Kenneth Allan - A Primer in Social and Sociological Theory

Copyright 2011 by Pine Forge Press, an Imprint of SAGE Publications, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

Allan, Kenneth, 1951
A primer in social and sociological theory: toward a sociology of citizenship/Kenneth
D. Allan.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 978-1-4129-6051-9 (pbk.)

1. Sociology. 2. SociologyPhilosophy. 3. Sociologists. I. Title.

HM586.A437 2011
301dc22 2009043871

This book is printed on acid-free paper.

10 11 12 13 14 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

West (1999, p. xx)

Dewey (1939/1988, p. 226)

T he two quotes above are from men whose births were separated by almost a century of time and whose lives by the American racial divide. Yet they express the same sentiment, embody the same hope, and are the foundation upon which this book is built. As Cornel West and John Dewey claim, democracy isnt simply about voting; democracy is a way of existing, a way of being in the world that permeates our entire life. Democracy is present in our conversations, our daily practices, in the ideas and values that guide us, and in our collective efforts to define what it means to be human. Democracy is founded on a never-ending faith in human potentialit is a belief system that not only asks every person to take part, but is based on the idea that every part makes a difference and that collectively we can create an endless horizon of possibilities.

In this respect, this book is about authenticity. The democracy that West and Dewey are talking about is one where there is a vital connection between an individuals inner life and his or her practices. Yet because of what democracy entailsthe extension of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to all humankinda persons inner life isnt simply an individual concern; it is a social, ethical issue. Please note that nowhere in this book will I ask you to conform to my ethics. Such an approach would be the exact opposite of democracy. in fact, i sincerely hope that we disagree; diversity and disagreement are touchstones for democracy. We need dissenting views. However, this book will ask you to examine your ethics and practices in light of the social world around you, and it will challenge you to do so using critical thinking and social theory. in a democracy, we need to be able to give a full and coherent account of our reasoning and practices. Critical thinking and social theory are the heart of just such an account.

This book is also based on the belief that the energies of a democratic life are urgently needed today, perhaps more than ever before. our world is rapidly getting smaller, and it is a world filled with political tensions and violence laced with religious certainty; a world just beginning to come to grips with the possibility of environmental catastrophe; a world of nation building, diversity, and extreme poverty; and its a world of mass media images, advertising, and commodities, for all their good and ill. Yet, while the need is great, democracy is also under assaultand the most significant problem is that most of us misrecognize the issue. While terrorism is undoubtedly a concern, there are more fundamental, more insidious, and longer-running attacks against democracy. To see these assaults, we must first understand and keep in mind the essential qualities of democracy: an educated citizenry actively pursuing freedom and equality for all peoples. Terrorists might attack our buildings and lives, but democracy isnt found in buildings, national boundaries, or security. Dont get me wrongthose are extremely important, especially the latter, but they do not define democracy. Take all of them away, and democracy would still exist. The true threats to democracy are those that arise from within. The threats originate in the dullness that consumerism brings, and in the insatiable quest for greater stimulation from mass media. They ferment in the sense that democracy is inevitable and complete in the United States and its economic partners; all that is needed is to modernize the rest of the world. They stand tall within the new American attitude that higher education is nothing more than a job placement program and can thus be held to economic standards of efficiency.

In the end, this book is an invitation and a challenge. Despite all my rhetoric up to this point, the purpose and design of the book are fairly simple. The purpose is to equip you to think critically and theoretically. The book is designed around nine ideas that generally form the basis of most contemporary social disciplines: modernity, society, self, religion, capitalism, power, gender, race, and globalization. The course of the book is set by the idea that modernity is based upon the desire to make human life better. Science was created to help meet this goal. Part of this modern project of bettering human life can be found in such sciences as medicine; other parts are found in the social and behavioral sciences. Social science, and social and sociological theories specifically, came about to study modern society, which by definition includes the idea of democratic nations and practices of citizenship.

The first chapter explains critical thinking and theory and how to practice them. Each of the subsequent chapters uses classic and contemporary thinkers to show how society, self, capitalism, and so forth fit into the project of modernity, especially as they were seen at the beginning of the modern age. However, as we move from chapter to chapter, and from classic to contemporary theory, well see that society, self, religion, capitalism, power, gender, race, and globalization all imply issues that require us to rethink the idea of modernity and perhaps participatory democracy. In other words, Ill be providing opportunities to use your critical thinking and theoretical skills in considering each of these major social issues. At the end of every chapter, there is a series of exercises calledThe Craft of Citizenship. The exercises themselves will come out of the theories introduced in the chapters and will progressively equip you with higher levels of critical thinking and theorizing skills.