Classics of sociology

William Peter BAEHR

Research output: Book Chapters | Papers in Conference ProceedingsReference Entrypeer-review

Abstract

An oxymoron if ever there was one, this term refers to texts (or authors) that have assumed an exalted position in sociology as vital theoretical contributions to, and as fundamental points of reference for, the discipline as a whole. Classics are texts that are accorded a privileged status, which means that ‘contemporary practitioners of the discipline… believe that they can learn as much about their field through understanding this earlier work as they can from the work of their own contemporaries’ (Alexander, 1989, p. 9). But what is the nature of classical eminence and how are classics best understood? Modern discussion of these questions falls under four related approaches.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationThe Blackwell dictionary of modern social thought
PublisherBlackwell Publishers
Pages86-87
Number of pages2
ISBN (Print)9780631221647
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2003

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