Emphasis is on the logical of theory construction underlying both classical and contemporary theory.
The course includes an introduction to basic concepts used in the logical analysis of theories and examines their application to specific theories and theoretic traditions. The aim of the course is not only to survey some important developments in contemporary sociological theory, but also to prepare students to construct their own theories. Everyone is expected to come to class fully prepared to participate in a discussion of the readings. At a minimum, this means you should have at least two comments on each book chapter or article. The term paper and discussion papers are one half of the grade.