Merton's Ambivalence Towards Autonomous Theory -- and Ours.

The article focuses on sociologist Robert K. Merton, and the effect that he had on American sociology in the 20th century. While some criticise Merton, along with Talcott Parsons, for having harmed American sociology by narrowing the focuses of sociological theory, while others commend Merton for giving the discipline the biggest intellectual push in 50 years. Merton's views on how norms and counter-norms govern social roles are discussed, and ambivalence in Merton's view of autonomy theory are discussed in detail.