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105-741: Harriet Martineau (12 June 1802 – 27 June 1876) was an English social theorist . She wrote from a sociological, holistic , religious and feminine angle, translated works by Auguste Comte , and, rare for a woman writer at the time, earned enough to support herself. The young Princess Victoria enjoyed her work and invited her to her 1838 coronation . Martineau advised "a focus on all [society's] aspects, including key political, religious, and social institutions". She applied thorough analysis to women's status under men. The novelist Margaret Oliphant called her "a born lecturer and politician... less distinctively affected by her sex than perhaps any other, male or female, of her generation." Her lifelong commitment to

210-565: A metadiscourse ... making an explicit appeal to some grand narrative, such as the dialectics of Spirit the hermeneutics of meaning, the emancipation of the rational or working subject, or the creation of wealth." Other theories include: Some known French social thinkers are Claude Henri Saint-Simon , Auguste Comte, Émile Durkheim , and Michel Foucault . British social thought, with thinkers such as Herbert Spencer , addressed questions and ideas relating to political economy and social evolution . The political ideals of John Ruskin were

315-603: A Justice of the bench of His Majesty's High Court of British East Africa , which was based in Mombasa . Mr Justice Bonham-Carter was still a judge on the bench of this court when the First World War broke out in 1914. He later resigned from the colonial bench in British East Africa and joined, as an officer, The 1st Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment , eventually being promoted to the rank of captain . He

420-472: A couch, she was cared for by her mother until purchasing a house and hiring a nurse to aid her. She next moved downriver to Tynemouth where she regained her health. She stayed at Mrs Halliday's boarding-house, 57 Front Street, for nearly five years from 16 March 1840. The establishment is still open as a guest house today, now named the "Martineau Guest House" in her honor. The critic Diana Postlethwaite wrote of this period for Martineau: Being homebound

525-551: A deeper interest in the Bible. Up until her brother James, who was born when she was 3 years old, went off to college at the Manchester New College of York in 1821 ( Harris Manchester College, Oxford ), she did not write often. James and Harriet had a great relationship, so James had suggested that Harriet begin writing as a way to cope with their new separation. Martineau began losing her senses of taste and smell at

630-499: A distinction between politics and society. The concept of society did not come until the Enlightenment period . The term, société , was probably first used as key concept by Rousseau in discussion of social relations. Prior to the enlightenment, social theory took largely narrative and normative form. It was expressed as stories and fables, and it may be assumed the pre-Socratic philosophers and religious teachers were

735-814: A historical plaque marks this house. In 1841 she published a series of four novels for children, The Playfellow , comprising The Settlers at Home , The Peasant and the Prince , Feats on the Fiord , and The Crofton Boys . In 1844 she published Life in the Sickroom: Essays by an Invalid, an autobiographical reflection on invalidism. She wrote Household Education (1848), the handbook on the "proper" way to raise and educate children. Lastly, she began working on her autobiography. Completed much later, it included some hundred pages on this period. Notable visitors included Richard Cobden and Thomas and Jane Carlyle. Life in

840-769: A just society that went beyond his contemporary society of the Warring States . Later on, also in China, Mozi ( circa 470 – circa 390 BCE) recommended a more pragmatic sociology, but ethical at base. In the West, Saint Augustine (354–430) was concerned exclusively with the idea of the just society . St. Augustine describes late Ancient Roman society through a lens of hatred and contempt for what he saw as false Gods , and in reaction theorized City of God . Ancient Greek philosophers, including Aristotle (384–322 BC) and Plato (428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC), did not see

945-531: A letter, She was very agreeable and managed to talk on a most wonderful number of subjects, considering the limited time. I was astonished to find how little ugly she is, but as it appears to me, she is overwhelmed with her own projects, her own thoughts and own abilities. Erasmus palliated all this, by maintaining one ought not to look at her as a woman. Significantly, Martineau's earlier popularization of Thomas Malthus ' theories of population control may have helped convince Charles to read Malthus, which provided

1050-574: A long visit to the United States; she and her travelling companions spanning the nation from New York to Boston , and from Chicago through to Atlanta and elsewhere in Georgia . During this time, she visited a great many people, some little known, others as famous as James Madison , the former US president, at his home at Montpelier . She also met numerous abolitionists in Boston and studied

1155-419: A movement of ideas arising from, but also critical of elements of modernism . The wide range of uses of this term resulted in different elements of modernity are chosen as being continuous. Each of the different uses is rooted in some argument about the nature of knowledge, known in philosophy as epistemology . Individuals who use the term are arguing that either there is something fundamentally different about

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1260-412: A new historical period . In the past few decades, in response to postmodern critiques, social theory has begun to stress free will, individual choice, subjective reasoning, and the importance of unpredictable events in place of deterministic necessity . Rational choice theory , symbolic interactionism , false necessity are examples of more recent developments. A view among contemporary sociologists

1365-852: A precursor of social economy ( Unto This Last had a very important impact on Gandhi 's philosophy). Important German philosophers and social thinkers included Immanuel Kant , Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel , Karl Marx , Max Weber , Georg Simmel , Theodor W. Adorno , Max Horkheimer , Herbert Marcuse and Niklas Luhmann . Important Chinese philosophers and social thinkers included Shang Yang , Lao Zi , Confucius , Mencius , Wang Chong, Wang Yangming , Li Zhi , Zhu Xi , Gu Yanwu , Gong Zizhen , Wei Yuan, Kang Youwei , Lu Xun, Mao Zedong , Zhu Ming. Important Italian social scientists include Antonio Gramsci , Gaetano Mosca , Vilfredo Pareto , Franco Ferrarotti. Important Thai social theorists include Jit Phumisak , Kukrit Pramoj , and Prawase Wasi Social theory seeks to question why humans inhabit

1470-416: A priori methods of tradition. Social thought provides general theories to explain actions and behavior of society as a whole, encompassing sociological , political , and philosophical ideas. Classical social theory has generally been presented from a perspective of Western philosophy , and often regarded as Eurocentric . Theory construction , according to The Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology,

1575-558: A sewing needle" as well as the (hidden) pen. In the Martineau family, Harriet's mother Elizabeth made sure all her children received a proper education. With the Martineaus being Unitarian, both the boys and girls in the family were expected to receive a conventional education. In order to abide by this well-rounded education, Harriet was taught at home by several of her elder siblings in the beginning of her education journey. Harriet

1680-479: A significant role in social theory. He revealed the origin of inequality , analyzed the social contract (and social compact) that forms social integration and defined the social sphere or civil society . Jean-Jacques Rousseau also emphasized that man has the liberty to change his world, an assertion that made it possible to program and change society. Adam Smith addressed the question of whether vast inequalities of wealth represented progress. He explained that

1785-561: A small number of possible types of social organization that coexisted or succeeded one another through inescapable developmental tendencies or deep-seated economic organization or psychological constraints. Marxism is the star example. Unger, calling his efforts "super-theory", has thus sought to develop a comprehensive view of history and society. Unger does so without subsuming deep structure analysis under an indivisible and repeatable type of social organization or with recourse to law-like constraints and tendencies. His articulation of such

1890-711: A social structure, which Unger calls formative context . In order to explain how we move from one formative context to another without the conventional social theory constraints of historical necessity (e.g. feudalism to capitalism), and to do so while remaining true to the key insight of individual human empowerment and anti-necessitarian social thought , Unger recognized that there are an infinite number of ways of resisting social and institutional constraints, which can lead to an infinite number of outcomes. This variety of forms of resistance and empowerment make change possible. Unger calls this empowerment negative capability . However, Unger adds that these outcomes are always reliant on

1995-501: A son, the fourth generation named John (1817–1884), and also an MP. This John Bonham-Carter briefly served as a Lord of the Treasury in 1866. His third son by his second wife, The Hon. Mary Baring (a daughter of The 1st Baron Northbrook ), was Arthur Thomas Bonham-Carter, KC (1869–1916), who was educated at Winchester College and Trinity College, Cambridge . A.T. Bonham-Carter was a soldier and barrister, eventually serving as

2100-426: A theoretical orientation that sees the world in terms of power and control, one could create a theory about violent human behavior which includes specific causal statements (e.g. being the victim of physical abuse leads to psychological problems). This could lead to a hypothesis (prediction) about what one expects to see in a particular sample, e.g. "a battered child will grow up to be shy or violent". One can then test

2205-489: A theory is in False Necessity: anti-necessitarian social theory in the service of radical democracy, where he uses deep-logic practice to theorize human social activity through anti-necessitarian analysis. Unger begins by formulating the theory of false necessity, which claims that social worlds are the artifact of human endeavors. There is no pre-set institutional arrangement that societies must adhere to, and there

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2310-985: A variety of topics. Martineau's frequent publication in the Repository acquainted her with editor Rev. William Johnson Fox (not William Darwin Fox, see disambiguation). First coming to London around 1830, Martineau joined Fox's social circle of prominent thinkers, which also introduced her to Erasmus Alvey Darwin , older brother to Charles Darwin. In November 1832, Martineau moved to London. Among her acquaintances were: Henry Hallam , Harriet Taylor , Alexander Maconochie , Henry Hart Milman , Thomas Malthus , Monckton Milnes , Sydney Smith , John Stuart Mill , Edward Bulwer-Lytton , Elizabeth Barrett Browning , Sarah Austin , and Charles Lyell , as well as Jane Welsh Carlyle and Thomas Carlyle . She met Florence Nightingale , Charlotte Brontë , George Eliot and Charles Dickens later on in her literary career. Until 1834, Martineau

2415-439: A woman was suggesting such a position in the power dynamic, critics suggested that, as she was an invalid, her mind must also be sick and the work was not to be taken seriously. British and Foreign Medical Review dismissed Martineau's piece on the same basis as the critics: an ill person cannot write a healthy work. They thought it was unheard of for a woman to suggest being in a position of control, especially in sickness. Instead,

2520-411: A writer and her father's business failure, which she describes as "one of the best things that ever happened to us". She described how she could then "truly live instead of vegetate". Her reflection emphasizes her experience with financial responsibility in her life while she writes "[her] fusion of literary and economic narratives". Harriet's first commissioned book, Illustrations of Political Economy ,

2625-489: A young age. She was deaf and having to use an ear trumpet at the young age of 12. However, it was said that Harriet did not actually utilize the ear trumpet until her late twenties as she was trying to avoid harassment from others by doing so. It was the beginning of many health problems in her life. With such an early onset of illness, and the passing of her father, requiring her to make a living for herself, she became an avid writer. In 1821, she began to write anonymously for

2730-467: Is a British family that has included several prominent people active in various spheres in the United Kingdom . The Bonham-Carter family are the descendants of John Bonham-Carter (1788–1838) and Joanna Maria Smith (1791–1884). He was the son of Sir John Carter (born before 20 December 1741 – 18 May 1808, sometime Mayor of Portsmouth , himself a son of John Carter, a merchant). He assumed

2835-433: Is a major part of the process of becoming feminine. In this interior setting she (Martineau) is taught the home arts of working, serving, and cleaning, as well as the rehearsals for the role of mothering. She sees her mother... doing these things. They define femininity for her. Her illness caused her to literally enact the social constraints of women during this time. Martineau wrote a number of books during her illness, and

2940-530: Is an illusion of the ups and downs of the historical cycles. The classical approach has been criticized by many modern sociologists and theorists; among them Karl Popper , Robert Nisbet , Charles Tilly and Immanuel Wallerstein . The 19th century brought questions involving social order . The French Revolution freed French society of control by the monarchy, with no effective means of maintaining social order until Napoleon came to power. Three great classical theories of social and historical change emerged:

3045-402: Is an important skill for any researcher. Important distinctions: a theoretical orientation (or paradigm ) is a worldview, the lens through which one organizes experience (i.e. thinking of human interaction in terms of power or exchange). A theory is an attempt to explain and predict behavior in particular contexts. A theoretical orientation cannot be proven or disproven; a theory can. Having

3150-436: Is cited as one force which has decentralized modern life, creating a culturally pluralistic and interconnected global society, lacking any single dominant center of political power, communication, or intellectual production. The postmodern view is that inter-subjective knowledge, and not objective knowledge, is the dominant form of discourse . The ubiquity of copies and dissemination alters the relationship between reader and what

3255-441: Is confined by an unjustifiable restriction of... education... As women have none of the objects in life for which an enlarged education is considered requisite, the education is not given... The choice is to either be 'ill-educated, passive, and subservient, or well-educated, vigorous, and free only upon sufferance. The publication of Martineau's Illustrations of Political Economy found public success. So much success that, "by 1834,

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3360-414: Is instrumental: "Their goal is to promote accurate communication, rigorous testing, high accuracy, and broad applicability. They include the following: absence of contradictions, absence of ambivalence, abstractness, generality, precision, parsimony, and conditionality." Therefore, a social theory consists of well-defined terms, statements, arguments and scope conditions. Confucius (551–479 BCE) envisaged

3465-407: Is no necessary historical mold of development that they will follow. We are free to choose and to create the forms and the paths that our societies will take. However, this does not give license to absolute contingency. Unger finds that there are groups of institutional arrangements that work together to bring about certain institutional forms—liberal democracy, for example. These forms are the basis of

3570-534: Is part of her doctrine. I much doubt whether it will be equality in practice. The Darwins shared Martineau's Unitarian background and Whig politics, but their father Robert was concerned that, as a potential daughter-in-law, she was too extreme in her politics. Charles noted that his father was upset by a piece in the Westminster Review calling for the radicals to break with the Whigs and give working men

3675-420: Is read, between observer and the observed, between those who consume and those who produce. Not all people who use the term postmodern or postmodernism see these developments as positive. Users of the term argue that their ideals have arisen as the result of particular economic and social conditions, including " late capitalism ", the growth of broadcast media, and that such conditions have pushed society into

3780-596: Is so very plain; otherwise I should be frightened: She is a wonderful woman. Martineau wrote Deerbrook (1838), a three-volume novel published after her American books. She portrayed a failed love affair between a physician and his sister-in-law. It was considered her most successful novel. She also wrote The Hour and the Man: An Historical Romance (1841), a three-volume novel about the Haitian slave leader Toussaint L'Ouverture , who contributed to

3885-484: Is that there are no great unifying 'laws of history', but rather smaller, more specific, and more complex laws that govern society. Philosopher and politician Roberto Mangabeira Unger recently attempted to revise classical social theory by exploring how things fit together, rather than to provide an all encompassing single explanation of a universal reality. He begins by recognizing the key insight of classical social theory of society as an artifact, and then by discarding

3990-605: Is the only example so far where three generations have received Life Peerages under the Life Peerages Act 1958 : Violet, Baroness Asquith of Yarnbury; her son, Mark Raymond Bonham Carter ; and her granddaughter, Jane Bonham Carter , were all separately made life peers of Yarnbury in the County of Wiltshire . One of the most famous members of the Bonham Carter family is Hollywood actress Helena Bonham Carter ,

4095-640: Is thus considered by many to be the forerunner of sociology. Khaldun's treatise described in Muqaddimah (Introduction to History) , published in 1377, two types of societies: (1) the city or town -dweller and (2) the mobile, nomadic societies. Modernity arose during the Enlightenment period, with the emergence of the world economy and exchange among diverse societies, bringing sweeping changes and new challenges for society. Many French and Scottish intellectuals and philosophers embraced

4200-404: Is used to make distinctions and generalizations among different types of societies, and to analyze modernity as it has emerged in the past few centuries. Social theory, as it is recognized today, emerged in the 20th century as a distinct discipline, and was largely equated with an attitude of critical thinking and the desire for knowledge through a posteriori methods of discovery, rather than

4305-536: The Monthly Repository , a Unitarian periodical. Her first contribution was "Female Writers of Practical Divinity," and in 1823 she published Devotional Exercises and Addresses, Prayers and Hymns . The year 1823 was the same year that Harriet's brother James introduced her to one of his friends from school, John Hugh Worthington. The two were engaged, however never married as Worthington fell ill and died. Martineau later reveals in her autobiography that she

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4410-611: The Gurney family of Earlham Hall , Norfolk . Harriet's father, Thomas, owned the leasehold of the Gurney's home, Gurney Court, Harriet's birth place. The family's wealth remained intact until around 1825–26 when the stock market and banking system collapsed. As previously mentioned Harriet and her mother's relationship was quite hostile early on. It was a traditional gesture for mothers to hire wet nurses for their children, especially if they could not nurse their child by themselves. However

4515-531: The Lake District , where she designed herself and oversaw the construction of the house called The Knoll, Ambleside (made a Grade II Listed Building in 1974), where she spent the greater part of her later life. Although she was single and had no children she believed that: "No true woman, married or single, can be happy without some sort of domestic life; – without having somebody's happiness dependent on her: and my own ideal of an innocent and happy life

4620-548: The Review recommended that patients follow "unconditional submission" to the advice of doctors. They disagreed with the idea that Martineau might hold any sort of "authority to Britain's invalids". Expecting to remain an invalid for the rest of her life, Martineau delighted in the new freedom of views using her telescope . Across the Tyne was the sandy beach "where there are frequent wrecks — too interesting to an invalid... and above

4725-549: The University of Bordeaux in 1895, he published Rules of the Sociological Method . In 1896, he established the journal L'Année Sociologique . Durkheim's seminal monograph, Suicide (1897), a case study of suicide rates amongst Catholic and Protestant populations, distinguished sociological analysis from psychology or philosophy . The term "postmodernism" was brought into social theory in 1971 by

4830-715: The abolitionist movement has seen Martineau's celebrity and achievements studied world-wide, particularly at American institutions of higher education such as Northwestern University . When unveiling a statue of Martineau in December 1883 at the Old South Meeting House in Boston , Wendell Phillips referred to her as the "greatest American abolitionist". Martineau's statue was gifted to Wellesley College in 1886. Born in Norwich , England, Harriet Martineau

4935-505: The social evolutionism theory (of which Social Darwinism forms a part), the social cycle theory , and the Marxist historical materialism theory. 19th-century classical social theory has been expanded upon to create newer, contemporary social theories such as multilineal theories of evolution ( neoevolutionism , sociobiology , theory of modernization , theory of post-industrial society ) and various strains of Neo-Marxism . In

5040-542: The voyage of the Beagle , Charles Darwin went to London to stay with his brother Erasmus . He found him spending his days "driving out Miss Martineau", who had returned from her trip to the United States. Charles wrote to his sister: Our only protection from so admirable a sister-in-law is in her working him too hard." He commented, "She already takes him to task about his idleness — She is going some day to explain to him her notions about marriage — Perfect equality of rights

5145-405: The "father of sociology" and regarded by some as the first philosopher of science, laid the groundwork for positivism – as well as structural functionalism and social evolutionism . Karl Marx rejected Comtean positivism but nevertheless aimed to establish a science of society based on historical materialism , becoming recognised as a founding figure of sociology posthumously. At the turn of

5250-495: The 20th century, the first of German sociologists, including Max Weber and Georg Simmel , developed sociological antipositivism . The field may be broadly recognized as an amalgam of three modes of social scientific thought in particular; Durkheimian sociological positivism and structural functionalism , Marxist historical materialism and conflict theory , and Weberian antipositivism and verstehen critique. Another early modern theorist, Herbert Spencer (1820–1903), coined

5355-505: The Arab American Theorist Ihab Hassan in his book: The Dismemberment of Orpheus: Toward a Postmodern Literature . In 1979 Jean-François Lyotard wrote a short but influential work The Postmodern Condition: A report on knowledge . Jean Baudrillard , Michel Foucault , and Roland Barthes were influential in the 1970s in developing postmodern theory. Scholars most commonly hold postmodernism to be

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5460-463: The Sickroom is considered to be one of Martineau's finest works. It upset evangelical readers, as they "thought it dangerous in 'its supposition of self-reliance'". This series of essays embraced traditional womanhood. Martineau dedicated it to Elizabeth Barrett , as it was "an outpouring of feeling to an idealized female alter ego, both professional writer and professional invalid- and utterly unlike

5565-543: The additional surname Bonham by Royal Licence when he inherited the estates of his cousin Thomas Bonham. Most of the Bonham-Carters have belonged to Unitarian churches . The first to use the double-barrelled name , John Bonham-Carter (1788–1838), was a British Member of Parliament and barrister . His wife Joanna Maria Smith was the daughter of William Smith , the abolitionist MP; her sister Frances

5670-481: The air comes in through my open upper sash brisk, but sun-warmed. The robins twitter and hop in my flower-boxes... And at night, what a heaven! What an expanse of stars above, appearing more steadfast, the more the Northern Lights dart and quiver! During her illness, she for a second time declined a pension on the civil list , fearing to compromise her political independence. After publication of her letter on

5775-462: The breakthrough ideas for his nascent theory of evolution. In April 1838, Charles wrote to his older sister Susan that Erasmus has been with her noon, morning, and night: — if her character was not as secure, as a mountain in the polar regions she certainly would lose it. — Lyell called there the other day & there was a beautiful rose on the table, & she coolly showed it to him & said 'Erasmus Darwin' gave me that. — How fortunate it is, she

5880-591: The characteristics of their author's style. Tory paternalists reacted by calling her a Malthusian "who deprecates charity and provision for the poor", while Radicals opposed her to the same degree. Whig high society fêted her. In May 1834 Charles Darwin , on his expedition to the Galapagos Islands , received a letter from his sisters saying that Martineau was "now a great Lion in London, much patronized by Ld. Brougham who has set her to write stories on

5985-435: The concerns of social theory into the domain of culture and thus anthropology . A chair and undergraduate program in social theory was established at the University of Melbourne . Social theory at present seems to be gaining acceptance as a classical academic discipline. Adam Ferguson , Montesquieu , and John Millar , among others, were the first to study society as distinct from political institutions and processes. In

6090-511: The direct influence of one mind on another mind. Mesmerism was designed to make invisible forces augment the mental powers of the mesmeric object." Martineau eventually published an account of her case in 16 Letters on Mesmerism , which caused much discussion. Her work led to friction with "the natural prejudices of a surgeon and a surgeon's wife" (i.e., her brother-in-law, Thomas Michael Greenhow and her sister, Elizabeth Martineau Greenhow ). In 1845, Martineau left Tynemouth for Ambleside in

6195-456: The emerging schools for the education of girls. Her support of abolitionism , then widely unpopular across the U.S., caused controversy, which her publication, soon after her return, of Society in America (1837) and How to Observe Morals and Manners (1838), only fueled. In Society in America , Martineau angrily criticized the state of women's education. She wrote: The intellect of women

6300-710: The forms from which they spring. The new world is built upon the existing one. The Chicago school developed in the 1920s, through the work of Albion Woodbury Small , W. I. Thomas , Ernest W. Burgess , Robert E. Park , Ellsworth Faris , George Herbert Mead , and other sociologists at the University of Chicago . The Chicago school focused on patterns and arrangement of social phenomenon across time and place , and within context of other social variables. Critical theorists focus on reflective assessment and critique of society and culture in order to reveal and challenge power structures and their relations and influences on social groups. Karl Marx wrote and theorized about

6405-560: The free-market ideas of Adam Smith and others throughout the British Empire . Martineau then agreed to compose a series of similar monthly stories over a period of two years, the work being hastened by having her brother James also work on the series with her. The subsequent works offered fictional tutorials on a range of political economists such as James Mill , Bentham and Ricardo , the latter especially forming her view of rent law. Martineau relied on Malthus to form her view of

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6510-757: The hypothesis by looking to see if it is consistent with data . One might, for instance, review hospital records to find children who were abused, then track them down and administer a personality test to see if they show signs of being violent or shy. The selection of an appropriate (i.e. useful) theoretical orientation within which to develop a potentially helpful theory is the bedrock of social science. Philosophical questions addressed by social thinkers often centered around modernity , including: Other issues relating to modernity that were addressed by social thinkers include social atomization , alienation , loneliness , social disorganization , and secularization . Bonham Carter family The Bonham-Carter family

6615-425: The idea of domestic realism . Martineau's ideas in the novel were inspired by the works of David Hartley . This novel in particular was different from her other works as her development was evident. Her development included both her improvement of fictional writing, but also showed mastery of the theories she wrote about. In the early 19th century, most social institutions and norms were strongly shaped by gender, or

6720-426: The idea of progress and ideas of modernity. The Enlightenment period was marked by the idea that with new discoveries challenging the traditional way of thinking, scientists were required to find new normativity. This process allowed scientific knowledge and society to progress . French thought during this period focused on moral critique and criticisms of the monarchy . These ideas did not draw on ideas of

6825-429: The importance of political economy on society, and focused on the "material conditions" of life. His theories centered around capitalism and its effect on class-struggle between the proletariat and bourgeoisie . Postmodernism was defined by Jean-François Lyotard as "incredulity towards metanarratives " and contrasted that with modern which he described as "any science that legitimates itself with reference to

6930-540: The island nation's gaining independence in 1804. In 1839, during a visit to Continental Europe , Martineau was diagnosed with a uterine tumor. She several times visited her brother-in-law, Thomas Michael Greenhow , who was a celebrated doctor in Newcastle upon Tyne , to try to alleviate her symptoms. On the last occasion she stayed for six months in the Greenhow family house at 28 Eldon Square. Immobile and confined to

7035-494: The late 1920s and early 1930s. The Frankfurt Institute for Social Research is a historical example. The Committee on Social Thought at the University of Chicago followed in the 1940s. In the 1970s, programs in Social and Political Thought were established at Sussex and York . Others followed, with emphases and structures, such as Social Theory and History ( University of California, Davis ). Cultural Studies programs extended

7140-420: The late 19th and early 20th centuries, social theory became closely related to academic sociology , and other related studies such as anthropology , philosophy , and social work branched out into their own disciplines. Subjects like " philosophy of history " and other multi-disciplinary subject matter became part of social theory as taught under sociology. A revival of discussion free of disciplines began in

7245-409: The law-like characteristics forcibly attached to it. Unger argues that classical social theory was born proclaiming that society is made and imagined, and not the expression of an underlying natural order, but at the same time its capacity was checked by the equally prevalent ambition to create law-like explanations of history and social development. The human sciences that developed claimed to identify

7350-609: The money to build a house of her own rather than pay for something she did not love. The next place Martineau was brought to look at was the land of a minister at Ambleside called the Knoll. She ended up getting a great deal for the original plot of land and a bonus plot. The next task she took on was actually planning the layout of the house, which found very enjoyable. When the actual act of constructing came around, she and her contractor were on very good terms and understood each other's expectations, in terms of payment and time commitments. It

7455-483: The monthly sales . . . had reached 10,000 in a decade in which a sale of 2,000 or 3,000 copies of a work of fiction was considered highly successful." Her article "The Martyr Age of the United States" (1839), in the Westminster Review , introduced English readers to the struggles of the abolitionists in America several years after Britain had abolished slavery . In October 1836, soon after returning from

7560-653: The nineteenth century, the scientific method was introduced into study of society, which was a significant advance leading to development of sociology as a discipline . In the 18th century, the pre-classical period of social theories developed a new form that provides the basic ideas for social theory, such as evolution , philosophy of history , social life and social contract , public and general will , competition in social space, organismic pattern for social description. Montesquieu , in The Spirit of Laws , which established that social elements influence human nature,

7665-516: The past from classical thinkers, nor involved following religious teachings and authority of the monarch . A common factor among the classical theories was the agreement that the history of humanity is pursuing a fixed path. They differed on where that path would lead: social progress , technological progress, decline or even fall. Social cycle theorists were skeptical of the Western achievements and technological progress, but argued that progress

7770-414: The perception of what was appropriate for men versus for women. Writing was no exception; non-fiction works about social, economic and political issues were dominated by men, while limited areas, such as romance fiction, and topics dealing with domesticity were considered to be appropriate for women authors. Despite these gendered expectations in the literary world, Martineau strongly expressed her opinions on

7875-408: The poor Laws " and recommending Poor Laws and Paupers Illustrated in pamphlet -sized parts. They added that their brother Erasmus "knows her & is a very great admirer & every body reads her little books & if you have a dull hour you can, and then throw them overboard, that they may not take up your precious room". In 1834–36, after completing the economic series, Harriet Martineau paid

7980-518: The precursors to social theory proper. There is evidence of early Muslim sociology from the 14th century: in Ibn Khaldun 's Muqaddimah (later translated as Prolegomena in Latin ), the introduction to a seven volume analysis of universal history , was the first to advance social philosophy and social science in formulating theories of social cohesion and social conflict . Ibn Khaldun

8085-482: The primacy of either structure or agency , as well as the relationship between contingency and necessity. Social theory in an informal nature, or authorship based outside of academic social and political science, may be referred to as " social criticism " or " social commentary ", or "cultural criticism" and may be associated both with formal cultural and literary scholarship, as well as other non-academic or journalistic forms of writing. Social theory by definition

8190-423: The rocks, a spreading heath, where I watch troops of boys flying their kites; lovers and friends taking their breezy walks on Sundays..." She expressed a lyrical view of Tynemouth: When I look forth in the morning, the whole land may be sheeted with glittering snow, while the myrtle-green sea swells and tumbles... there is none of the deadness of winter in the landscape; no leafless trees, no locking up with ice; and

8295-490: The same time opposed female pedantics "with a sharp eye for feminine propriety and good manners. Her daughters could never be seen in public with a pen in their hand". Despite this conservative approach to raising girls, Harriet was not the only academically successful daughter in the family; her sister Rachel ran her own Unitarian academy with artist Hilary Bonham Carter as one of her students. Mrs. Martineau strictly enforced proper feminine behavior, pushing her daughter to "hold

8400-438: The specific wet nurse that Harriet's mother had hired could not produce a sufficient amount of milk for an infant. This left Harriet starved for the first few weeks of her life, which is what Mrs. Martineau had attributed all of Harriet's future ailments to. Harriet's ideas on domesticity and the "natural faculty for housewifery", as described in her book Household Education (1848), stemmed from her lack of nurture growing up. It

8505-408: The subject, some of her friends raised a small annuity for her soon after. In 1844, Martineau underwent a course of mesmerism , returning to health after a few months. There was national interest in mesmerism at this time. Also known as "animal magnetism", it can be defined as a "loosely grouped set of practices in which one person influenced another through a variety of personal actions, or through

8610-461: The tendency of human population to exceed its means of subsistence. However, in stories such as "Weal and Woe in Garvelock", she promoted the idea of population control through what Malthus referred to as "voluntary checks" such as voluntary chastity and delayed marriages. One of Martineau's most popular works of fiction was Deerbrook (1839). The book drew much attention because it focused on

8715-710: The term " survival of the fittest ". Vilfredo Pareto (1848–1923) and Pitirim A. Sorokin argued that "history goes in cycles," and presented the social cycle theory to illustrate their point. Ferdinand Tönnies (1855–1936) made community and society ( Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft , 1887) the special topics of the new science of "sociology", both of them based on different modes of will of social actors . The 19th century pioneers of social theory and sociology, like Saint-Simon, Comte, Marx, John Stuart Mill or Spencer, never held university posts and they were broadly regarded as philosophers. Emile Durkheim endeavoured to formally established academic sociology, and did so at

8820-503: The tradition of the English Dissenters . According to the writer Diana Postlethwaite, Harriet's relationship with her mother was strained and lacking affection, which contributed to views expressed in her later writing. Martineau claimed her mother abandoned her to a wet nurse . Harriet's childhood was rather different compared to any other ordinary child. Her family was financially comfortable and they were close friends with

8925-612: The traditional roles of feminine propriety to earn a living for her family. Along with her needlework, she began selling her articles to the Monthly Repository , earning accolades, including three essay prizes from the Unitarian Association . Her regular work with the Repository helped establish her as a reliable and popular freelance writer. In Martineau's Autobiography , she reflects on her success as

9030-547: The transmission of meaning, or that modernism has fundamental flaws in its system of knowledge. The argument for the necessity of the term states that economic and technological conditions of our age have given rise to a decentralized, media-dominated society. These ideas are simulacra , and only inter-referential representations and copies of each other, with no real original, stable or objective source for communication and meaning. Globalization , brought on by innovations in communication, manufacturing and transportation ,

9135-422: The vote "before he knew it was not [Martineau's], and wasted a good deal of indignation, and even now can hardly believe it is not hers". In early December 1836 Charles Darwin called on Martineau and may have discussed the social and natural worlds she was writing about in her book Society in America , including the "grandeur and beauty" of the "process of world making" she had seen at Niagara Falls . He remarked in

9240-518: The wealthy often demand convenience , employing numerous others to carry out labor to meet their demands. Smith argued that this allows wealth to be redistributed among inhabitants, and for all to share in progress of society. Smith explained that social forces could regulate the market economy with social objectivity and without need for government intervention. Smith regarded the division of labor as an important factor for economic progress. John Millar suggested that improved status of women

9345-400: The women in her own family". Written during a kind of public break from her mother, this book was Martineau's proclamation of independence. At the same time, Martineau turned the traditional patient–doctor relationship on its head by asserting control over her space even in sickness. The sickroom was her space. Life in the Sickroom explained how to regain control even in illness. Alarmed that

9450-777: The world the way they do, and how that came to be by looking at power relations, social structures, and social norms, while also examining how humans relate to each other and the society they find themselves in, how this has changed over time and in different cultures, and the tools used to measure those things. Social theory looks to interdisciplinarity , combining knowledge from multiple academic disciplines in order to enlighten these complex issues, and can draw on ideas from fields as diverse as anthropology and media studies . Social theory guides scientific inquiry by promoting scientists to think about which topics are suitable for investigation and how they should measure them. Selecting or creating appropriate theory for use in examining an issue

9555-409: The youngest of the eight, Ellen. The Martineau family was of French Huguenot ancestry and professed Unitarian views. Her uncles included the surgeon Philip Meadows Martineau (1752–1829), whom she had enjoyed visiting at his nearby estate, Bracondale Lodge , and businessman and benefactor Peter Finch Martineau . Martineau was closest to her brother James, who became a philosopher and clergyman in

9660-492: Was a fictional tutorial intended to help the general public understand the ideas of Adam Smith . Illustrations was published in February 1832 in an edition of just 1500 copies, since the publisher assumed it would not sell well. Yet it very quickly became highly successful, and would steadily out-sell the work of Charles Dickens . Illustrations was her first work to receive widespread acclaim, and its success served to spread

9765-432: Was a house of my own among poor improvable neighbours, with young servants whom I might train and attach to myself: with pure air, a garden, leisure, solitude at command, and freedom to work in peace and quietness". She began house-hunting and the first house she looked at was not entirely perfect and did not have everything that she needed and was looking for. Her friend, who went with her to view it, said it would be worth

9870-533: Was found that affection shown toward Harriet by her mother was quite rare. In fact, there have been findings that suggested that Harriet had imagined angels coming to take her away, which was thought to symbolize her wishing to find a way to escape her mother's reign through suicide. Although their relationship was better in adulthood, Harriet saw her mother as the antithesis of the warm and nurturing qualities which she knew to be necessary for girls at an early age. Her mother urged all her children to be well read, but at

9975-420: Was important for progress of society. Millar also advocated for abolition of slavery , suggesting that personal liberty makes people more industrious, ambitious, and productive . The first "modern" social theories (known as classical theories) that begin to resemble the analytic social theory of today developed simultaneously with the birth of the science of sociology. Auguste Comte (1798–1857), known as

10080-452: Was in a strange sense relieved in the long run that marriage was not an option, as their relationship was filled with stress and disagreements. Martineau remained unmarried in her life. Her earliest novels were also published during these years, beginning with Principle and Practice in 1827 and Five Years of Youth: or, Sense and Sentiment in 1829. In 1829, the family's textile business failed. Martineau, then 27 years old, stepped out of

10185-798: Was killed serving with this regiment on the first day of the Battle of the Somme , 1 July 1916, and was later buried in Serre Road Military Cemetery No. 2, near Beaumont-Hamel in northern France . Captain Bonham-Carter's name appears on the war memorial at the Muthaiga Country Club in Nairobi . The Bonham Carter family, as descended from Sir Maurice Bonham Carter and The Baroness Asquith of Yarnbury ,

10290-517: Was not until April 1846 that Martineau moved into her new house, which was later referred to as The Knoll at Ambleside in England. Social theorist Social theories are analytical frameworks, or paradigms , that are used to study and interpret social phenomena . A tool used by social scientists , social theories relate to historical debates over the validity and reliability of different methodologies (e.g. positivism and antipositivism ),

10395-504: Was occupied with her brother James on the political economy series, as well as a supplemental series of Poor Laws and Paupers Illustrated and Illustrations of Taxation which was intended to directly influence government policy. About the same time, she published four stories expressing support of the Whig Poor Law reforms. These tales (direct, lucid, written without any appearance of effort, and yet practically effective) display

10500-625: Was often dominated by the three biggest insecurities in her life: her hearing disability, her poor handwriting, and the look of her hair. The next step in Harriet Martineau's education came when she received an invitation from the all-girl boarding school that her Aunt and Uncle Kentish ran in Bristol. Besides the standardized course she took at the school, Harriet began her lifelong self-directed research here. She dived deep into topics on her own, such as Latin, Greek, Italian, and even took

10605-442: Was possibly the first to suggest a universal explanation for history . Montesquieu included changes in mores and manners as part of his explanation of political and historic events. Philosophers, including Jean-Jacques Rousseau , Voltaire , and Denis Diderot , developed new social ideas during the Enlightenment period that were based on reason and methods of scientific inquiry. Jean-Jacques Rousseau in this time played

10710-402: Was taught French by her mother, which was the predominant language spoken by her father. Thomas, her father, taught her Latin, and her brother Thomas taught Harriet maths and writing. Unfortunately for Harriet, being taught at home especially by all her siblings often led to lots of mockery. When she was nine years old Harriet transitioned to a small school run by a man named Mr. Perry. Mr. Perry

10815-613: Was the mother of Florence Nightingale , and her brother Benjamin was the father of Barbara Bodichon and Benjamin Leigh Smith . John and Joanna's daughter, (Joanna) Hilary Bonham-Carter (1821-1865), who was an artist and friend of political journalist Harriet Martineau . Hilary's portraits of her cousin Florence Nightingale are held in the National Portrait Gallery . John and Joanna had

10920-482: Was the sixth of the eight children of Thomas, a textile manufacturer. He served as deacon of the Octagon Chapel, Norwich from 1797. Her mother, Elizabeth (née Rankin), was the daughter of a sugar refiner and grocer. Harriet's five older siblings included two sisters and three brothers. In age order their names were, Elizabeth, Thomas, Henry, Robert and Rachel Ann. Harriet's two younger siblings were James and

11025-470: Was very special to Harriet, allegedly one of the first people in her life to provide her with a positive and non-judgmental learning environment. Later on in her life, Harriet claimed that Mr. Perry's school was the catalyst for her intellectual development and interest in education. As her education progressed she began to grow very fond of the following topics: Shakespeare, political economy, philosophy and history. Despite her love for all these topics, her mind

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