Welcome to the classical sociological section of the site. Here you will find information about the origins and development of sociology.
Especially if you are new to sociology you will find it fruitful to read the article on the origins of the discipline - it is designed to provide an understanding of the context of the early development of sociology.
The Origins of Sociology

As with all academic disciplines sociology has its own set of thinkers whom it views as instrumental in setting out the foundations and the parameters of the discipline.
The following are brief introductions to the works of some of the leading founders of the discipline:

Emile Durkheim
Harriet Martineau
Karl Marx
Max Weber

There are also a number of extended discussions in this section on the works of Durkheim, Marx, Simmel and Weber.

Emile Durkheim
Karl Marx
Georg Simmel
Max Weber

Below are listed a number of texts which offer appreciations of the works of these founders.
Selected Bibliography
There are three excellent readers which offer extracts from the classics:
Calhoun, C et al (eds) (2007) Classical Sociological Theory (Blackwell Readers in Sociology) (Blackwell)

Lemert, C (ed)(2009) Social Theory: The Multicultural and Classic Readings Westview

Lengermann, P & Niebrugge-Brantley, J (1998)
Women Founders: Sociology and Social Theory, 1830-1930 - A Text with ReadingsMcGraw-Hill Education

Commentaries on the classics include:

Ritzer, G (2010) Classical Sociological Theory McGraw-Hill.

Schilling, C & Mellor, P (2001) The Sociological Ambition: The Elementary Forms of Social Life (Theory, Culture & Society) Sage

Craib, I (1997)Classical Social Theory: An Introduction to the Thought of Marx, Weber, Durkheim and Simmel OUP

Levine, D (1995)Visions of the Sociological Tradition University of Chicago Press

Marshall, B & Witz, A (eds) (2004)
Engendering the Social: Feminist Encounters with Sociological TheoryOpen University Press

Turner, B (1999) Classical Sociology Sage

Tony Fitzgerald