Logics of integration and disintegration in contemporary social theory

Abstract

This paper is a metatheoretical reflection on the tension within contemporary social theory between two fundamentally opposed ways of viewing the world: the twin logics of integration and disintegration. It is suggested that this typology is a more informative model for analysis of contemporary social theory than the modernism/postmodernism typology. The paper outlines the structure and precursors of this metatheoretical inquiry, identifies the presuppositions of these logics, provides exemplary statements of their application, reviews the rise to ascendancy of the logic of disintegration, demonstrates its current prevalence, provides a critique of its operation and concludes with a re- assertion of the value of the logic of integration.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Adorno, T.W. (1977) 'The Actuality of Philosophy' Telos 31: 120-133.

Alexander, J.C. (1982) Theoretical Logic in Sociology vol. 1, Berkeley: University of California Press.

Alexander, J.C. (1995) Fin de Siècle Social Theory London: Verso.

Appiah, K.A. and H.L. Gates , Jr. (eds.) (1995) Identities Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Atkinson, D. (1971) Orthodox Consensus and Radical Alternative London: Heinemann.

Baudrillard, J. (1988) Selected Writings Cambridge : Polity.

Bauman, Z. (1992) Intimations of Postmodernity London: Routledge.

Bertens, H. (1995) The Idea of the Postmodern: A History London: Routledge.

Best, S. and D. Kellner (1991) Postmodern Theory London: Macmillan.

10.

Blackburn, R. (ed.) (1972) Ideology in Social Science London: Fontana .

11.

Bogue, R. (1989) Deleuze and Guattari London : Routledge.

12.

Bové, P. (1990) 'A Conversation with William V. Spanos' boundary 217, 2: 1-39.

13.

Buck-Morss, S. (1977) The Origin of Negative Dialectics New York: The Free Press.

14.

Callinicos, A. (1990) Against Postmodernism London : Polity.

15.

Cockburn, A. , and R. Blackburn (eds.) (1969) Student Power London: Penguin.

16.

Cooper, D. (ed.) (1968) The Dialectics of Liberation London: Pelican.

17.

Deleuze, G. and F. Guattari (1977) Anti-Oedipus New York: Viking.

18.

Dews, P. (1987) Logics of Disintegration London : Verso.

19.

Faubion, J.D. (1995) Rethinking the Subject Boulder : Westview.

20.

Foster, H (ed.) (1983) The Anti-Aesthetic: Essays in Postmodern Culture Bayport: Townsend.

21.

Foucault, M. (1967) Madness and Civilization London : Tavistock.

22.

Foucault, M. (1975) Discipline and Punish London : Allen Lane.

23.

Foucault, M. (1977) Language, Counter-Memory, Practice Ithaca: Cornell University Press.

24.

Foucault, M. (1978) The History of Sexuality vol. 1, Ringwood: Penguin.

25.

Foucault, M. (1984) The Foucault Reader Ringwood : Penguin.

26.

Gibson, W. (1986) The Perfect War Boston: Atlantic Monthly.

27.

Giddens, A. (1973) The Class Structure of the Advanced Societies London: Hutchinson.

28.

Gott, R. (1986) 'Modernism and Postmodernism: the Crisis of Contemporary Culture' The Guardian 1 December: 10.

29.

Gouldner, A.W. (1971) The Coming Crisis of Western Sociology London: Heinemann.

30.

Gouldner, A.W. (1973) For Sociology Ringwood: Penguin.

31.

Hutcheon, L. (1993) 'Beginning to Theorize Postmodernism' in J. Natoli and L. Hutcheon (eds.) A Postmodern Reader New York : SUNY: 243-272.

32.

Jameson, F. (1991) Postmodernism, or, The Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism London: Verso.

33.

Kellner, D. (1984) Herbert Marcuse and the Crisis of Marxism Berkeley: University of California Press .

34.

Kirsner, D. (1972) 'Domination and the Flight from Being' in J. Playford and D. Kirsner (eds.) Australian Capitalism Ringwood: Penguin: 9-31.

35.

Laing, R.D. (1967) The Politics of Experience and the Bird of Paradise Ringwood: Penguin.

36.

Lash, S. (1990) Sociology of Postmodernism London: Routledge.

37.

Lemert, C. (1995) Sociology After the Crisis Boulder: Westview.

38.

Lemert, C. (ed.) (1993) Social Theory Boulder: Westview.

39.

Levine, D.N. (1995) Visions of the Sociological Tradition Chicago: Chicago University Press.

40.

Lyotard, J-F. (1984) The Postmodern Condition Manchester : Manchester University Press.

41.

Marcuse, H. (1969) Eros and Civilization London : Sphere.

42.

Marcuse, H. (1964) One Dimensional Man London: Sphere.

43.

McLennan, G. (1995) Pluralism Buckingham: Open University.

44.

McLennan, G. (1996) 'Post-Marxism and the "Four Sins" of Modernist Theorizing' New Left Review 218: 53-72.

45.

Megill, A. (1985) Prophets of Extremity Berkeley : University of California Press.

46.

Mills, C.W. (1968) The Sociological Imagination Ringwood: Penguin.

47.

Munch, R. (1987) Theory of Action London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

48.

Nell, E. (1972) 'Economics: The Revival of Political Economy' in R. Blackburn (ed.) Ideology in Social Science London: Fontana: 76-95.

49.

Nicolaus, M. (1972) 'The Professional Organization of Sociology: A View from Below' in R. Blackburn (ed.) Ideology in Social Science London: Fontana: 45-60.

50.

Nietzsche, F. (1967a) The Birth of Tragedy and The Case of Wagner New York: Vintage.

51.

Nietzsche, F. (1976b) The Will to Power New York : Vintage.

52.

Nietzsche, F. (1968) The Portable Nietzsche Ringwood : Penguin.

53.

Nietzsche, F. (1977) A Nietzsche Reader Ringwood : Penguin.

54.

Nietzsche, F. (1994) Human, All Too Human Ringwood : Penguin.

55.

Norris, C. (1992) Uncritical Theory London: Lawrence and Wishart.

56.

Parsons, T. (1978) 'A Paradigm of the Human Condition' in Action Theory and the Human Condition New York: Free Press: 352-433.

57.

Pavlich, G. (1995) 'Contemplating a Postmodern Sociology: Genealogy , Limits and Critique' The Sociological Review 43: 548-572.

58.

Ritzer, G. (1996) Sociological Theory 4th edition New York: McGraw-Hill .

59.

Roszak, T. (1969) The Making of a Counter Culture London: Faber.

60.

Seidman, S. (1994) Contested Knowledge Oxford: Blackwell.

61.

Smart, B. (1993) Postmodernity London: Routledge.

62.

Sweezy, P. (1968) 'The Future of Capitalism' in D. Cooper (ed.) The Dialectics of Liberation London: Pelican: 95-109.

63.

Szasz, T.S. (1962) The Myth of Mental Illness London: Secker and Warburg.

64.

Therborn, G. (1996) 'Dialectics of Modernity: On Critical Theory and the Legacy of

65.

Twentieth-Century Marxism' New Left Review 215: 59-81.

66.

Thompson, K. (1992) 'Social Pluralism and Post-Modernity' in S. Hall , D. Held and T. McGrew (eds.) Modernity and Its Futures Cambridge: Polity: 221-271.

67.

West, C. (1993) 'The New Cultural Politics of Difference' in C. Lemert (ed.) Social Theory Boulder: Westview: 577-589.