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ELEMENT 1 : CONCEPT
An important mean by which social scientists seek
to analyse social phenomena, to classify the
objects of the observed worlds, impart meaning
through explanation to these phenomena and
formulate higher level propositions on the basis of
these observations
Concepts are of two types: abstract and concrete
Abstract concepts are not related to time and space
Concrete concepts are related to specific time and
space
CONCEPTS
E = MC
Mountain
River
Mt Everest
Ganga
Forest/Nagarahole
CONCEPTS
CONCEPTS
ELEMENT 2
Variables
VARIABLES
Label phenomena
i.e., concepts denoting
phenomena
Differing in degree
i.e., size, weight, velocity etc
VARIABLES
Size
Rose
colour
Cat
Weight
Colour
Number
Stars Distance
Brightness
VARIABLES
Sociologists prefer concepts that can be translated
in to variables that is, in to states that vary
To understand events requires that we visualise
how variation in one phenomenon is related to
variation in another
ELEMENT 3
THEORETICAL STATEMENTS
Concepts of theory
must be
interconnected;
such connections
constitute
theoretical
statements
They provide an
interpretation of
how and why
events should be
connected
When these
theoretical
statements are
grouped together,
they constitute a
theoretical format
Metatheoretical
Analytical
Propositional
Modelling
ELEMENTS OF THEORY
Definitions
Concepts
Statements
Formats
THEORETICAL SCHEMES
META-THEORETICAL SCHEMES
META-THEORIES
What is the basic nature of human activity about
which we must develop theory? For example, what
is the basic nature of human beings? What is the
fundamental nature of society?
What is the appropriate way to develop theory and
what kind of theory is possible? Can we build highly
abstract theories as in physics or just have general
concepts?
E = MC
Family, politics, economy, religion etc
Most sociology theorising involves these
philosophical questions
ANALYTICAL SCHEME
Concepts organised in to a classification scheme
that denotes key properties and interrelations
among these properties in the social universe
Concepts of the scheme cuts the universe; then,
the ordering of concepts gives the social world a
sense of order
Analytical schemes assume timeless and universal
processes in social universe
Sensitising schemes are explanations i.e., simply
an interpretation of events by seeing them as an
example
PROPOSITIONAL SCHEME
A
proposition Group solidarity
is a
directly increases
theoretical
when there is external
statement
conflict with other
that
groups
specifies the
connection As war progressed in
1971, nationalism in
between
India increased
two or more
variables
MODELING SCHEMES
Models are visual representations
Picture of social events
Mathematical equations are models which use
neutral language
a= b + c