The Blackwell Dictionary of Modern Social Thought

Modern social thought ranges widely from the social sciences to philosophy, political theories and doctrines, cultural ideas and movements, and the influence of the natural sciences. This Dictionary provides an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the main themes of social thought, principal schools and movements of thought and those institutions that have been the subject of social analysis or engendered significant doctrines and ideas.

Detailed entries cover major currents of thought, philosophical and cultural trends, and the individual social sciences from anthropology to welfare economics. These are supplemented by shorter accounts of specific concepts and phenomena.This second edition updates about 200 entries and includes new entries on the Internet, ethnic cleansing and other topics. Each entry includes suggestions for further reading, and the volume contains a bibliography of all sources cited within the text.

Preface.

Note.

Contributors.

Introduction.

Dictionary Entries A Z.

Bibliography

William Outhwaite is Professor of Sociology at the University of Sussex.His previous publications include Habermas: A Critical Introduction (1994), New Philosophies of Social Science (1987), Understanding Social Life (second edition, 1986), and The Future of Society (Blackwell, 2006). He is co–author of Social Theory and Postcommunism (Blackwell, 2005), editor of The Habermas Reader (1996), and co–editor of The Sociology of Politics (1998).

"This is still the best dictionary around ... Students could abandon their textbooks and follow this reference trail."
Margaret Archer, University of Warwick <!––end––>

"A reference book that is fun to read, often sharp, ironic, and barbed a distillation of current Social Thought as well as a dictionary."
Stephen Turner, University of South Florida

"This book is an indispensable tool for social, political, and intellectual inquiry in general. William Outhwaite has produced a valuable compendium of the key figures, central concepts, influential movements, and important institutions of the modern era. The sum impressively surpasses not only the parts but the peer competitors."
James Der Derian, Brown University and University of Massachusetts Amherst

"Students new to the volume will find it remains a valuable guide."
David Jary, University of Birmingham

"All academic libraries catering for courses in scoiology, politics modern history, cultural studies or philosophy ought to have copies of this book."
Reference Reviews