Talcott Parsons
Talcott Parsons was an American sociologist of the classical tradition, best known for his social action theory and structural functionalism. Parsons is considered one of the most influential figures in sociology in the 20th century. After earning a PhD in economics, he served on the faculty at Harvard University from 1927 to 1973. In 1930, he was among the first professors in its new sociology department. Later, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Department of Social Relations at H
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Talcott Parsons was an American sociologist of the classical tradition, best known for his social action theory and structural functionalism. Parsons is considered one of the most influential figures in sociology in the 20th century. After earning a PhD in economics, he served on the faculty at Harvard University from 1927 to 1973. In 1930, he was among the first professors in its new sociology department. Later, he was instrumental in the establishment of the Department of Social Relations at Harvard.
Top Publications
- The Theory of Social and Economic Organization. (1948) - 11,415 citations
- The Social System (1951) - 8,712 citations
- The Structure of Social Action (1938) - 3,959 citations
- Growing Old: The Process of Disengagement. (1962) - 1,861 citations
- Toward a General Theory of Action. (1952) - 1,697 citations
At a glance
- Full name
- Talcott Parsons
- OpenAlex ID
- https://openalex.org/A5027748495
Research interests
- Contemporary Sociological Theory and Practice, Weber, Simmel, Sociological Theory, German Social Sciences and History, Economic Theory and Institutions, Legal and Social Philosophy
Research topics
Education
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Selected research & further reading
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See the source-linked reading and original works in the research guide above.
Citation & publication trends
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Source: OpenAlex · Retrieved 2026-10-07. Metrics are database-specific and are not a scientific ranking.
Most-cited linked publications
Publications matched across ORCID and OpenAlex. Citation counts are source-specific.
- The Theory of Social and Economic Organization. ↗1948 · American Sociological Review11,415OpenAlex citations
- The Social System ↗1951 ·8,712OpenAlex citations
- The Structure of Social Action ↗1938 · Southern Economic Journal3,959OpenAlex citations
- Growing Old: The Process of Disengagement. ↗1962 · American Sociological Review1,861OpenAlex citations
- Toward a General Theory of Action. ↗1952 · American Sociological Review1,697OpenAlex citations
Recent linked publications
Publications matched across ORCID and OpenAlex. Citation counts are source-specific.
- The Theory of Social and Economic Organization. ↗1948 · American Sociological Review
- The Social System ↗1951 ·
- The Structure of Social Action ↗1938 · Southern Economic Journal
- Growing Old: The Process of Disengagement. ↗1962 · American Sociological Review
- Toward a General Theory of Action. ↗1952 · American Sociological Review
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Institutions
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Awards & honors
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Career timeline
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Co-authors
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Sign in to claim this profileSources & data information
Editorial review: 2026-10-07 · Last data update: 2026-10-07 23:09:20
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