Introduction

The enterprise of sociology rests on three interrelated activities: theory, research, and substantive interest. In the main, the discipline has reflected this three-part division. Texts, monographs, and readers separately display concerns for theory, research methods, and substantive speciality, be that deviance, organizations, small groups, or the family. This division has created a breach between these inseparable components of the sociological act. Theory cannot be judged independent of research methods, and substantive speciality is of little value if it is not firmly embedded within a theoretical framework and based upon sound research strategies. The separation of theories and methods now characterize sociology —indeed, the discipline has separate specialists in theory, methods, and substantive areas. Seldom are the three combined into a common individual mind let alone a common professional perspective. The chapter also presents an overview of the book.