Theory

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Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots: The Basics George Ritzer, University of Maryland"

Modern Theoretical Portraits of the Social World

Chapter Objectives
After reading Chapter 4, students should be able to:

- explain the basic tenets of structural functionalism, conflict theory, systems theory and macro-level feminist theory and be able to compare and contrast the similarities and differences among these theories;

- explain how Dahrendorf defines authority and why he is considered a conflict theorist;

- describe the four defining characteristics of Luhmann's autopoietic system;

- describe the four types of differentiation identified by Luhmann;

- explain the differences between how Parsons and Luhmann each define a system; and

- understand the defining characteristics of macro-level feminist theory."