Concepts In The Social Sciences: Social Structure

Despite the importance of the concept of social structure, sociologists have not agreed on how to define it and discussions have been plagued by confusion. In this concise and enlightening text, Jose Lopez and John Scott argue theat analysing the conceptual frameworks in which differenct concepts of sofical structure are embedded acan help to clearify their meanings and reshape debates. They show that competing conceptions of social structure can be seen as capturing significant and different aspects of the reality of social organization. Social structure is organized around a discussion of 'institutional structure', 'relational structure' and 'embodied structure'. It argues that these conceptions of social structure can be fruitfully combined in order to provide a richer and bmore powerful overview, incorporating the work of principal contributors from Marx and Durukheim, through parsons and Simmel, to Giddens, Foucault and Bourdieu. The book provides essential reading for undergraduate course in sociology, social anthropology,a dn the history and philosophy of social thought, as well as representing an invaluable reference for research on social structure and surrounding issues.