The beginning of the end or the end of the beginning? The theory construction movement revisited

Journal/Book: Sociol Forum. 1996; 11: 233 Spring St, New York, NY 10013. Plenum Publ Corp. 305-318.

Abstract: Using book publication dates as markers, I divide the movement of (formal) theory construction into two periods. The first period started ill 1954 and lasted for about a decade; the second period started in 1965 and ended in 1972. I argue in this paper that the publication of a dozen more books on how to construct scientific theories in the seven years after 1965 marked the beginning of the end of; rather than the end of the beginning of the theory construction movement in sociology. Although the formal mode of theory construction is dead now, efforts toward theory construction will never end. I conclude by delineating the major features of a new approach to theory construction that has been emerging in sociology.

Note: Article SY Zhao, Univ Michigan, Inst Social Res, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 USA

Keyword(s): sociological theory; theory construction; metatheory; methodology

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