ABSTRACT

In the preceding sections some of the reasons were examined why sociological theory has not succeeded in overcoming the major weaknesses of the Parsonian paradigm and in creating more effective linkages between micro and macro approaches, or between approaches primarily emphasizing agency and those emphasizing institutional structures. This failure has created a void within sociological theory proper, and part of the space has been filled by a marked preoccupation with philosophical issues and theoretical developments in disciplines like linguistics and psychoanalysis.