Talcott Parsons and the Sociology of Morality

Abstract

In this article, we propose a brief reconstruction of Talcott Parsons' writings − from his first major book, The Structure of Social Action, to his later writing on the 1960s and 1970s − in order to clarify his main contributions to a sociological discussion of morality. In so doing, we hope to place Talcott Parsons as one of the forerunners of the sociology of morality conceived as an emerging area of research in the social sciences. Throughout this reconstruction, we also try to situate Parsons in terms of his intellectual lineage pointing out that his formulations reveal important affinities with the theoretical perspective of morality that began with Émile Durkheim. Based on these assumptions, we aim to show, albeit on a preliminary basis, how this dialogue contributes to a more precise delineation of a research program in the field.

The morality and tax avoidance: A sentiment and position taking analysis

“…The New Sociology of Morality also challenges the idea that morality is something that is passed down from generation to generation. Morality is constantly evolving, and that new generations often have different ideas about what is right and wrong, that is, morality is not something that is static but is always changing [ 14 , 25 , 30 ]. Considerable efforts have already been made by scholars to integrate the new sociology of morality not so much to explain the interplay between social order and human actions, but to a more substantial integration into the moral causes and movements of social life, boundary works, and valuations processes [ 20 , 21 , 26 , 31 ].…”