Theory and Research on Industrialization

Sociological approaches to industrialization are framed by two major theories: social differentiation, based on classical liberalism and Durkheimian sociology, and uneven development, derived from the critical work of Marx and Weber. Although social differentiation continues to influence general treatments of the subject, uneven development has proven more fruitful in research. Important themes in recent research are reviewed by means of a property space based on epochs and processes of industrialization. A summary of five key research areas describes the important issues in current work and, by way of conclusion, suggests some convergence.