Fall 2004                    MA Comprehensive Examination in Sociological Theory

                       

You have 4 ˝ hours to complete your exam.  Read questions carefully and outline your answer before you proceed to write. Take some time to think things through and plan your “answer-strategy” before beginning. Use sociological terms as appropriate.  Answer ONE question in each section. Budget your time, while allotting equal time, to answering, the three questions.  Not answering one question guarantees Not Passing.

 

Good Luck.

 

Section A.       Classical Theory  -- Answer ONE question in Section A.

 

  1. Weber and Durkheim have quite different conceptions of sociology, in particular, the methodology of sociology.  Compare Durkheim’s conception of scientific sociology with Weber’s attempt to synthesize interpretive with sociological scientific with his emphases on values, perspectives, and complexity.

 

 

  1. Going back to Durkheim, the history of the sociological tradition has been seen

as conflicting or competing responses to the State/Organization and the French Industrial Revolutions; name those of Marx and the Sociological Tradition.

 

 

  1. It is often incorrectly assumed that conflict theories are left or liberal in their political  outlook.  However, there are conservative conflict theorists, Pareto, Michels, Freud, etc.  Compare one of these to Marx on the left and Simmel in the middle.  You may also choose Weber, making a case for where he should be placed, (liberal or conservative).

           

Section B.       Contemporary Theory -- Answer ONE question in Section B.

 

     1.    Trace Trace the development of sociological theory from the earliest classical scholars such        as Durkheim, Marx, Weber and Simmel to the current state of contemporary theory,             describing trends, shifting focuses, and new theoretical approaches. Discuss the current state            of contemporary theory and issues and problems that plague us today.

 

     2.    Select any macro theory and argue why micro analysis is also needed for a complete      understanding of the phenomena. OR Select a micro theory and show why macro analysis is             also required for a complete understanding of the phenomena. Can you see any way to       bridge these perspectives?

 

      3.   Feminist social theory had broadened the horizons of sociology. State the major criticisms of      feminists on pre-feminist sociological theory and how this has redefined the epistemology,            conception of social structure, problems to be studied, methods and data. OR Answer the question with respect to the issue of color and “whiteness” as a major organizing principle of   society.

Section C.       Issues in Theory -- Answer ONE question in Section C.

 

     1.    Contemporary theory is concerned with understanding deep structures of such as class, race, and gender. Select one of these structures of society and analyze it from three of the following perspectives: (a) functionalism, (b) conflict theory, (c) symbolic interactionism, (d) world-system theory, (e) critical theory, (f) post modernism.

 

     2.    How would the classic theorists (Durkheim, Mark, Weber, and Freud) deal with the rise of        religious fundamentalism in all parts of the world today?

 

     3.    Thinking of the range of conflicts in the world today, class, ethno-rational, State, wars --            what contemporary theories have most to give us in terms of making sense of the world:       Wallerstein’s world-system approach, Weber’s geo-politics (eg. Collins), cultural, etc.?