ABSTRACT
A sociologist might read a score of books on sociological theory before encountering the name of Jean Piaget. For although Jean Piaget is widely known for his theory of cognitive development, his name is not a house-hold word among most sociologists. Textbooks on sociological theory typically do not mention his name or discuss his ideas. When Piaget is discussed, it is usually his theory of moral development and symbolic interactionism that is mentioned.2 Several sociologists3 are also aware that Piaget has written an influential book on structuralism4 and must be counted as an important structuralist thinker.5 But that Piaget himself has articulated a distinctive
structuralist sociology has apparently escaped the attention of most sociologists.6
