Sociological Thought
Sociology and anthropology share many ideas in common. Both disciplines are based on the work of philosophers and scientists of the nineteenth century. The theories of the early sociological thinkers had great effects on anthropology that last until today. Among sociologists, Emile Durkheim, who is credited as the founder of modern sociology, had a tremendous influence on anthropology.
Durkheim’s influence permeates a wide range of anthropological studies, such as analysis of social system, anthropological approaches to religion, and questions about the origins and evolutions of societies. For example, Durkheim’s theory of social integration is passed down to functionalism, which examines the arrangement and interrelation of basic social segments. Another example of Durkheim’s influence is seen in the analysis of socially created systems of classification. He believed that these systems were essentially dualistic in nature. His emphasis on systems of classification and binary opposition would have enormous effect on structuralism, ethnoscience, and cognitive anthropology.
Sources:
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McGee, R. Jon and Richard L. Warms. 2004 Anthropological Theory: An Introductory History. New York: McGraw Hill.
- Moore, Jerry D. 1997 Visions of Culture: An Introduction to Anthropological Theories and Theorists. Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press.