Merton is considered one of americas most influential social scientists. Merton department of sociology columbia university new york, ny 10027 february 9, 1980 ccnumber 21 this weeks citation classicmay 26, 1980 merton r k. This volume offers scholars of sociology and allied areas the fruits of an international conference on the contributions of the eminent robert k. A search query can be a title of the book, a name of the author, isbn or anything else. Of all published articles, the following were the most read within the past 12 months. His many books include social theory and social structure and on the shoulders of giants. Merton, who pioneered the sociology of deviance and is considered one of the most influential sociologists in the united states. Social structure and anomie 675 thus, in competitive athletics, when the aim of victory is shorn of its institutional trappings and success in contests becomes construed as win ning the game rather than winning through circumscribed modes of activity, a premium. Merton has 47 books on goodreads with 7776 ratings. Among his writings are mass persuasion 1946, social theory and social structure 1957, on the shoulders of giants 1965, and the sociology of science 1973.
Mertons most popular book is social theory and social structure. The book merton and barber, 2004c o n t a i n s a 70page afterword where rkm elaborates on the evolvement of his inter est in the sere ndipity pat tern and his p lea for what. Merton,one of the towering figures on whose shoulders contemporary sociology rests, died sunday,february 23rd. Although the idea has been, and still is controversial, the suggestion. Social theory and social structure was a landmark publication in sociology by robert k. However, equal access to those goals did not exist. Why do we interact in the way that we do with our friends, coworkers, and rivals. It was first published in 1949, although revised editions of 1957 and 1968 are often cited. Studies in social and cultural structure introduction iv. Acclaimed authors bodie and merton offer an approach balanced among the three pillars of financeoptimization over time, asset valuation, and risk management.
It was extended by a combination of modeling and mentoring that inspired and shaped. The concatenation of these midrange theories has a better chance of developing comprehensive theory than does the emergence of theories on the grand scale. Robert k merton was born in 1910 in the usa and is credited with coining the terms selffulfilling prophecy and role models as well as extensive research into the concept of the american dream. Buy a cheap copy of on theoretical sociology book by robert k. It provided the intellectual foundation for mertons attempt to develop a macrolevel explanation of rates of norm violating behaviour in american society. The blackscholes merton model as an idealization of discretetime economies. University of pennsylvania press, 1936, merton worked as a research assistant, which can retroactively be viewed as his first experience with media studies. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Social theory and social structure stss was a landmark publication in sociology by robert k. Merton, in full robert king merton, original name meyer robert schkolnick, born july 4, 1910, philadelphia, pennsylvania, u. Merton s impact on sociology as a whole has been large, and his impact on the sociology of science has been so momentous that the title of the book is apt, because merton s writings represent modern sociology of science more than any other single writer. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. Buy social theory and social structure 1968 enlarged ed by merton, robert k. Merton developed such concepts as the selffulfilling prophecy, role model, deviant behavior, and focus groups.
Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Robert merton in his theoretical analysis of social structure and anomie takes inspiration from durkheims work. The book encompasses all subfields of finance within a single unifying conceptual framework, and offers the big picture of resource allocation over time under conditions of. Building on durkheims theory that anomie is a social condition in which peoples norms and values no longer sync with those of society, merton created the structural strain theory. The bearing of sociological theory on empirical research iii. Merton also sought to integrate sociology with the institutional analysis of science, each informing the other.
Merton 19102003 was one of the most influential sociologists of the twentieth century, producing clear. Robert k mertons strain theory explained sociology. Best known for developing theories of deviance, as well as the concepts of selffulfilling prophecy and role model, robert k. Contemporary social problems robert king merton, robert. Seeking to extend sociology beyond the confines of both conflict theories and consensus perspectives, mertons method of structural analysis is oriented at revealing the central. Mertons sociology of science is a magisterial summary of the field. Merton s typology is fascinating because it suggests that people can turn to deviance in the pursuit of widely accepted social values and goals. Goswin the iterative approach 1 rearranging the blackscholes formula, we get going back in time for 260 trading days, we get a. Elinor barber was, at the time of her death, research associate at columbia university. Robert king merton, 19102003, american sociologist, b. By bringing together different aspects of his work in one volume, calhoun illuminates the interdisciplinary and unifying dimensions of mertons approach, while also advancing the intellectual agenda of an increasingly vital area of study. Among the most influential sociologists of the modern era, robert k. Jnu ma sociology entrance question papers, syllabus, books. The bearing of empirical research on sociological theory pt.
Mertons parents were jewish immigrants from eastern. Simpson, a sociologist of race on whose book, the negro in the philadelphia press philadelphia. His contributions to the field include such ideas as focus groups, role models, selffulfilling and selfdefeating prophecy, reference groups, and. Social theory and social structure robert king merton, robert c. The blackscholesmerton model as an idealization of discretetime economies. Merton states that this division has caused many problems related to gaining new knowledge. A figure whose wideranging theoretical and methodological contributions have become fundamental to the field, merton is best known for introducing such concepts and procedures as unanticipated consequences, selffulfilling prophecies, focused group interviews, middlerange theory, opportunity structure, and. Like other sociologists, merton believed that society provides individuals with life. The book primarily addresses the distinct differences between the study of sociology and the study of sociological history and theory. Unintended consequences selffulfilling prophecy role model sociology reference group criminology focus group macarthur fellows program middlerange theory sociology status set talcott parsons south philadelphia high school robert c.
It has been translated into close to 20 languages and is one of the most frequently cited texts in social sciences. Merton is best known for his theoretical contributions concerning the idea of the social structure and his critique of functionalism. Merton 19102003 span his professional and academic career, beginning with his formative years as a student in the early 1930s and documenting his notable contributions in the field of sociology through the midtolate twentieth century. By bringing together different aspects of his work in one volume, calhoun illuminates the interdisciplinary and unifying dimensions of merton s approach, while also advancing the intellectual agenda of an increasingly vital area of study. Merton was born july 4, 1910 and died february 23, 2003. Durkheims theory of anomie proved influential to american sociologist robert k. Merton 19102003 was one of the most influentialsociologists of the twentieth. Mertons reach can be felt in the study of social structure, social psychology, deviance, professions, organizations, culture, and science. The sociology book takes on some of humankinds biggest questions.
Merton was born july 4, 1910, and his extraordinary life story evokes both a very american trajectory appropriate to the holiday birthday and the. His books include the classic social theory and social structure, on the shoulders of. Merton, who died in 2003, was one of the leading sociologists of the twentieth century. Merton 1938 concluded that americans were socialised into believing in the american dream. Merton is unarguably one of the most influential sociologists of his time. Ccnumber 21 this weeks citation classicmay 26, 1980. Robert king merton was a distinguished sociologist perhaps best known for having coined the phrase selffulfilling prophecy. He also coined many other phrases that have gone into everyday use, such as role model and unintended consequences.
The book introduced many important concepts in sociology, like. Merton, in this book, also introduced the notion of theories of the middlerange to sociology. In 1994 he became the first sociologist awarded the national medal of science. Merton, one of the towering figures on whose shoulders contemporary sociology rests, died sunday, february 23, 2003. Merton was born july 4th, 1910, and his extraordinary life story evokes both the universalism of science and an american trajectory appropriate to the holiday birthday. Iterative approach 1 solution using equity values and equity volatilities 2 early detection of risks 11 dr. Merton s strain theory is an important contribution to the study of crime and deviance in the 1940s it helped to explain why crime continued to exist in countries, such as america, which were experiencing increasing economic growth and wealth. The sociology book profiles the worlds most renowned sociologists and more than 100 of their biggest ideas, including issues of equality, diversity, identity, and human rights. Merton is considered to be a founding father of modern sociology and the founder of the sociology of science.
For merton, this discipline concerns the social factors that make it possible for science to flourish. Merton 19102003 was one of the most influential sociologists of the twentieth century, producing clear theories and innovative research that continue to shape multiple disciplines. Merton an excerpt from social theory and social structure begins on p. Merton manifest and latent functions and dysfunctions merton thesis russell sage foundation deviance sociology mertonian.
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