1902-1979. US sociologist, who attempted to
integrate all the social sciences into a
science of human action. He was professor of
sociology at Harvard University from 1931
until his death, and author of over 150 books
and articles. His theory of structural
functionalism dominated US sociology from the
1940s to the 1960s, and as an attempt to
explain social order and individual
behaviour, it was a major step in
establishing sociology as an academic and
scientific discipline.