Vol.1, No 5, 1998 pp. 455 - 464
UDC:316.2:316.286
THEORIES AND PARADIGMS IN SOCIOLOGY
Petar Hafner
Faculty of Economics, Niš
Abstract. This paper presents the interpretations of sociological
science fundamental categories - conceptual and structural explanations
of the sociological theory and sociological paradigm, as well as the examples
of their classification. Ritzer's definition of sociological theory was
approved. He considers it a form of scientific theory by which smaller
or greater systems of scientific laws and hypotheses on the society as
a whole or on some societal phenomena are established through the application
of scientific research methods. Several elements may be distinguished in
the sociological theory structure - concept, variable, statement and form
(J. H. Turner). The sociological paradigm is defined as a fundamental picture
of the society (concept, structure and society dynamics) which has been
more or less accepted by the association of sociologists in certain periods
of this science development. In this respect, the author discusses old
and new sociological paradigms that mutually differ with regard to the
theories, methods and instruments applied in learning about the society
in its totality. Taking into account the temporal, content-subject and
validity criteria, sociological theories are classified in two groups:
a) classical sociological theories (positivistic, mechanistic, biologist,
psychologist, Marxist, formal-sociological and cyclic theories of society)
and b) modern sociological theories (behavioral theories, functionalism,
structuralism and critical societal theory).
Key words: sociological theory, sociological paradigm, classification
TEORIJE I PARADIGME U SOCIOLOGIJI
U radu su prezentirana tumačenja fundamentalnih kategorija sociološke nauke
- pojmovno i strukturalno objašnjenje sociološke teorije i sociološke paradigme,
kao i primeri njihove klasifikacije. Afirmisano je Ricerovo odredjenje
sociološke teorije kao oblika naučne teorije kojom se uz primenu metoda
naučnog istraživanja ustanovljavaju manji ili veći sistemi naučnih zakona
i hipoteza o totalitetu društva ili pojedinim društvenim pojavama. U strukturi
sociološke teorije moguće je razlikovati nekoliko elemenata - koncept,
varijablu, tvrdnju i formu (J. H. Turner). Sociološka paradigma definisana
je kao fundamentalna slika društva (pojma, strukture i dinamike društva)
koja je u manjoj ili većoj meri prihvaćena u zajednici sociologa u pojedinim
periodima razvoja ove nauke. U tom smislu, autor govori o staroj i novoj
sociološkoj paradigmi, a koje se medjusobno razlikuju u odnosu na korišćene
teorije, metode i instrumente u saznavanju društvenog totaliteta. Uvažavajući
temporalni, sadržinsko-predmetni i vrednosni kriterijum, sociološke teorije
klasifikovane su u dve grupe: a) klasične sociološke teorije (pozitivistička,
mehanicistička, biologistička, psihologistička, marksistička, formalno-sociološka
i ciklična teorija društva) i b) savremene sociološke teorije (bihejviorističke,
funkcionalizam, strukturalizam i kritička teorija društva).
Ključne reči: sociološka teorija, sociološka paradigma, klasifikacija
