The Oxford Handbook of Analytical Sociology (Oxford Handbooks)

Analytical sociology is a strategy for understanding the social world. It is concerned with explaining important social facts such as network structures, patterns of residential segregation, typical beliefs, cultural tastes, and common ways of acting. It explains such facts not merely by relating them to other social facts, but by detailing in clear and precise ways the mechanisms through which the social facts were brought about. Making sense of the relationship between micro and macro thus is one of the central concerns of analytical sociology. The approach is a contemporary incarnation of Robert K. Merton's notion of middle-range theory and represents a vision of sociological theory as a tool-box of semi-general theories each of which is adequate for explaining certain types of phenomena. The Handbook of Analytical Sociology brings together some of the most prominent sociologists in the world in a concerted effort to move sociology in a more analytical and rigorous direction. Some of the chapters focus on action and interaction as the cogs and wheels of social processes, while others consider the dynamic social processes that these actions and interactions bring about. Analytical Sociology Is A Strategy For Understanding The Social World. It Is Concerned With Explaining Important Social Facts Such As Network Structures, Patterns Of Residential Segregation, Typical Beliefs, Cultural Tastes, And Common Ways Of Acting. It Explains Such Facts By Detailing In Clear And Precise Ways The Mechanisms Through Which The Social Facts Were Brought About. Making Sense Of The Relationship Between Micro And Macro Thus Is One Of The Central Concerns Of Analytical Sociology. The Approach Is A Contemporary Incarnation Of Robert K. Merton's Notion Of Middle-range Theory And Presents A Vision Of Sociological Theory As A Tool-box Of Semi-general Theories Each Of Which Is Adequate For Explaining Certain Types Of Phenomena. The Handbook Brings Together Some Of The Most Prominent Sociologists In The World. Some Of The Chapters Focus On Action And Interaction As The Cogs And Wheels Of Social Processes, While Others Consider The Dynamic Social Processes That These Actions And Interactions Bring About.--publisher's Website. Pt. I. Foundations -- 1. What Is Analytical Sociology All About? An Introductory Essay / Peter Hedstrom And Peter Bearman -- 2. Analytical Sociology And Theories Of The Middle Range / Peter Hedstrom And Lars Udehn -- Pt. Ii. Social Cogs And Wheels -- 3. Emotions / Jon Elster -- 4. Beliefs / Jens Rydgren -- 5. Preferences / Jeremy Freese -- 6. Opportunities / Trond Petersen -- 7. Heuristics / Daniel G. Goldstein -- 8. Signaling / Diego Gambetta -- 9. Norms / Jon Elster -- 10. Trust / Karen S. Cook And Alexandra Gerbasi -- Pt. Iii. Social Dynamics -- 11. Social Dynamics From The Bottom Up: Agent-based Models Of Social Interaction / Michael Macy And Andreas Flache -- 12. Segregation Dynamics / Elizabeth Bruch And Robert Mare -- 13. Self-fulfilling Prophecies / Michael Biggs -- 14. Social Influence: The Puzzling Nature Of Success In Cultural Markets / Matthew J. Salganik And Duncan J. Watts -- 15. Contagiousness Of Divorce / Yvonne Aberg -- 16. Matching / Katherine Stovel And Christine Fountain -- 17. Collective Action / Delia Baldassarri -- 18. Conditional Choice / Meredith Rolfe -- 19. Network Dynamics / James Moody -- 20. Threshold Models Of Social Influence / Duncan J. Watts And Peter Dodds -- 21. Time And Scheduling / Christopher Winship -- 22. Homophily And The Focused Organization Of Ties / Scott Feld And Bernard Grofman -- 23. Status / Joel Podolny And Freda Lynn -- 24. Dominance Hierarchies / Ivan Chase And W. Brent Lindquist -- 25. Conflict / Stathis Kalyvas -- Pt. Iv. Perspectives From Other Fields And Approaches -- 26. Game Theory / Richard Breen -- 27. Experiments / Iris Bohnet -- 28. Surveys / Hannah Bruckner -- 29. Analytic Ethnography / Diane Vaughan -- 30. Historical Sociology / Karen Barkey. Edited By Peter Hedström And Peter Bearman. Includes Bibliographical References And Indexes. Exploring analytical sociology as an approach for explaining important social facts such as network structures, patterns of residential segregation, typical beliefs, and cultural tastes, this text brings together some of the most prominent analytical sociologists. In four parts, the volume describes the foundations of analytical sociology; discusses the role of action and interaction in explaining diverse social processes such as emotions and beliefs; looks at the macroscopic social dynamics brought on by the activation of the cog-and-wheel mechanisms; and asks how analytic sociology relates to other fields and approaches such as game theory, analytic ethnography, and historical sociology This Oxford Handbook brings together some of the most prominent sociologists in the world to provide a comprehensive and authoritative examination of analytical sociology.