Description
Book SynopsisA comprehensive new collection covering the principal traditions and critical contemporary issues of social theory.
- Builds on the success of The Blackwell Companion to Social Theory, second edition with substantial revisions, entirely new contributions, and a fresh editorial direction
- Explores contemporary areas such as actor network theory, social constructionism, human rights and cosmopolitanism
- Includes chapters on demography, science and technology studies, and genetics and social theory
- Emphasizes key areas of sociology which have had an important impact in shaping the discipline as a whole
Trade Review"Every university should be considering acquiring this book for its library stock.... This is a solid and worthy resource for students at the level of bright undergraduates or taught postgraduates in a wide range of academic disciplines." (
Reference Reviews, 2009)
Table of ContentsList of Contributors viii
Introduction: A New Agenda for Social Theory? 1
Bryan S. Turner
PART I FOUNDATIONS 17
1 The Foundations of Social Theory 19
Gerard Delanty
2 Contemporary Sociological Theory: Post-Parsonian Developments 38
John Holmwood
3 Philosophy of the Social Sciences 60
Patrick Baert and Fernando Domínguez Rubio
PART II ACTIONS, ACTORS, AND SYSTEMS 81
4 Theories of Social Action 83
Rob Stones
5 Functionalism and Social Systems Theory 106
Giuseppe Sciortino
6 Structuralism and Poststructuralism 124
Daniel Chaffee and Charles Lemert
7 Actor Network Theory and Material Semiotics 141
John Law
8 Ethnomethodology and Social Theory 159
Richard A. Hilbert
9 Rational Choice Theory 179
Raymond Boudon
PART III PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANALYSIS 197
10 Pragmatism and Symbolic Interactionism 199
Jack Barbalet
11 Phenomenology 218
Michael G. Flaherty
12 Feminist Theory 235
Mary Evans
13 Postmodern Social Theory 251
Jan Pakulski
14 Social Constructionism 281
Darin Weinberg
15 Conversation Analysis as Social Theory 300
John Heritage
16 Globalization Theory 321
John Boli and Frank J. Lechner
PART IV SOCIOLOGY AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES 341
17 Genetics and Social Theory 343
Oonagh Corrigan
18 Economic Sociology 360
Richard Swedberg
19 Cultural Sociology 378
Isaac Reed and Jeffrey C. Alexander
20 Historical Sociology 391
Krishan Kumar
21 The Sociology of Religion 409
Michele Dillon
22 Demography 428
John MacInnes and Julio Pérez Díaz
23 Science and Technology Studies: From Controversies to Posthumanist Social Theory 451
Sophia Roosth and Susan Silbey
PART V NEW DEVELOPMENTS 475
24 Mobilities and Social Theory 477
John Urry
25 Sociological Theory and Human Rights: Two Logics, One World 496
Judith Blau and Alberto Moncada
26 The Sociology of the Body 513
Bryan S. Turner
27 Cosmopolitanism and Social Theory 533
Daniel Chernilo
28 The Future of Social Theory 551
Stephen Turner
Index 567
