Introduction to the Manifesto of the Communist Party The Manifesto of the Communist Party was authored by Karl Marx and Frederick Engels in late 1847 and published in February 1848. It was commissioned as the programme for the Communist League at their Second Congress held in London from November 29 to December 8, 1847. The […]
Jürgen Habermas (b. 1929) is a leading German critical theorist and social philosopher, often associated with the second generation of the Frankfurt School. His formative experiences in post–World War II Germany – notably the fall of Nazism and the revelations of the Holocaust – profoundly shaped his commitment to democracy. Habermas later remarked that the
Weber on religion – It is a cultural force that must be understood from believers’ own viewpoints, shaping social behavior and institutions.
Max Weber’s concept of rationality stands as a cornerstone in his sociological framework, profoundly influencing his understanding of modern society, the development of capitalism, the structure of law, and the nature of bureaucracy. His exploration of rationality is inseparably linked to the broader historical process of rationalization, which he identified as a defining characteristic of
C. Wright Mills’ The Sociological Imagination, published in 1959, stands as a seminal work in sociological theory and a passionate critique of the state of social science in post-World War II America. More than just a textbook, it is a manifesto, a call to arms for sociologists to engage with the vital connections between individual
Published posthumously in 1894 by Friedrich Engels, Volume III of Capital marks a crucial evolution in Karl Marx’s critique of political economy. Whereas Volume I analyzed the production of surplus value and Volume II focused on the circulation of capital, Volume III turns its attention to the capitalist system as a totality, dealing with the
Karl Marx’s Capital: A Critique of Political Economy stands as one of the most influential and incisive analyses of capitalism ever written. Composed over decades and published in three volumes (with two edited posthumously by Friedrich Engels), the work dismantles the economic, social, and philosophical foundations of capitalist society. Marx’s aim was not merely to critique classical
Karl Marx’s Capital Volume II: The Process of Circulation of Capital (1885), edited posthumously by Friedrich Engels, shifts focus from the production of surplus value to the realization of value through the circulation of capital. This volume examines how capital moves through its cyclical metamorphoses—money, productive, and commodity forms—while addressing the systemic contradictions that threaten capitalist reproduction. Though often
Karl Marx’s Capital Volume I: The Process of Production of Capital (1867) is a monumental work that systematically dismantles the capitalist mode of production by exposing its economic foundations, social contradictions, and historical specificity. Through a dialectical materialist framework, Marx analyzes how capitalism transforms labor into a commodity, extracts surplus value from workers, and perpetuates exploitation through
Max Weber’s views on religion (Detail Here) are central to his broader analysis of society, modernity, and the development of capitalism. Unlike Karl Marx, who saw religion primarily as an instrument of social control, Weber approached religion from a sociological perspective, emphasizing its role in shaping economic behavior, culture, and social change. Weber’s most influential
Introduction Social Darwinism emerged as a sociological and political ideology in the late 19th century, drawing heavily from the evolutionary theories of Charles Darwin, particularly his ideas about natural selection. While Darwin’s biological theories focused on the natural world, Social Darwinism applied evolutionary principles to human societies, economies, and politics. The Industrial Revolution and the
Alfred Reginald Radcliffe-Brown’s The Andaman Islanders: A Study in Social Anthropology (1922) represents a transformative milestone in the field of anthropology, heralding the emergence of structural-functionalism as a dominant theoretical framework. This work was not just an ethnographic account of the Andamanese people but a bold reimagining of how societies could be understood—as cohesive systems
Bronisław Malinowski’s Argonauts of the Western Pacific is a landmark in anthropology, offering a vivid account of the Trobriand Islanders of Papua New Guinea. Published in 1922, this work serves as a foundational text for modern ethnographic studies, emphasizing participant observation and meticulous fieldwork. The book broke new ground in the discipline by moving beyond
Karl Marx’s views on religion are an integral part of his broader critique of capitalism and social structures. He saw religion as both a reflection of and a response to the social conditions created by economic inequality, particularly under capitalism. In other words, religion is both an expression of alienation and a mechanism that perpetuates
Madness and civilization by Foucault critically examines the concept of madness in West, its cultural perceptions, from confinement to treatment.
Foucault’s concept of biopower highlights how modern states govern life, health, and populations through subtle, pervasive control.
Introduction In philosophy the ‘dialectic’ was initially used by Socrates (470-390 BC), Plato (427-397 BC), and Aristotle (384-322 BC) as one of the main tool or method to know & understand the reality. In Plato’s dialogues one can observe that to understand any concept or idea, there is always a rigorous debate or contradictions between
In our daily lives, communication shapes our interactions, influences societal norms, and reflects cultural values. The field of communication sociology focuses on how communication impacts social structures and individual behaviors. The study of communication in sociology focuses on how the exchange of messages – through language, symbols, gestures, and media – shapes and reflects our
Biographical Sketch of Alfred Schutz Alfred Schutz (1899-1959) was a renowned social philosopher. Born and raised in Austria, he found himself compelled to leave Germany in 1939 to escape the oppressive Nazi regime. Schutz pursued his studies in law and social sciences at the University of Vienna. His education was influenced by several renowned scholars.
Emile Durkheim, one of the founding figures of sociology, made significant contributions to the study of religion through his seminal work, The Elementary Forms of Religious Life (1912). His approach to religion was fundamentally sociological, seeking to understand how religion functioned as a social institution. Durkheim’s focus was on how religious beliefs, symbols, and practices
Introduction Giddens’ concept of modernity is based on the idea that modern society is undergoing a radical transformation that affects all aspects of social life. He argues that modernity is not a fixed or stable condition, but a dynamic and reflexive process that constantly reshapes itself in response to new challenges and opportunities. He also
Introduction The phenomenon of suicide is among the most disconcerting aspects of human existence, often leaving those left behind with more uncertainties than solutions. The motivations behind individuals taking their own lives and the origins of the pressures they confront remain elusive. Emile Durkheim’s study of suicide rates, as discussed in “Suicide: A Study in
Learn about Karl Marx’s monumental work, Das Kapital, which explores the exploitation of the working class by the capitalist system. Find out more here.
Karl Marx is one of the most influential thinkers in the history of sociology, and his concept of dialectic materialism is a central aspect of his political and economic philosophy. Dialectical materialism refers to the theory that human history is shaped by the interaction between the material conditions of society and the ideas, values, and
Contribution of Marx to Economic Sociology: Karl Marx (1818–83) was one of the pioneers in Economic Sociology. Marx had been trained in law (and in philosophy), but was self-taught in economics.
