The Art Of Sociological Argument

This book explores the ways in which sociological arguments are constructed and presented, looking at what can be learned from the contrasting styles of sociologists working in different periods and theoretical traditions. Fundamental debates in the discipline are addressed, such as "can sociology provide final answers?" and "how far is detachment feasible or desirable?". The practical significance of thinking about styles of argument for studying sociology is considered.

Graham Crow is Reader in Sociology, University of Southampton.

Acknowledgements * Introduction: The Importance of Sociological Argument * Karl Marx: Sociology as Radical Criticism * Emile Durkheim: Sociology as the Identification of Social Facts * Max Weber: Sociology as the Science of Interpretive Understanding * Talcott Parsons: Sociology as Systematic Reflection * Charles Wright Mills: Sociology as an Imaginative Craft * Erving Goffman: Sociology as an Eye for Detail * Michel Foucault: Sociology as Shocking * Ann Oakley: Sociology as Emancipation * Conclusion * Bibliography The Importance of Sociological Argument * Karl Marx * Emile Durkheim * Max Weber * Talcott Parsons * Charles Wright Mills * Erving Goffman * Michel Foucault * Ann Oakley * Conclusion