Sociology 448
Seminar: Social Change
Fall 2003
Dr. Scott Schaffer

Analytic Tools: Converting Theories Into Analytic Frameworks

One of the most important uses of sociological theory (besides being wicked fun to study in its own right) is its translation into an analytic framework – a way of looking at the world and whatever sociological phenomenon you’re examining. In order to do that, though, you need to explore the following issues in the sociological theory you’re dealing with. Keep track of them – they will become crucial as you move through the course.

What the theorist talks about: No theorist can explore or explain every single sociological phenomenon, so we choose certain kinds of phenomena that we are interested in looking at. When reading sociological theory, you need to look at the types of phenomena the theorist actually discusses – the concepts they use, how they define those concepts, at which level of analysis they operate at, and the relationships between those concepts/phenomena. You also need to develop a set of criteria for evaluating these concepts; in other words, you need to think of how it is you’d recognize something as being that concept. You can do this by unpacking the definition of the concept and figuring out how each element of the definition can be recognized.

Why the theorist talks about those things: Each social theorist we read this semester will give you some insight into why it is they’re looking at the stuff they are. This is important stuff; it will give you an insight into the direction their theoretical argument is going, as well as into how it is you’ll recognize something as playing a role in the theory they develop of social life.

How the theorist looks at these things: Because of the ways in which each theorist defines their field of study and the elements of that field they look at, each theorist is going to have a different take on those elements. You need to think about how it is that each theorist sees the things they see. What kinds of language do they use to talk about them? Do they evaluate these things as being “good” or “bad” for the people who experience them? These are the kinds of questions that you’re looking to answer.

In essence, sociological theory serves as both a story of how the social world (or at least some part of it works) and as a lens through which we can understand the workings of society. Think of these theories as a pair of eyeglasses you borrow from someone; they’ll bring certain things into focus, make other things blurry, and enable you to see the world in different ways. Keep this in mind, and half the job is done.