Received: from mail.virginia.edu (mail.Virginia.EDU [128.143.2.9]) by csf.Colorado.EDU (8.7.6/8.7.3/CNS-4.0p) with SMTP id NAA24499 for ; Sat, 10 May 1997 13:09:55 -0600 (MDT) Received: from server2.mail.virginia.edu by mail.virginia.edu id aa14020; 10 May 97 15:09 EDT Received: from bootp-141-232.bootp.Virginia.EDU (bootp-141-232.bootp.Virginia.EDU [128.143.141.232]) by server2.mail.virginia.edu (8.8.5/8.6.6) with SMTP id PAA03649 for ; Sat, 10 May 1997 15:08:36 -0400 (EDT) From: Lisa Vivian-Marie Friel Sender: lvf4m@server1.mail.virginia.edu To: socgrad@csf.colorado.edu Subject: re: questions Message-ID: Date: Sat, 10 May 1997 15:09:49 -0400 (EDT) X-Authentication: IMSP MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII Greetings, and a special hello to my pal Danielle! Without an extended bio - I'm just finishing my first year as a soci grad (MA) at UVA interested in theoretical perspectives of sexual behavior. Danielle's comments prompted my first posting. While some may cringe at it, Donald Black's paradigm is a must know (in my humble opinion) for one desiring a more comprehensive theoretical approach. Even if you disagree with his dependent variable being purely social, his five dimensions of social space synthesize much of social theory. The dimensions are - vertical status, horizontal status (morphology ~ relational distance), organization, normative, and social control. Location in this social space predicts a quantified, social, dependent variable. For example, Black has a proposition that law varies directly with relational distance = spousal homicide attracts less law than stranger homicide. Black's idea of dimensions at least provides order to the multitude of social variables and is framed for inclusion of new dimensions and variables, and application to other areas of social life. While he would say that phenomenology is not sociology but socio-psychology (and thus not an appropriate dimension or variable), the idea of dimensions may be a starting point. Since I must be the good grad student and cite everything: His work centers on law and social control: _The Behavior of Law_ outlines his theory, and an article in (I think) Law and Social Inquiry, "The Epistemology of Pure Sociology" (1995) responds to critiques of his paradigm. For the bold at heart, the latter is a fun read. I would love to hear comments on Black's theory by those familiar with his work, or questions from the newly initiated. I'm off to slave on a paper for Mr. Black! Lisa ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lisa Friel Graduate Student, Teaching Assistant University of Virginia Department of Sociology Office: 804/924-6529 Home: 804/979-2821 Email: lvf4m@virginia.edu "It's more fun with two." Winnie-The-Pooh