Sociological Thinkers, Sociological Traditions MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Sociological Thinkers, Sociological Traditions - Download Free PDF

The correct answer is - Four

Key Points

• Immanuel Wallerstein's World Systems Theory identifies four stages or categories that describe the global economic system's structure.
• These four categories are:
  • Core: Highly developed, industrialized nations that dominate global trade and benefit the most from the world system.
  • Semi-periphery: Nations that are industrializing and act as a buffer between the core and periphery.
  • Periphery: Less developed nations that are dependent on the core for capital and are often exploited for raw materials and labor.
  • External areas: Regions that are not fully integrated into the capitalist world economy.
• This classification helps explain the global inequality and distribution of wealth and power in the international system.
• Wallerstein's theory is foundational in understanding the dynamics of globalization and economic interdependence.

Additional Information

• Core-Periphery Model:
  • The model categorizes nations based on their role in the global economy.
  • Core nations are economically and politically dominant, while periphery nations are dependent and less developed.
  • Semi-periphery nations exhibit characteristics of both core and periphery countries, allowing for more dynamic interactions.
• Historical Context:
  • Wallerstein developed this theory in the 1970s as a critique of modernization theory, which suggested all nations could achieve development through similar processes.
  • World Systems Theory emphasizes the historical exploitation of periphery regions by core nations during colonialism and capitalism's expansion.
• Relevance in Modern Studies:
  • The theory remains widely used in sociology, political science, and international relations to analyze global inequalities.
  • It highlights how global capitalist systems perpetuate disparities in wealth, power, and resources.

The correct answer is - Karl Marx

Key Points

• Karl Marx
  • Karl Marx is renowned for his theory of class conflict, which is central to his critique of capitalism.
  • According to Marx, society is divided into two primary classes: the bourgeoisie (owners of production) and the proletariat (working class).
  • He argued that the conflict between these classes arises from the exploitation of the working class by the bourgeoisie to maximize profits.
  • This fundamental conflict, according to Marx, drives social change and is the basis of his theory of historical materialism.

Additional Information

• Key Concepts of Marxism
  • Historical Materialism: Marx believed that material conditions and economic factors are the primary drivers of historical development and societal structure.
  • Alienation: Workers under capitalism are alienated from the products of their labor, their own human potential, and other workers.
  • Surplus Value: The value produced by workers in excess of what is paid to them as wages is appropriated by capitalists as profit, leading to exploitation.
• Other Sociologists and Their Views on Conflict:
  • Ralf Dahrendorf: Focused on the role of authority and power in creating conflict within society, rather than purely economic factors.
  • Lewis Coser: Emphasized the functional aspects of conflict and its role in maintaining social stability and adaptability.
  • Randall Collins: Advocated for the micro-level study of conflict, analyzing interactions and resources in everyday life.

The correct answer is - Structural-Functionalism

Key Points

• A.R. Radcliffe-Brown was a prominent British anthropologist known for his contributions to Structural-Functionalism.
• Structural-Functionalism is a theoretical framework that emphasizes the interdependence of social structures and their roles in maintaining societal stability and cohesion.
• Radcliffe-Brown focused on understanding how social institutions, such as kinship systems, function to maintain the equilibrium of society.
• He studied small-scale societies and highlighted the importance of social relationships and structures in regulating behavior and maintaining order.
• This approach differs from Functionalism, which focuses more on individual needs, as Structural-Functionalism emphasizes collective societal needs and structures.

Additional Information

• Functionalism
  • Developed by thinkers like Bronisław Malinowski, Functionalism examines how cultural practices and social institutions meet the psychological and biological needs of individuals.
  • Unlike Structural-Functionalism, it focuses on the individual rather than broader societal structures.
• Structuralism
  • A theoretical approach associated with Claude Lévi-Strauss, Structuralism studies the underlying structures of human thought and culture, such as myths and language.
  • It focuses on universal mental structures rather than the functional roles of societal institutions.
• Cultural Sociology
  • This approach emphasizes the role of culture—values, norms, and symbols—in shaping social life.
  • It is often associated with scholars like Émile Durkheim and Clifford Geertz, focusing on meaning-making processes rather than structural roles.

The correct answer is - Option 3: Redcliffe Brown — Allocation of roles

Key Points

• Redcliffe Brown's Contribution
  • Redcliffe Brown is primarily associated with structural-functionalism in sociology.
  • His work focuses on the study of social structures and how they maintain social order and stability.
  • The concept of "allocation of roles" is not directly attributed to him.
  • This mismatch makes Option 3 the incorrect match.
• Correct Matches for Other Options
  • Option 1: Spencer proposed the organic view of society, likening society to a living organism where different parts (institutions) work together for stability.
  • Option 2: Durkheim introduced the concepts of mechanical solidarity (based on shared values in simpler societies) and organic solidarity (based on interdependence in complex societies).
  • Option 4: Sorokin classified cultures into Sensate (focused on materialism), Ideational (spiritual focus), and Idealistic (a balance between the two).

Additional Information

• Redcliffe Brown's Structural Functionalism
  • Redcliffe Brown emphasized that social structures are interrelated parts that contribute to the functioning of society as a whole.
  • He studied how institutions like family, religion, and law help maintain social stability.
  • His approach was influenced by the natural sciences, aiming to build a scientific understanding of society.
• Herbert Spencer's Organic View of Society
  • Spencer compared society to a living organism, where institutions function like organs, each contributing to the survival of the whole.
  • This analogy highlights the interdependence of different parts of society.
• Durkheim's Solidarity Types
  • Mechanical solidarity: Found in simpler societies, where individuals share common values and beliefs.
  • Organic solidarity: Found in complex societies, where individuals are interdependent due to a division of labor.
• Sorokin's Cultural Dynamics
  • Sensate culture: Materialistic and focused on sensory experiences.
  • Ideational culture: Spiritual and focused on abstract ideals.
  • Idealistic culture: A balanced blend of materialism and spirituality.

The correct answer is - A.R. Desai

Key Points

• A.R. Desai
  • A.R. Desai was a renowned Indian sociologist who applied the Marxist approach to study various aspects of Indian society, including the Indian National Movement.
  • He viewed the Indian National Movement as a struggle of classes, particularly focusing on the role of the bourgeoisie in shaping its trajectory.
  • His analysis emphasized the economic and class dimensions of the movement, arguing that it was not just a fight for political independence but also a stage in the development of capitalist forces in India.
  • Desai's work is considered a landmark contribution in understanding the historical materialist perspective of India's socio-political developments.

Additional Information

• Marxist approach
  • It is a method of socio-political analysis that focuses on the economic base of society and the resulting class relations.
  • The approach investigates how the economic structure of society influences its political and social superstructure.
  • Marxist scholars typically emphasize the role of the working class and economic exploitation in historical processes.
• Indian National Movement
  • The movement was a struggle for India’s independence from British colonial rule, spanning from the late 19th century to 1947.
  • It involved various phases, including moderate politics, militant nationalism, and Gandhian mass movements.
  • Scholars like A.R. Desai analyzed it from a class perspective, highlighting the role of the Indian bourgeoisie in leading the movement while also addressing the interests of the working class and peasants.
• Other prominent Marxist thinkers
  • Figures like D.D. Kosambi and R.P. Dutt have also contributed to Marxist interpretations of Indian history and society.
  • They focused on themes such as colonial exploitation, class struggles, and the economic basis of social changes in India.

Postmodernism is an intellectual position or method of discourse that dates back to the 17th century against the  Enlightenment. 

Key Points

• It was a method of literary criticism and debate that discussed the nature of literary texts, meaning, author and reader, writing, and reading.
• Postmodernism denies the existence of objectively rational knowledge.
• Postmodernism denies the existence of unmediated reality or objectively rational knowledge, claiming that all interpretations are reliant on the viewpoint.
• Scholars of Post-Modernism: Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, Jean-François Lyotard, Richard Rorty, Jean Baudrillard, Fredric Jameson, Douglas Kellner.
• Lyotard his book The Postmodern Condition, define postmodernism as scepticism towards metanarratives.

Thus, Michel Foucault and Jean Francois Lyotard are postmodernist thinkers. 

Additional Information

• Postmodernists are sceptical of explanations that claim to be valid for all groups, cultures, traditions, or races, and instead, focus on the relative truths of each individual.

Option 2: A - II, B - I, C - IV, D - III is the correct answer.Important Points

• Auguste Comte is associated with the level of intellectual development.
• Emile Durkheim studied size and density.
• Karl Marx studied economic influence.
• Herbert Spencer is associated with the study of evolution and complexity.

Additional Information

• Comte's level of intellectual development is a three-stage theory of social evolution where societies move from a theological stage to a metaphysical stage and finally a positivistic stage.
• Durkheim's size and density is of the idea that the size and density of a society can affect its social structure, solidarity, and collective conscience.
• Marx's economic influence is of the belief that economic relationships and class struggles are the primary driving forces in social development and change.
• Spencer's evolution is a social evolutionary theory that applied Darwin's theory of natural selection to human societies, suggesting that they evolve and progress towards increasing complexity and efficiency.

The correct answer is Personality.Key Points

• Deviant behavior is defined as actions that violate social norms, which may include both informal social rules or more formal societal expectations and laws.
• There are likely many factors that play a role in deviant behavior. These include genetics, personality, upbringing, environment, and societal influences.
• It is also important to note that what is considered deviant can vary from one culture to the next.
• Other factors—including sex and socioeconomic status—also influence the informal and unwritten social rules and expectations that people are expected to conform to.

Additional Information

• Status is our relative social position within a group, while a role is a part our society expects us to play in a given status. For example, a man may have the status of father in his family.
• There are three types of a person's social status: Master, Achieved, and Ascribed.
• Social norms are shared standards of acceptable behavior by groups. Social norms can both be informal understandings that govern the behavior of members of society, as well as be codified into rules and laws.
• Hierarchy refers to the ranking of members in social groups based on the power, influence, or dominance they exhibit, whereby some members are superior or subordinate to others

Thus, Personality influences deviance.

Max Weber coined the concept, "social relationship" to describe patterned human interaction which is intentional, meaningful and symbolic. 

Important Points

• Max Weber was a German sociologist associated with the study of social action. 
• His ideas profoundly influence social theory and research.
• Weber was a key proponent of methodological anti-positivism, arguing for the study of social action through interpretive rather than purely empiricist methods, based on a subjective understanding of the meanings that individuals attach to their own actions.

Additional Information

• C.H. Cooley was an influential sociologist who was one of the founding members of the American Sociological Association.
• V. Pareto was an Italian sociologist who wrote the renowned book 'The Mind and the Society.'
• Erving Goffman is best-known contribution to social theory is his study of symbolic interaction. 

The correct answer is Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct.Key Points

• Post-structuralism is a term for philosophical and literary forms of theory that both build upon and reject ideas established by structuralism, the intellectual project that preceded it.
•  Roland Barthes, Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, Jacques Lacan, and Julia Kristeva are prominent poststructuralist thinkers.
• Foucault's work inspired sociologists in subfields including the sociology of knowledge; gender, sexuality, and queer theory; critical theory; deviance and crime; and the sociology of education. His most well-known works include Discipline and Punish, The History of Sexuality, and The Archaeology of Knowledge.
• Hence, Michel Foucault has had an immense influence on social sciences.

Additional Information

• The historical, economic, and political analyses of Marx and Weber are largely structuralist.
• That is, they attempted to understand the large structures and institutions that affect the lives of people, and how these changed over time and space
• Marxism is a structural theory, as people's actions are shaped by society and in particular the economic system.
• It is a conflicting view of society. Marxists argue that the upper-class control all of society including law and order. They, therefore, have control over judges, police, and the government

 Thus, Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Michel Foucault are the most influential figures in an intellectual movement known as post-structuralism are incorrect but Michel Foucault has had an immense influence on social sciences is correct.

The corrct naswer is Karl Mannheim.Key Points

• Karl Mannheim (born Károly Manheim, 27 March 1893 – 9 January 1947) was an influential Hungarian sociologist during the first half of the 20th century.
• In Mannheim's view, social conflict is caused by the diversity in thoughts and beliefs (ideologies) among major segments of society that derive from differences in social location. Ideas and beliefs are rooted in larger thought systems (Weltanschauungen), a phenomenon Mannheim called relationism.
• According to Karl Mannheim, Ideology and Utopia argue that ideologies are mental fictions whose function is to veil the true nature of a given society. They originate unconsciously in the minds of those who seek to stabilize a social order.
• It was Karl Mannheim who said, All truths are ideologically biased, all truths ultimately reflect the interest and biases of social groups.
•  In ideologically charged situations, one's prejudices end up affecting one's factual beliefs.

Additional Information

• Charles Lemert is an American-born social theorist and sociologist. He has written extensively on social theory, globalization and culture.
• Clifford James Geertz was an American anthropologist who is remembered mostly for his strong support for and influence on the practice of symbolic anthropology and who was considered "for three decades... the single most influential cultural anthropologist in the United States."
• Karl Heinrich Marx FRSA was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, a critic of political economy, and socialist revolutionary. His best-known titles are the 1848 pamphlet The Communist Manifesto and the four-volume Das Kapital.

Thus, All truths are ideologically biased, all truths ultimately reflect the interest and biases of social groups, are the views of Karl Mannheim.

Montesquieu has classified political institutions into republic, aristocracy, monarchy, and autocracy. Important Points

• Montesquieu was a French political philosopher of the Enlightenment period who played a very important role in the French Revolution. 
• His political theory was based on the idea of separation of powers which shaped modern democratic societies. 
• Thus in modern democracies, we have the executive, legislature, and judiciary as separate entities of government. 
• He has classified political institutions into republic, aristocracy, monarchy, and autocracy. 

Additional Information

• Robert Michels was a German-born Italian political sociologist who was famous for the formulation of the Iron Law of Oligarchy. 
• The Iron Law of Oligarchy states that all political systems however democratic will eventually develop into oligarchies. 
• Harold Gould is an American anthropologist who specialized in Indian society and civilization. 
• He has studied the caste system, religion, politics, etc of India. 
• Rajni Kothari was a famous Indian political scientist. 
• He was a great activist who was involved in continuous research on the intellectual and ethical dimensions of Indian politics.

Option 3) A - 3, B - 4, C - 1, D - 2 is the correct answer.

Important Points

• Analytic Hermeneutics combines analytic philosophy with hermeneutics.
• Hermeneutic Realism believes in nature in itself and science provides an explanation.
• Hermeneutic Idealism states that meaning determines reference and our understanding of the being of entities.
• Hermeneutics is a methodology of interpretation.

 Additional Information

• Friedrich Schleiermacher is called the 'father of hermeneutics.'
• He developed his hermeneutics in the first half of the 19th century.
• Schleiermacher attempted to understand life by constructing the situation of an era imaginatively and providing self empathy. 

Max Weber is known as the "bourgeoise Marx".Important Points

• Despite of differences in approach to the analysis of industrial society of Marx and Weber, Weber occasionally described himself as a "member of the bourgeoise".
• Weber agreed with Marx that there was a clear distinction between those who owned the means of production and those who did not, but he saw far more and more complex divisions than Marx did.
• He saw divisions based on market situation and some people could get higher salaries because they had skills that were more in demand.

Additional Information

• Emile Durkheim is the academic father of Sociology and his work was concerned with how societies can maintain their integrity and coherence in modernity, an era in which traditional social and religious ties are much less universal, and in which new social institutions have come into being.
• Talcott Parsons was an American sociologist of the classical tradition, best known for his social action theory and structural functionalism.
• George Simmel is the father of Urban Sociology and Sociation is one of his famous concept.

Émile Durkheim, one of the founding figures of sociology, is known for his work on social solidarity, religion, and the division of labor in society, rather than specific studies on the caste system. 

Important Points

• M. N. Srinivas made significant contributions to the study of the caste system in India, particularly through his work on social change, Sanskritization, and Westernization.
• Max Weber included the caste system in his comparative studies of social stratification and religion, particularly in his work on Hinduism and Buddhism in society.
• G. S. Ghurye is considered one of the pioneers in Indian sociology and has extensively studied caste and race in India, among other topics.

Additional InformationM. N. Srinivas:

• Mysore Narasimhachar Srinivas was a prominent Indian sociologist.
• His work on the social structure of Indian society, especially on the caste system, was groundbreaking.
• He introduced key concepts like 'Sanskritization,' which describes how lower castes seek upward mobility by emulating the rituals and practices of higher castes.

• Weber, a German sociologist, explored various aspects of society, including economy, religion, and social stratification.
• Though not primarily focused on caste, his comparison of social groups included analysis of the Indian caste system to understand economic life and religious beliefs within its structure.

• Govind Sadashiv Ghurye was one of the founding figures of Indian sociology.
• His work extensively covered the Indian caste system, focusing on its origins, development, and effects on Indian society.
• He provided a comprehensive analysis of how caste influences various aspects of life in India.

• A French sociologist, Durkheim's focus was more on general societal functions and solidarity, rather than specific social stratifications like caste.
• His major contributions were in understanding how societal cohesion and collective consciousness emerge, especially through the lens of religion and work division, without a direct emphasis on caste.