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Every discipline has its signature individuals, from founding fathers to founding mothers who have changed how we think about the subject. Hold tight! Let's begin and explore some famous sociologists.
- Who are the most famous sociologists in history?
- Who are some of the most famous sociologists alive today?
- Who are the famous female sociologists?
- What are some famous sociologists and their theories?
- What are some quotes by famous sociologists?
Famous sociologists in history
If we were to try and explore every sociologist to have an impact on the discipline, we would be here all day. But had it not been for Auguste Comte, or Karl Marx, whose works would form the basis of Marxist theory, the discipline may not be what it is today. You should understand who helped to shape the discipline, and how they did so.
We will move chronologically, starting at the birth of the discipline and working our way forward to the modern day. So tuck in, and let’s begin with Auguste Comte.
Sociologist | Years and location(s) | Area of study | Key facts |
Auguste Comte |
|
| Comte is best known for being the founder of both sociology and positivism. One of his biggest contributions is actually the word ‘sociology’! |
|
| One of the first women to contribute to sociology, Martineau theorised about the patriarchal conditions of women in the 19th century, as well as major religious, social, and political institutions in society. Considered by many to be the "mother" of sociology. | |
Karl Marx |
|
| Karl Marx’s most significant contribution to sociology is Marxist theory. |
|
| Responsible for coining the term 'survival of the fittest', years before Charles Darwin wrote it in the Origin of Species! Created the controversial theory of Social Darwinism. | |
Émile Durkheim |
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| Durkheim developed the academic discipline of sociology, allowing the subject to be taught in universities. Known as a key functionalist sociologist speaking on many areas of sociology. |
Robert E. Park |
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| Park is considered an essential urban sociologist, as he is one of the key figures in what became known as the Chicago school of sociology. |
Max Weber |
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| Max Weber is often referred to as being in conversation or debate with Marx. Weber saw both structure and action as important to understanding social phenomena. |
Charles H. Cooley |
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| Charles H. Cooley popularised the concept of the 'looking-glass self', which conceptualises how people view themselves. |
|
| Murdock's focus was ethnography, a branch of study that deals with empirical data on societies and cultures. He believed to adequately study society, you need to take a cross-cultural approach. | |
W.E.B Du Bois |
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| W.E.B. Du Bois is widely regarded as the first African-American sociologist. The Souls of Black Folk explores Du Bois's experience as an ethnic man. |
| Talcott Parsons is an American functionalist sociologist. One of his significant contributions was introducing the work of Max Weber to an American sociological audience. Today, Parsons is taught in all sociological courses across the globe. | ||
Jessie Bernard |
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| Jessie Bernard became a front-runner in American feminism in her lifetime. She worked in civil service before moving into sociological teaching and writing. |
| Kingsley Davis |
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| Kingsley Davis is a well-known American Sociologist. He gained popularity through his work published with Wilbert E. Moore on societal rewards. |
The text and theories put forward by Karl Marx form what is now known as Marxism. Unsplash.com.
Famous sociologists today: modern sociology
We’ve now entered the modern stage of sociologists. While not all of these theorists are still with us today, they’ve had a tremendous impact on the growth of the discipline in the 21st century.
Robert K. Merton’s theories formed Strain theory, a key functionalist theory for explaining crime, while C. Wright Mills explored the significance of the sociological imagination. Read on to learn more about the famous sociologists of the modern day.
| Famous sociologist | Years and location(s) | Area of study | Key facts |
| Robert K. Merton |
|
| Merton's studies and interests were vast. He is best credited with introducing ideas such as the self-fulling prophecy and role models. The American dream was also a significant interest for Merton. The American dream is the belief that if an individual works hard, they can achieve success. |
| Wilbert E. Moore |
| Moore rose to popularity with the research he co-authored along with Kingsley Davis into social stratification as a necessity in society. | |
| C. Wright Mills |
|
| C. Wright Mills’ most significant contribution to the discipline was The Sociological Imagination. The Sociological Imagination is a framework for viewing the world. |
| Albert Cohen |
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| Cohen theorised about the rise of anti-social behaviour in Western Societies. He developed the concept of status frustration, which builds largely upon Robert K. Merton's Strain Theory. |
| Louis Althusser |
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| A neo-Marxist, Althusser built on Marxist theory. He argued that the upper class maintained control by controlling the repressive state apparatus and ideological state apparatus to keep the proletariat oppressed. |
| Michel Foucault |
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| Many of Foucault's theories have a strong focus on knowledge, power and surveillance in society. |
| Pierre Bourdieu |
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| Bourdieu theorised on different types of capital and their significance in modern society. |
| Stuart Hall |
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| Stuart Hall campaigned for racial justice and studied the relationship between culture and identity. |
| Anthony Giddens |
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| Giddens' most notable contributions to sociology is the theory of structuration. He has worked as a political advisor for numerous governments. |
| Judith Stacey |
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| Stacey argues that women now have more choices than ever in their family arrangements, allowing them to be free from patriarchal oppression. |
| Ann Oakley |
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| Oakley is regarded by many as a liberal feminist sociologist and has contributed significantly to feminist sociology. |
| Nancy Chodorow |
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| Nancy Chodorow's works include discussions of feminist psychology and psychoanalysis. She considers the psychological elements of the construction of gender. |
| Ulrich Beck |
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| Ulrich Beck rejects that we are in a period of postmodernity. He is most known for his claim that we are in a 'risk society' full of uncertainty. |
| Jeffrey Weeks |
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| Jeffrey Weeks' work primarily focused on sexuality studies, within which he is a leading British sociologist. |
| Judith Butler |
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| Judith Butler is best known for her book, Gender Troubles: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity. In this book, Butler argues gender is a performance. |
| Catriona Mirrlees-Black |
|
| Catriona Mirrlees-Black had carried out studies examining the patterns and reasons for domestic violence in society. |
| Howard Becker |
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| Becker used his action-focused sociology to show that deviance is not inherent within an act, but it is the perception of the act which makes it deviant. |
Famous female sociologists
As can be seen, most of those explored have been men, but there are still very famous female sociologists. Harriet Martineau, while being pivotal to the development of early sociology, also went on to become a hallmark in British feminism.
Not to be forgotten is Catriona Mirrlees-Black, whose research into domestic violence is now a starting point for domestic violence studies in the UK.
Ann Oakley is also a key female sociologist that has spoken about several issues concerning women, including the division of labour and housework and how women experience motherhood.
Famous sociologists and their theories
Subfield of sociology | Famous sociologists |
Positivism | Auguste Comte |
Functionalism | Emile Durkheim Charles H. Cooley Talcott Parsons Kingsley Davis Robert K. Merton Wilbert E. Moore |
Marxism | Karl Marx |
Interactionism | |
Weberian theory | Max Weber |
Structuration | Anthony Giddens |
Urban sociology | Robert E. Park George Murdoch W.E.B. Du Bois Stuart Hall Ulrich Beck Jeffrrey Weeks |
Feminism | Harriet Martineau Jessie Bernard Judith Stacey Ann Oakley Nancy Chodorow Judith Butler Catriona Mirrlees-Black |
Famous sociology quotes
Religion is the opiate of the masses."
Karl Marx
Education is preparation to live completely."
Herbert Spencer
The function of sociology, as of every science, is to reveal what is hidden."
Pierre Bourdieu
Famous Sociologists - Key takeaways
- Every discipline has its signature individuals, from founding fathers to founding mothers who have changed how we think about the subject.
- Famous sociologists in history include Auguste Comte, Karl Marx, Émile Durkheim and Harriet Martineau.
- Famous sociologists in modern history include Robert Merton, Albert Cohen and Ann Oakley.
- There were also notable famous female sociologists, including Harriet Martineau, Catriona Mirrlees-Black and Ann Oakley.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Famous Sociologists
Who is the most famous sociologist?
There are many famous sociologists, but many believe August Comte to be famous as he coined the term 'sociology'.
Who are the 3 fathers of sociology?
Some claim that, Émile Durkheim Max Weber and Karl Marx are the 3 fathers of sociology.
Who are well-known sociologists?
Well-known sociologists include Émile Durkheim, Karl Marx and Max Weber. However, there are many well-known sociologists.
Who is the mother of sociology?
Harriet Martineau is stated to be the mother of sociology.
Who is the first professor of sociology?
Émile Durkheim became the first professor of sociology. He developed sociology as an academic discipline of sociology, allowing the subject to be taught in universities.
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