Links to Classical Sociological Theory Online

We have attempted to provide links related to specific sociological theories and theorists in both classical and contemporary theory.

Here, below, are links related to these classical theorists: Comte, Durkheim, Marx, Mead, Parsons, Simmel, Sorokin, Spencer, Tonnies, Veblen, and Weber.

"The word 'sociology' is used in many different senses. In our context, it shall mean that science which aims at the interpretive understanding of social conduct and thus at the explanation of its causes, its course, and its effects."

-Max Weber.

• The Durkheim Pages - These pages are devoted to the French sociologist, Emile Durkheim (1858-1917), maintained by Robert Alun Jones.
• See also the fully online available version of De la division du travail social (samples in English) and An Exchange Between Durkheim and Tonnies on the Nature of Social Relations, includes a review of Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft by Durkheim (American Journal of Sociology, 1972, via JSTOR).
• See also: The Emile Durkheim Archive: An in-depth informative source of information for undergraduates. Over 70 Durkheim quotes on various subjects.
• The Durkheim Page: Another collection of insights on Durkheim. The Emile Durkheim Archive: Emile Durkheim is by far one of the most important sociologists ever.

• The Marx & Engels Internet Archive - All of Marx's writings freely available online! See also: Marx and Engels' Writings: Includes The Young Marx Marx, and much more.  .

• George's Pages, The Mead Project Website - George's Page is a repository for documents by, about and related to the work of American pragmatist philosopher and social psychologist. Includes online versions of Mead's writings, such as , and many many more!.

• The Talcott Parsons Page - Short introductory page on the (un)disputed classic. Papers of Talcott Parsons, 1921-1979: an inventory: At Harvard University Archives.
• Online texts include:
  • Introduction to The Structure of Social Action, McGraw Hill, 1937;
  • The Role of Theory in Social Research. ASR 3(1):13-20, 1938;
  • The Role of Ideas in Social Action. ASR 3(5):652-664, 1938;
  • The Position of Sociological Theory. ASR 13(2):156-171, 1948;
  • The Prospects of Sociological Theory. ASR 15(1):3-16, 1950;
  • Some Comments on the State of the General Theory of Action. ASR, Vol. 18, No. 6., pp. 618-631, 1953;
  • Age and Sex in the Social Structure of the United States. ASR 7(5):604-616, 1942;
  • Prolegomena to a Theory of Social Institutions. ASR, Vol. 55, No. 3. (1990), pp. 319-333, 1990; with Gerald M. Platt.
  • Age, Social Structure, and Socialization in Higher Education. Sociology of Education, Vol. 43, No. 1., pp. 1-37, 1970;
  • Max Weber 1864-1964. ASR, Vol. 30, No. 2. (1965), pp. 171-175, 1965;
  • Evolutionary Universals in Society. ASR, Vol. 29, No. 3., pp. 339-357, 1964;
  • On the Concept of Influence. Public Opinion Quarterly, Vol. 27, No. 1, pp. 37-62, 1963..

• Georg Simmel Homepage - Online versions of Simmel's Books and Essays as well as Texts on Simmel. This amazing site includes online versions of many Simmel classics, such as Philosophie der Mode, Der Henkel, and Das Problem der Soziologie, andmany more.
• Thanks to the editorial efforts of Albion Small you can access the following JSTOR articles by Simmel:
  • Superiority and Subordination as Subject-Matter of Sociology. AJS, 2, 2 (1896), pp. 167-189; & part II. AJS, 2, 3 (1896), pp. 392-415;
  • The Persistence of Social Groups. AJS, 3, 5 (1898), pp. 662-698; & part II. AJS, 3, 6 (1898), pp. 829-836, & part III. AJS, 4, 1 (1898), pp. 35-50;
  • A Chapter in the Philosophy of Value. AJS, 5, 5 (1900), pp. 577-603;
  • The Number of Members as Determining the Sociological Form of the Group. I. AJS, 8, 1 (1902), pp. 1-46; & part II. AJS, 8, 2 (1902), pp. 158-196;
  • The Sociology of Conflict. I. AJS, 9, 4 (1904), pp. 490-525, & part II. AJS, 9, 5 (1904), pp. 672-689; 11. & part III. AJS, 9, 6 (1904), pp. 798-811; 12.
  • A Contribution to the Sociology of Religion. AJS, 11, 3 (1905), pp. 359-376; 13.
  • The Sociology of Secrecy and of Secret Societies. AJS, 11, 4 (1906), pp. 441-498; 14.
  • The Problem of Sociology. AJS, 15, 3 (1909), pp. 289-320;
  • How is Society Possible?. AJS, 16, 3 (1910), pp. 372-391;
  • A Contribution to the Sociology of Religion. AJS, 60, 6 (1955), pp. 1-18; 18.
  • Fashion. The AJS, 62, 6 (1957), pp. 541-558.
  • See also: The Stranger.

• Pitirim Aleksandrovich Sorokin (January 21, 1889-February 10, 1968) - Served as the 55th President of the American Sociological Association.
• Read some of his JSTOR articles:
  • Impoverishment and the Expansion of Governmental Control. AJS Vol. 32, No. 2. (1926), pp. 206-216.
  • An Experimental Study of Efficiency of Work Under Various Specified Conditions. with others. AJS Vol. 35, No. 5. (1930), pp. 765-782;
  • An Experimental Study of the Influence of Suggestion on the Discrimination and the Valuation of People. with J. W. Boldyreff. AJS Vol. 37, No. 5. (1932), pp. 720-737.
  • Is Accurate Social Planning Possible?. ASR Vol. 1, No. 1. (1936), pp. 12-25.
  • Social Time: A Methodological and Functional Analysis. with R.K. Merton. AJS Vol. 42, No. 5. (Mar., 1937), pp. 615-629.
  • A Neglected Factor of War. ASR Vol. 3, No. 4. (1938), pp. 475-486.
  • The Conditions and Prospects for a World Without War. AJS Vol. 49, No. 5. (1944), pp. 441-449.
  • Concept, Tests, and Energy of Spontaneity-Creativity. Sociometry, Vol. 12, No. 1/3. (1949), pp. 215-224.
  • Sociology of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. ASR Vol. 30, No. 6. (1965), pp. 833-843..

• Herbert Spencer, 1820-1903 - The Victorian biologist and early social philosopher Herbert Spencer was a great rival of Charles Darwin's. .

• Die Ferdinand Tönnies Gesellschaft - Die Ferdinand Tönnies Gesellschaft pflegt das geistige Erbe von Ferdinand Tönnies.
• Online papers by Tönnies include: On Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft, reprinted from Community and Society, translated by Charles P. Loomis, pp. 223-231, Michigan State University Press, 1957.
• See also these JSTOR articles by Tönnies: An Exchange Between Durkheim and Tonnies on the Nature of Social Relations, with a review of Durkheim by Tönnies. AJS, Vol. 77, No. 6. (1972), pp. 1191-1200; The Present Problems of Social Structure. AJS, Vol. 10, No. 5. (1905), pp. 569-588.
• See also: Die Ferdinand Tönnies Schule.

• Thorstein Veblen - Includes many online writings, such as Why is Economics Not an Evolutionary Science, The Limitations of Marginal Utility, The Socialist Economics of Karl Marx, and more.  .

• Max Weber, Ausgewählte Schriften - Major works by Max Weber fully online, in German, of course. Hier finden Sie ausgewählte Werke Max Webers. Die Potsdamer Internet-Ausgabe "PIA" folgt den alten Ausgaben der 20-er Jahre (den "Marianne-Ausgaben").
• See also: Max Weber's Texts: Includes fully online versions of the The Protestant Ethic, Basic Concepts of Sociology, and much more!
• See also: Verstehen: Max Weber's HomePage: A site for undergraduates, by Frank Elwell. Marianne Weber: A biographical page..