This department is an important research department in the institute. Its research work focuses on two aspects. One is to research the fundamental theories of sociology as an independent discipline, the major schools of social theories, the origin, development, evolution, transmission, and evaluation of these schools. The other is to research the theoretical problems of the development of contemporary Chinese society. This group is also in charge for the edit of social theory, a bimonthly journal that aims at explaining foreign sociological theories, and becomes a window for Chinese scholars to study and refer foreign research (especially theoretical research). They have finished some important projects, such as the theoretical part of Sociology Volume, the Encyclopaedia China, “the Marxist research of sociology”. They are engaging in “the history of sociological thought”, “the trendy thoughts of positivism in social research”, “postmodern social theories”, and “historical sociology”, etc.

Department Members:

Deputy Director: Zhao Liwei

Members: CHEN Tao, HE Rong(female)