Medium as a basic concept of sociology

Contributions From Systems Theory

Bibliographic Data

ID3066296
AuthorsDomenico Tosini (0000-0002-2298-8158, Department of Sociology and Social Research, University of Trent (Italy), corresponding author)
Year2006
Volume45
Issue4
Pages539-560
Publication date2006-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSocial Science Information (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0539-0184 • E-ISSN: 1461-7412
PublisherSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/0539018406069589
OpenAlexW2157977380
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited18

The main purpose of this article is to present the fundamental concepts of a theory of social systems, with special reference to the concepts of medium and form, and their application in sociology. By challenging the indifference and opposition shown by most contemporary sociologists to the ontological and theoretical questions of social theory (e.g. in the case of micro-sociologists' aversion to Parsons), systems theory has, from the beginning, represented an attempt at an analysis focusing on the fundamental concepts (and on their coherent relations) of a general theory of society. Ignoring the elaboration of these concepts may be tantamount to reducing sociology to countless collections of facts of a limited informative value. Indeed, only an adequate conceptual framework will suffice. Certain recent developments in systems theory offer useful tools. Some of these developments are illustrated in this article, which marshals a network of concepts, each dealing with specific aspects relating to sociological analysis

Epistemology · Political science · Politics · Social science · Social system · Sociological theory · Sociology · Systems theory · Computer Science · Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice · Critical Realism in Sociology · Law · Management and Organizational Studies · Philosophy

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