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Sociología+Norteamericana.Pdf SOCIOLOGÍA NORTEAMERICANA: UN DIAGNÓSTICO DE NUESTRO TIEMPO UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DEL ESTADO DE MÉXICO Dr. en D. Jorge Olvera García Rector M.E.P.D. Ivett Tinoco García Secretaria de Difusión Cultural Dra. en D. María de Lourdes Morales Reynoso Directora de Divulgación Cultural SOCIOLOGÍA NORTEAMERICANA: UN DIAGNÓSTICO DE NUESTRO TIEMPO ASAEL MERCADO MALDONADO “2013, Cincuenta Aniversario Luctuoso del Poeta Heriberto Enriquez” UNIVERSIDAD AUTÓNOMA DEL ESTADO DE MÉXICO 1a edición 1997 3a edición 2013 SOCIOLOGÍA NORTEAMERICANA: UN DIAGNÓSTICO DE NUESTRO TIEMPO © Asael Mercado Maldonado © Derechos reservados Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México Av. Instituto Literario 100 Ote. Toluca, Estado de México C.P. 50000, México http://www.uaemex.mx/ Se prohíbe la reproducción total o parcial de esta obra –incluyendo el diseño tipográfico y de portada– sea cual fuere el medio, electrónico o mecánico, sin el consentimiento por escrito de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México. ISBN 978-607-422-467-2 Impreso y hecho en México Printed and made in Mexico INTRODUCCIÓN La Sociología en los últimos años parece ser una disciplina social castigada, perseguida, no sólo por su poca precisión teórica y metodológica, sino porque gran parte de su quehacer consiste en criticar las estructuras de una sociedad decadente que últimamente busca refundar el capitalismo, actualizar sus estructuras, redefinir sus ideologías políticas y modelos económicos, así como revitalizar sus sistemas de control social. La idea central del trabajo es elaborar un comentario diagnóstico del estado que presenta la sociedad occidental, particularmente la norteamericana, mediante los conocimientos vertidos por su teoría sociológica. Describiendo los signos característicos de los conflictos más agudos que prevalecen en la vida social de nuestros tiempos: desigualdad, racismo, violencia, decadencia, desorden, agresión y guerra; comprobando la tesis de que esos fenómenos son producto de las contradicciones existentes entre la estructura cultural y social, destacando la utilidad de las visiones utópicas y futuristas, para elaborar un proyecto de sociedad alternativo de la dominación capitalista. Lo Social; el objeto de estudio de la Sociología es resultado de múltiples fenómenos económicos, políticos y culturales, que es necesario especificar: para Augusto Comte eran las leyes sociales que definen la política por donde debe transitar la humanidad, para Emile Durkheim los fenómenos sociales que le daban forma [ 7 ] Asael Mercado Maldonado a la sociedad: las instituciones, para Max Weber era la acción social, para Carlos Marx lo que le daba dirección a la sociedad era la lucha de clases, para Talcott Parsons lo social es el acto unidad y para Robert King Merton es la incompatibilidad para satisfacer necesidades que se presenta entre la estructura cultural y social. A lo largo del trabajo se analizarán los postulados de la So- ciología del conflicto, enfoque que permite conocer por qué las patologías sociales se producen como consecuencia de la falta de coherencia entre la estructura cultural y social, provocando que la sociedad contemporánea no pueda conducir a feliz término todos los fines que necesitan los hombres para su realización plena, con- dición social que incita –en buena medida– a fomentar la agresión y violencia contra el orden social. Se plantea también la génesis de la Sociología norteamericana y se sistematiza el pensamiento teórico de sus fundadores para precisar el quehacer de esa disciplina, así como su estructura utópica para elaborar una visión social del futuro inmediato, considerando los rasgos característicos de las graves patologías que afectan a la sociedad occidental norteamericana. Se rescata, además, las tesis teóricas y metodológicas fundamen- tales de las perspectivas sociológicas contemporáneas; el neofun- cionalismo y la teoría del caos. Aportando un diagnóstico de los graves problemas que aquejan a nuestras sociedades, definiendo el futuro inmediato respecto a los problemas de desorganización, agresión, violencia, criminalidad, sobrepoblación, como variables principales que deben ser atendidas antes de que se desborden y provoquen crisis y trastornos sin precedentes a la humanidad. Una de las líneas analíticas privilegiadas de la Sociología desde hace años es la investigación de aquellos fenómenos que afectan de manera decisiva las relaciones y estructuras sociales; considerando fenómenos anómicos o patológicos como el crimen, la delincuencia, 8 Introducción la agresión, la violencia política, así como la aparición de nuevas enfermedades bio-sociales y crisis económicas y morales que impactan de forma negativa el colectivo social. Dentro de esa tradición sociológica se inscribe el presente trabajo, aportando elementos para el esclarecimiento y dilucidación de esos fenómenos que afectan negativamente las estructuras del mundo social. La intención de aliviar los padecimientos que sufre la sociedad constituye el objetivo más importante que tiene la disciplina sociológica en nuestros días. Muchos teóricos creen que los fenómenos de violencia, delincuencia, crimen y agresión descontrolada, que deterioran el comportamiento social, son consecuencia visible de los males que aquejan a las sociedades. Otros consideran esas acciones como una reacción o resistencia positiva –aunque descompuesta– contra las estructuras sociales dominantes que interiorizan en el individuo un embrutecimiento cultural colectivo al fomentar la difusión y reproducción de la estultificación colectiva. Manifestación de una sociedad enferma o protesta rebelde y contestataria, lo cierto es que los fenómenos anómicos son inherentes a la sociedad y en los últimos tiempos han trastornado de una forma creciente la vida social. ¿Por qué analizar la sociedad estadounidense y sus teorías so- ciológicas? porque es ahí donde se ha realizado la profunda radica- lización del individualismo capitalista, porque es el país que al ganar la guerra fría, proclamó la victoria de la democracia liberal como la última –hasta ahora– forma de gobierno sobre la tierra. Todas las economías se manejan por el dinero, pero es en los EUA donde se identifica de mayor forma el triunfo o el fracaso con la posesión de dinero. Se vive en el juego social respetando las leyes del mercado o matando según sea el caso con tal de obtener el éxito. Y porque es el país que va marcando en la primera década del siglo XXI el camino a seguir en materia económica y política. Sin embargo, la grande- 9 Asael Mercado Maldonado za económica de los EUA obtiene su contraparte en la decadencia de su comportamiento social y cultural; es ahí donde también se dan los peores crímenes, es la única nación que agredió a otra con bombas nucleares, el país número uno en población carcelaria, en asesinos seriales, en enfermos de SIDA, en alcohólicos, en adictos a la cocaína, en delincuencia, en divorcios, en fin, en una serie de fenó- menos que anuncian decadencia moral y social. Acaso el desarrollo civilizatorio occidental es riqueza material con pobreza espiritual. El trabajo está organizado de la siguiente manera: CAPÍTULO I. GÉNESIS DE LA SOCIOLOGÍA Se define el origen de la Sociología, especificando las premisas históricas que permitieron el nacimiento de su objeto de estudio, así como los aportes de los teóricos que le dieron autonomía y vida propia. Dicho capítulo contiene tres apartados. • El positivismo organicista: se plantea el nacimiento de la Sociología, los primeros trabajos sistemáticos sobre la reflexión de la sociedad, así como la perspectiva teórica del Positivismo- Organicista, sus características y premisas fundamentales. • Emile Durkheim y Max Weber: se esquematizan sus tesis principales para definir el objeto de estudio de la Sociología, así como sus aportes para el análisis de la anomia y la acción social, conceptos que influyeron de manera determinante a la Sociología norteamericana. • La Sociología mexicana: se explica el desarrollo de la disciplina en México y sus productos importantes destacando la experiencia de dos revistas: Revista Mexicana de Sociología del Instituto de Investigaciones Sociales de la UNAM y la Revista Sociológica de la UAM Azcapotzalco. 10 Introducción • La Sociología norteamericana: se sintetizan las importantes contribuciones al enriquecimiento de la Sociología contemporánea; el estructural-funcionalismo, la teoría del conflicto, el estudio de los Folkways y los Mores, el análisis institucional, la teoría de la acción social, el acto unidad, el status y los roles. CAPÍTULO II.NATURALEZA, TEORÍA, METODOLOGÍA Y UTOPÍA EN LA SOCIOLOGÍA NORTEAMERICANA Se precisan las ideas centrales de las perspectivas teóricas y metodológicas estadounidenses más importantes que permitieron a la Sociología consolidarse como disciplina social. Contiene cinco apartados. • El funcionalismo contemporáneo: es considerado como una de las perspectivas teóricas y metodológicas más relevantes para el análisis de lo social. Sus postulados teóricos, metodológicos y técnico-operativos de investigación han sido criticados durante los últimos años; se han perfeccionado hasta el punto de que actualmente se puede hablar del surgimiento del neofuncionalismo que revalora y actualiza temas del funcionalismo tradicional. • Los fundadores de la Sociología norteamericana: se exponen de manera sintética los postulados de los precursores de esta disciplina; William Graham Sumner, Albion Woodbury Small, Robert Ezra Park, Ernest Watson Burgess, Edward Allsworth Ross, Pitirim Sorokin y George Lundberg. • Talcott Parsons: se menciona
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