Sociological theory

Sociological theory is a set of concepts and propositions used to explain social structures, relationships, institutions, and processes. Theories differ in what they treat as the main sources of social order and change.

Social structure: The patterned relationships and institutions that organize social life and shape opportunities and behavior. Many theories explain how durable patterns constrain action or arise from it.
Structural functionalism: A sociological approach that explains social arrangements by their contributions to the operation of a social system. It treats institutions as interdependent parts that help maintain social order.
Auguste Comte: A French thinker who coined the term sociology and advocated a scientific study of society. His positivist program helped establish sociology as a distinct discipline.
Micro–macro link: The relationship between small-scale social interactions and large-scale institutions or structures. A central challenge is explaining how individual encounters connect to societal patterns.
Feminist theory: A body of theory that analyzes gendered power and seeks to explain and challenge gender inequality. It reveals how social institutions and relationships organize gendered advantage.
Social institution: An established system of norms, roles, and practices organized around recurring social needs. Institutions such as family, law, and education are common units of theoretical explanation.
Conflict theory: An approach that explains social life through competition over scarce resources, power, and status. It locates social change and inequality in conflicts between groups.
Émile Durkheim: A French sociologist who studied social facts, solidarity, religion, and the conditions of social order. His work made social cohesion and institutions central theoretical problems.
Positivism: The view that reliable knowledge should be grounded in observable evidence and systematic methods. It contrasts with interpretive approaches that prioritize actors' meanings.
Critical race theory: An intellectual movement examining how law and institutions produce and maintain racial inequality. It applies structural analysis to the persistence of racialized power.

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