Grand theories and ideologies in the social sciences
By: edited by Howard J. Wiarda.
Contributors: Wiarda, Howard J., 1939-
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Published: 2010
Place of publication: New York, NY
Language: eng
Number of pages: 266
ISBN-13: 9780230103924
Subjects: Social sciences -- Philosophy; Political sociology
Description: "I am most impressed with this project. It is refreshing to read a book by the next generation of scholars as they develop their positions on these fundamental views of the world and of politics. Wiarda is to be commended for this effort; he has constructed an edited volume that will get the attention of a wide readership. This text will be popular both with the graduate school community and undergraduates as well as instructors in beginning comparative politics courses looking to assign a text as supplementary reading to introduce college students to the world of the key grand theories of social science."--Michael Kryzanek, Professor of Political science and Executive Director of the Center for International Engagement, Bridgewater State College.

A Comparative analysis of all the major social science and political science grand theories, this book focuses on developmentalism, dependency theory, the world systems approach, Marxism, institutionalism, rational choice, psychoanalysis, political sociology, sociobiology, environmentalism, neuro-politics, transitions to democracy, and non-Western systems of analysis. To facilitate comparison and analysis, a common framework is employed throughout and an integrating introduction and conclusion tie the book together. --Book Jacket.
Table of contents: title: Developmentalism then and now : the origins and resurgence of an enduring grand theory / Kelly Johnson; title: Marxism, dependency, and the world systems analysis : are they making a comeback? / Braden Stone; title: Political culture : explanatory variable or residual category? / Holger Meyer; title: Sociological approaches: old and new in political sociology / Ann P. Kryzanek; title: Psychoanalysis and the study of political science / Shelliann Powell; title: Institutions and institutionalism / Sonal Sahu; title: Rational choice theory : why irrationality makes more sense for comparative politics / J. D. J. Nakaska; title: Environmental and geographic determinism : Jared Diamond and his ideas / Sukhoon Hong; title: Science or ideology? : sociobiology and its aftermath / Murat Bayar; title: Neuronopolitics : the brainy approach to political science / Josh Dix; title: Transitions to democracy : grand theory or grand idea? / Matt Clary; title: Non-western and indigenous theories of change / Leah Langford.