17. ا ا ا:
1. Berger, Peter and Brigitte Berger, Sociology : A Biographical
Approach, Basic Books, New York, 1972.
2. Gouldner, Alvin, The Coming Crisis of Western Sociology,
Heinemann Educational Books Ltd, London, 1970.
3. Malinowski, Bronislaw, A Scientific Theory of Culture and Other
Essays, London, Oxford University Press, 1964.
4. Martindale, Don, the Nature and Types of Sociological Theory,
Boston, Houghton-Mifflin. Co., 1960.
5. Merton, Robert K., Social Theory and Social Structure, enlarged
edition, the Free Press, New York, 1968.
6. Moore, Wilbert, "Functionalism" in Tom Bottomore and Robert
Nisbet (eds.) A History of sociological Analysis, New York, Basic
Books, 1978.
7. Parsons, Talcott, The Social System, Glencoe, Ill., The Free Press,
1951.
8. Ritzer, George, Contemporary Soicological Theory, New York,
Alfred Knopf, Inc., 1983.
9. Turner, H. Jonathan, The Structure of Sociological Theory,
Homewood, Ill., The Dorsey Press, 1978.
10. Zanden, James Vander, Sociology: The Core, 4th
ed., McGraw-
Hill Inc., 1996.
18. Abstract
Robert Merton's Contributions
to the Structural Functional Theory
By
Mona Izzat Ahmad Al-Seine
Supervisor
Prof. Ibraheem Othman
This study aims to explain the contributions of Robert Merton to The
Structural Functional Theory, and to evaluate whether these contributions
improved the status of The Structural Functional Theory, within the overall
theoretical framework in sociology. For this purpose, the study was based
on a basic assumption that Merton's contributions partially improved the
capability of The Structural Functional theory to explain social reality. In
order to evaluate the accuracy of this assumption, the following questions
were raised: Did Merton's contributions form a response to the criticisms
directed to The Structural Functional Theory? Did such contributions give
a better understanding of social reality? Did they put an end to these
criticisms? Did they have an impact on the status of The Structural
Functional Theory.
The study showed, through its chapters and its review of the
historical development of the Structural Functional Theory, that the
concepts upon which The Biological Analogy was based, continued to be
present in The Structural Functional Theory, with some additions embodied
in Parsons' work. Such concepts are: Function, Equilibrium System,
Structure, and Functional Requisites.