An Exploration of Sociological Concepts

Abstract

Sociology is a vast discipline characterised by a variety of theoretical approaches and perspectives. In this chapter, I have space to consider only a few which have had an important impact on social work education, research and practice. My handling of these will draw on the notion of ‘ideal types’ — itself a construct taken from Weberian sociology (Gerth and Mills, 1948). An ideal type is an abstract tool which highlights features of a phenomenon which are sociologically significant, that is, help us better understand social reality. Although I cover a number of theoretical perspectives, those I examine in greater depth are positivism, Marxism, feminism and postmodernism.