Sociology

A contract is not just a matter of mutual interest. This article explains Durkheim’s concept of the non-contractual elements of contract in plain terms, while also examining Spencer’s liberal stance, and connecting these ideas to the system theories of Luhmann and Parsons. A sociological inquiry into the origins of social order.

Durkheim analyzed social solidarity indirectly by distinguishing between repressive law and restitutive law. This article explains in clear terms how to observe the invisible internal social facts of solidarity through the visible external facts of law, clarifying the legal structures behind mechanical and organic solidarity.

Discover how sociologists use theory to bring order to complex social phenomena. Learn why theory matters, and how it helps us interpret everyday life and hidden social patterns.

This article is the fourth installment of the Introductory Sociology series.

This article is the third installment of the Introductory Sociology series.

This article is the second installment of the Introductory Sociology series.

This article is the first installment of the Introductory Sociology series.