositions of the social sciences; during the second he wrote several essays containing philosophic interpretations of modern civilization; and the third culminated in his metaphysics of culture.The Social Theory of Georg Simmel, graced with a new introduction by David Frisby, one of the foremost contemporary Simmel experts, is an outstandingly organized, coherent presentation of the complex and subtle ideas of one of the intellectual giants of modern sociology.

Now published by SAGE, this scholarly text covers the first one hundred years of sociological theorizing, from 1830-1930, focusing primarily on Comte, Spencer, Marx, Weber, Simmel, Durkheim, and Mead. The text provides an in-depth examination of these early sociological theorists with biographical background, analysis of key works, major influences, critical insights, and also answers the question, "What do these ideas tell us about the basic forces that shape the social world?" Posing this question for each theorist adds a unique perspective to the text and distinguishes it from other sociological theory books. In addition, it also includes material on the enduring models and principles of the theorists' work that continue to inform sociological theory today.

First Published in 1998. This is Volume XI of twenty-two in a series on Social Theory and Methodology. Notions are widespread that sociological theory is either an industrious activity on the drawing boards of the architects of fantasy or a branch of esoterics operating in a shadowy realm of semi-darkness. The present study holds neither of these conceptions of sociological. The present study’s function is to illuminate the difference between one theory and another. The power and reliability of a theory are not always evident all at once. A theory may have a power to explain what was not originally anticipated; it may also disclose the existence of problems it cannot explain.