Introduction to Sociology/Sociological Theory/Jeong-Ho Moon

1)Summary
This essay introduced us why we need Sociological theory and representative Sociological theory.

In the introuduciton of essay, it said Putnam's theory made the base of Sociological theory. For instance,'Robert Putnam' proposed that increasing of TV usage contributes to declining civil's engagement. In this case, 'increasing of TV usage' and 'declining civil's engagement' are concepts, 'increasing of TV usage contributes to declining civil's engagement' is the relation.  

Data and relation are bases of Sociological theory.(Putnam's theory also have them.) Data(=concepts) is useless without relation explaining concepts' connection. Relation, also, can't be defined without data. Although we have a lot of data, if we can't find the relation between concepts, we'll have a hard time to explain social phenomenon. So finding the link between concepts is important. Sociological theories are developed and emerged to make finding relation easy.
The followings are about Sociological theories.

• Structural-functionalism
  it is one of the macroscopic perspectives that thinks social is an independent organism. Also, it doesn't think social is not just sum of people but thinks more than that. Structural-functionalism focuses on social order and equilibrium in society. It was the dominant perspective of sociology between World War2 and the Vietnam War, but it has been criticized because Structural-functionalism is unable to explain the Social change.
• Conflict Theory
  it argues that the society we lived is not equal. Because of limited resources, many conflicts happen: Conflict theory said. it is good at explaining social change, but it has a tendency to overlook stability of society.
• Symbolic interactionism
  Symbolic interactionism is a microscopic perspective to understand relationships between social and human. It researches meaningful communication or symbols that occur between people, person and society or etc. 
• Role theory
  It emerged from the integration of Structural and Processual Symbolic Interactionist insights. In other words, it seems like an expansion of Symbolic interactionism. Role theory said: people have many expectations about oneself or others and different roles to correspond other's expectations. However, it has a hard time explaining a situation that doesn't correspond to a pre-specified role.
• Impression Management
  Impression management is a theory about behavior designed to control own image or influence other's perception.
• Social Constructionism
  Social constructionism is a theory about how social phenomenon or things related social developed in social context.
• Feminist theory
  It is a social theory, related women. Because it handles things related women Feminist theory has many sub-disciplines and handles many problems.
• Integration theory
  It is a bond combining microscopic and macroscopic level theories to provide a comprehensive understanding of human social behavior

2)Interesting

When I was a high school student, I learned a little about Functionalism, Conflict theory, Symbolic Interactionism. However, other things in the essay are new theories to me.
Impression management, Social Constructionism, and Integration theory were comprehensive to me without any reason. Unfortunately, except for Impression management, I had many problems to interpret and understand meaning about other theories. It was very hard to me to understand especially Social Constructionism.

I want to see other friends' opinions whether they have no problem to understand the script.

3)Question/Discussion point

When I learned about Structural-functionalism in high school, it called functionalism. In the script, but, it called Structural-functionalism. I wonder this two theories whether same or not.

Does Integration theory, combining microscopic and macroscopic level, have no limitations?

Is it more useful than specific perspective theory?

I want to discuss two questions with other people.