300133 Pioneers of sociological science: statistical foundations and the theory of action (S) (SoSe 2022)

There have always been attempts to make additions to the pantheon of social theorist and to rewrite the history of our discipline. Some of the more fundamental attacks currently under way have gathered under the two banners of post-colonialism and of feminism. While in these two cases moral concerns seem to be the driving forces behind them, others have challenged the genealogy of our discipline by putting questions of method center stage. John H. Goldthorpe, who might be counted among the handful of the more important European sociologists, has recently come up with a text book putting the pioneers, of what he conceives of as sociology as a population science into profile. These pioneering researchers dealt with large populations, tried first of all to make certain patterns characterizing them visible and put forward specific mechanisms that possibly might explain these patterns and changes. His heros range from Graunt, Halley in the 17th century via Quetelet and Galton to Stouffer, Lazarsfeld, Merton, Coleman, Boudon and Duncan. Though I would say, that there is more to sociology than what Goldthorpe deems valuable, the perspective he puts forward has its undeniable attractions and might perhaps serve as the more adequate genealogy of much current large scale social research. In this seminar we shall give his book a skeptical reading, though in the end you will have to find out and judge for yourself.

You can download his book from our library.

Requirements for participation, required level

Dear Students,
unfortunately due to administrative negligence this seminar was not announced correctly and no one showed up.

We will start anew this Friday, the 22nd of April.

With kind regards,
Kay Junge

Bibliography

John H. Goldthorpe, Pioners of Sociological Science, . Statistical Foundations and the Theory of Action, CUP 2021.