Jeffrey C. Alexander
Encyclopedia
Jeffrey Charles Alexander (born 1947) is an American sociologist, and one of the main proponents of Neofunctionalism
.
in 1969 and his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley
in 1978. He worked at the University of California, Los Angeles, from 1974 until joining Yale University
in 2001, where (as of 2008) he is the Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology and co-Director of the Center for Cultural Sociology.
Alexander has authored or co-authored ten books. He is one of the editors of the journal Sociological Theory
.
, neofunctionalism represents a revival of the thought of Talcott Parsons
by Jeffrey C. Alexander, who sees neofunctionalism as having 5 central tendencies:
While Parsons consistently viewed actors as analytical concepts, Alexander defines action as the movement of concrete, living, breathing persons as they make their way through time and space. In addition he argues that every action contains a dimension of free will
, by which he is expanding functionalism to include some of the concerns of symbolic interactionism
.
Sociology of Culture Versus Cultural Sociology
Alexander distinguishes between the sociology of culture and cultural sociology. The sociology of culture sees culture as a dependent variable whereas cultural sociology suggests culture has more autonomy and gives more weight to inner meanings.
Neofunctionalism (sociology)
Neofunctionalism is the perspective that all integration is the result of past integration. The term may also be used to literally describe a social theory that is 'post' traditional structural functionalism. Whereas theorists such as Jeffrey C...
.
Career
Alexander gained his BA from HarvardHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1969 and his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
in 1978. He worked at the University of California, Los Angeles, from 1974 until joining Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
in 2001, where (as of 2008) he is the Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology and co-Director of the Center for Cultural Sociology.
Alexander has authored or co-authored ten books. He is one of the editors of the journal Sociological Theory
Sociological Theory
Sociological Theory is a peer-reviewed journal published by Blackwell Publishing for the American Sociological Association since 1983. It covers the full range of sociological theory - from ethnomethodology to world systems analysis, from commentaries on the classics to the latest cutting-edge...
.
Neofunctionalism
In sociologySociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
, neofunctionalism represents a revival of the thought of Talcott Parsons
Talcott Parsons
Talcott Parsons was an American sociologist who served on the faculty of Harvard University from 1927 to 1973....
by Jeffrey C. Alexander, who sees neofunctionalism as having 5 central tendencies:
- to create a form of functionalism that is multidimensional and includes micro as well as macro levels of analysis
- to push functionalism to the left and reject ParsonsTalcott ParsonsTalcott Parsons was an American sociologist who served on the faculty of Harvard University from 1927 to 1973....
’s optimism about modernityModernityModernity typically refers to a post-traditional, post-medieval historical period, one marked by the move from feudalism toward capitalism, industrialization, secularization, rationalization, the nation-state and its constituent institutions and forms of surveillance... - to argue for an implicit democratic thrust in functional analysis
- to incorporate a conflict orientation, and
- to emphasize uncertainty and interactional creativity.
While Parsons consistently viewed actors as analytical concepts, Alexander defines action as the movement of concrete, living, breathing persons as they make their way through time and space. In addition he argues that every action contains a dimension of free will
Free will
"To make my own decisions whether I am successful or not due to uncontrollable forces" -Troy MorrisonA pragmatic definition of free willFree will is the ability of agents to make choices free from certain kinds of constraints. The existence of free will and its exact nature and definition have long...
, by which he is expanding functionalism to include some of the concerns of symbolic interactionism
Interactionism
In sociology, interactionism is a theoretical perspective that derives social processes from human interaction. It is the study of individuals and how they act within society. Interactionist theory has grown in the latter half of the twentieth century and has become one of the dominant...
.
Sociology of Culture Versus Cultural Sociology
Alexander distinguishes between the sociology of culture and cultural sociology. The sociology of culture sees culture as a dependent variable whereas cultural sociology suggests culture has more autonomy and gives more weight to inner meanings.
Articles
- Alexander JC. (2004) Cultural Pragmatics: Social Performance between Ritual and Strategy. Sociological Theory 22: 527–573
Books
- The New Social Theory Reader (2nd edn) (Routledge; 2008) (with Steven SeidmanSteven SeidmanSteven Seidman is an American sociologist, currently professor at State University of New York at Albany. "He is a world renowned social theorist working the areas of social theory, culture, sexuality, comparative sociology, theory of democracy, nationalism and globalization." He received his A.B....
) - A Contemporary Introduction to Sociology: Culture and Society in Transition (Paradigm Publishers; 2008) (with Kenneth Thompson)
- The Civil Sphere (Oxford University Press, 2006)
- Social Performance: Symbolic Action, Cultural Pragmatics, and Ritual (Cambridge University Press, 2006) (with Bernhard Giesen and Jason Mast)
- The Cambridge Companion to Durkheim (Cambridge University Press, 2005), (ed., with Philip Smith)
- Cultural Trauma and Collective Identity (University of California Press, 2004) (with Ron Eyerman, Bernhard Giesen, Neil J. SmelserNeil SmelserNeil Joseph Smelser is an emeritus professor of sociology at the University of California, Berkeley. He was an active researcher from 1958 to 1994. His research has been on collective behavior....
and Piotr SztompkaPiotr SztompkaPiotr Sztompka is professor of Sociology at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, and visiting professor at the University of California, Los Angeles....
) - The Meanings of Social Life: A Cultural Sociology (Oxford University Press, 2003)