Читать книгу Sociology - Anthony Giddens - Страница 161

The question of whether the classical sociological theories and perspectives have anything to contribute to our understanding of the global problems of the twenty-first century remains pertinent. Marx could not have predicted the emergence and impact of AI and robotics on the workforce, Weber did not foresee global warming, and Durkheim’s work is not the best example of postcolonial theory.

In the late twentieth and early twenty-first century a range of theorists, some discussed in this chapter, have tried to develop new perspectives and frameworks that may give us a better grasp of such emerging issues. The article below introduces a special issue of the journal, reflecting on the challenges facing sociology today. Read it (and perhaps others in this issue) and answer the questions below.

Possamai-Inesedy, A., Rowe, D., and Stevenson, D. (2017) ‘Sociology in the 21st Century: Challenges Old and New’, Journal of Sociology, 53(4): 723–9; https://doi.org/10.1177/1440783317747443.

1 Make a list of the ‘issues and challenges’ in this piece, both socially and in terms of the discipline of sociology. Which of these are genuinely ‘new’?

2 What concepts and/or theories do the authors draw on to address the postcolonial critique of sociology?

3 The authors suggest that they have not ‘turned their backs’ on ‘the old, proven skills’ necessary for doing sociology. Explain what these skills are and why they are thought still to be relevant.

4 What evidence is there in this paper that some of the older theories, concepts and ideas are still in play, even as the authors argue for creative new developments?

5 ‘Sociology remains firmly anchored in its founding preoccupations.’ How do the authors square this conclusion with their overall focus on the need for novel approaches?