Randall Collins
(1941-present)
An American
Sociologist who belongs to the Integrative Conflict Theory. He was influenced
by Marx, Durkheim, Weber and Goffman, but he criticized Marxist account of
social conflict and gave a wider theory of conflict theory.
His work on
conflict pays more attention on how conflict arises from social stratification
and the consequences of interaction among individuals. His conflict theory also
builds a theoretical bridge between micro and macro theory.
Collins’ Five
Basic Principles of Conflict Analysis:
1.
Self-interested
actions: He believed that people should think of people as animals, whose
actions are motivated by self-interest.
2.
Got
affected by material arrangements: He believed that actors are prone to be
affected by material objects, such as: the physical places, the supply of
weapons, mode of communication, devices for staging one’s public impression,
goods, tools.
3.
Control
over resources: According to Collins, in case of inequality, those who have
control over resources are more likely to attempt to exploit those who have
less or no resources.
4.
Cultural
phenomena: He urged the conflict theorist to look at beliefs and ideals from
the perspective of interests, power and resources.
5.
Stratification:
He gave strong emphasis on the scientific study of stratification and every
single aspect of the social world.
His major works regarding conflict:
Social Stratification
Integrative Conflict Theory
Conflict Sociology: Toward an Explanatory Science
Social Stratification:
Collins believed that the interaction is the root
cause of any conflict. While explaining social stratification or interaction rituals,
he has point out at the level of interaction, if there is a interaction there
would be a conflict. In the case those people who are inherently social, they
must be conflict prone in their social relations because according to him, ‘violent
coercion’ can always be deployed against any person engaged in a social interaction.
Integrative Conflict Theory:
Collins says that conflict consists of
visible or dramatic events, like strikes or terrorist attacks. It can be as
simple as daily life arguments or revolution that brings change in belief
systems.
Conflict Sociology: Toward an Explanatory Science:
This work of Collins
is much more micro-oriented than the macro. By this book, he gave a great contribution
to the new areas of sociological theory of stratification, such as: sexual
roles, and microsociology. He focuses on real people in real life rather than
larger structures, like social class or social organizations.
Collins other notable works:
Macro & Micro
Interaction Rituals
Four Sociological Traditions
The Sociology of Philosophies: A Global Theory of Intellectual Change
Interaction Ritual Chains
Violence: A Micro-Sociological Theory
