Georges Gurvitch's sociology of the total social phenomena
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Abstract
Problem of the Dissertation
The dissertation's central purpose is to present the sociology of
Georges Gurvitch. The approach is two-fold: first, to give to American
sociology a study of current French sociology and second, to explain
Gurvitch's theoretical system showing how his theory provides a conceptual
scheme for looking at social reality as a totality.
A central focus of the dissertation is on one phase of Gurvitch's
general theory, his treatment of groups. In general, the task of this
dissertation is to work through the hypotheses Gurvitch has devised for
empirical research, to discover the directions which they take and to
examine them critically in the light of American sociology. This whole
study was made in close contact with Professor Gurvitch.
The Approach
The background and life of Gurvitch are considered in Chapter
Two. This focuses especially on his philosophical heritage and his
early social law theory. It was from this study of social law that Gurvitch
first developed his thesis that there are levels to social reality:
underneath the organized superstructure exists the spontaneous
infrastructure from whence is derived the dynamic, the effervescent
factors which bring on social change and cause society to be enacted.
From this early concept Gurvitch began to formulate a sociology of law
which eventually led him to the study of general sociology.
Chapter Three explains Gurvitch's views on the present sociological
situation. This is concluded with a brief description of the
actual task of modern sociology.
Chapter Four examines the method which Gurvitch employs. He
wrestles with the basic problem of the subject-object relationship in
the social sciences. He maintains that a tension exists between the
method and the object of study which must be dealt with concretely.
He contends that social reality is dialectical and hence, the method
must also reflect this dialectic. The dialectical nature of society
is seen in conflicts and tensions that exist among the several depth
levels which make up the superstructure and the infrastructure. The
fundamental stratum is the collective mind. This is the primordial
depth level which explains the existence of real groups. Gurvitch
follows the tradition of Durkheim in espousing the notion of the collective
mind as the source of group life.
Chapter Five follows with the horizontal view of social reality.
Gurvitch's notions of microsociology and macrosociology remain within
the tradition of Tonnies' Gemeinschaft and Jesellschaft and Durkheim's
organic and mechanical solidarity. In this chapter Gurvitch's typology
of social groupings and social classes is detailed.
Chapter Six concludes the discussion of macrosociology by describing
Gurvitch's typology of global societies. Closely related is his
definition of social structure. The definition counters functional and
structural-functional sociologies.
The dialectical method is scrutinized in Chapter Seven. Gurvitch
contends that this method is the only one which can describe at once
the individual parts of social reality while maintaining a view of the
whole . Some research projects using this method conclude the chapter.
Conclusions
Chapter Eight concludes by examining critically Gurvitch's theory.
Gurvitch presents a challenging position to contemporary sociology.
There are important ideas and emphases but he fails to contribute new
or useful categories for real theoretical growth. His method is too
complicated. He overemphasizes the spontaneous which vitiates
scientific endeavor. His theory suffers from a lack of systematic
construction, clarity and preciseness. As social philosophy his
thought contributes certain provocative ideas and makes some essential
emphases.