History Of Social Theory

What Is Social Theory?

Social theory is a framework of empirical proof which is used by sociologists in order to study and explain social phenomena. It helps them to relate with historical debates over the most sound and dependable methodologies, and precedence of either agency or structure.

Pre-Enlightenment Social Theory

The earliest social scientific observations are mentioned in the writings of Western philosophers like Herodotus, Thucydides, Polybius and Pluto as well as that of Confucius. Before enlightenment, social theory was mostly in narrative form. Pre-Socratic philosophers and religious teachers expressed them in the form of stories and fables.

Sociology In Medieval Islam

The earliest proof of sociology in Islam is Ibn Khaldun’s Muqaddimah. Written in the 14th century, this seven volume analysis of universal theory was the first to use social science and social philosophy in creating theories of social conflict and social cohesion. Ibn Khaldun is thus regarded as the predecessor of sociology.

Political Philosophy and Social Contract Theory

During Age of Enlightenment, political institutions developed from monarchy and self-governance to become democratic and communist systems which exist today. In 18th century, Montesquieu through his The Spirit of Laws proved that social elements have an impact on human nature. As a result, pre-classical period of sociological theories underwent changes and became a new form which offers social theory’s basic ideas like evolution, social life, philosophy of history, social contract, public and general will etc. Jean –Jacques Rousseau exhibited the origin of inequality, and analyzed social contract which creates social integration and explained civil society or social sphere. He also stated that man has the freedom to change the world, which made it possible to make changes in society.

Classical Social Theory

The first ‘modern’ social theories which started to look similar to today’s analytic social theory were developed almost at the same time as the birth of sociology. Auguste Comte (1798-1857), who is widely regarded as the ‘father of sociology’ played a major role in the preliminary work for positivism, social evolutionism and structural functionalism.

Modern Social Theory

Most of the classical theory of 19th century has been enlarged to create new social theories like Multilineal theories of evolution (sociobiology, neo-evolutionism, theory of modernization, theory of post-industrial society) and different branches of Neo-Marxism. In late 19th and early 20th centuries, social theory was closely related to academic sociology and other related disciplines like social work, anthropology and philosophy, which evolved into separate subjects.

Post-Modern Social Theory

Sociologists regard postmodernism to be movement which arises from, but is at the same time is critical of modernism’s elements. The different uses of this term have resulted in different elements of modernity being selected as continuous. Each of different uses of these elements is based in some debate about nature of knowledge, known as epistemology in philosophy.

Social Theory Today

Over the last few decades, mostly in response to postmodern critiques, social theory has started focusing on free will, subjective reasoning, individual choice and significance of unpredictable events instead of deterministic necessity. Rational Critical Theory, False Necessity and Symbolic Interactions have been developed in recent years.

Conclusion

Social theory has been widely used by scholars to discuss complex philosophical subjects as it is based on rationality, critical thinking, logic and objectivity.

This article has been compiled by Evelyn, who is a writer on various academic topics.