In sociology, the classic theorists remain a source of major inspiration and direction for present-day theory building. In this course, you will be introduced to the ideas and writings of the classic theorists, with a particular emphasis on Marx, Weber, and Durkheim. You will learn how their theories reflect the historical context of the times, cultures, and social locations in which they lived, and the ways in which sociology was diminished by its dismissal of alternative theories based on race and gender prejudice. You will also be introduced to what I will call a counter-tradition, the work of the women pioneers in sociology, who were largely written out of the mainstream sociological tradition during the years when sociology became prominent in American academic life and who have been brought back into sociology in important ways by the feminist movement in sociology. My contention will be that you need to take account of both these streams of thought as you build your own approach to understanding society and the manifold ways in which it affects our thoughts and behavior.