Foundations of Social Theory

by James S. Coleman and James Samuel Coleman

Combining principles of individual rational choice with a sociological conception of collective action, James Coleman recasts social theory in a bold new way. The result is a landmark in sociological theory, capable of describing both stability and change in social systems.

This book provides for the first time a sound theoretical foundation for linking the behavior of individuals to organizational behavior and then to society as a whole...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0674312260
• ISBN13: 9780674312265
• Release Date: January 1994
• Publisher: Belknap Press
• Length: 1014 Pages
• Weight: 0.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.7" x 6.4" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Essential

Coleman believed that sociological theory must justify itself. It must be testable and have implications for society. Coleman was also the biggest proponent of rational choice theory in sociology. This perspective has limitations (generally acknowledged by Coleman and exaggerated by most sociologists). This book is for serious students of any social science.

A gargantuan synthetic effort

Coleman's book is one of the most ambitious sustained attempts to theorize the social world from a single perspective -- and one which, unlike systems theories (e.g., Parsons, Luhmann) has clear predictive consequences. Of course, the book is just as interesting for where rational choice theory breaks down (e.g., with regard to obligations to family and extreme religious groups, and when it comes to preference formation) as for where it obviously applies (e.g. to corporate law). Even if you're a rational choice skeptic, there's plenty of value by way of concepts (e.g., disjoint vs. conjoint authority), though at almost 1,000 pages, this is by no means a quick read -- best surveyed under the guidance of someone who knows where the interesting bits are. (If I may, chs. 1-5.)

Challenging

It was not easy to read through this. But, for those who wanna try something other than usual in sociology, I think this book will do. Don't you think the truth about our society is still out there? We have come here and it's too far away from the truth. ..and I think sociology is left land which will be fertile in some centuries. I think this book started first for searching another method to the gold, truth. Not just because it introduced mathematical view in sociology ,but because it showed us a new way of proceeding.