The New Blackwell Companion to Social Theory

The New Blackwell Companion to Social Theory builds on the success of The Blackwell Companion to Social Theory, second edition (2000) providing a comprehensive guide to the principal traditions of social theory, whilst also exploring critical contemporary issues and engaging sociology with other major areas of the social sciences.

Bringing together leading scholars from various branches of social theory, this authoritative new collection covers areas from classical sociology to actor network theory and structuralism to the sociology of the body. The book also emphasizes certain key areas of sociology which have had an important impact in shaping the discipline as a whole, such as feminist social theory, economic sociology, and the sociology of religion.

The New Companion argues for a restoration and invigoration of the role of social theory in contemporary sociology, if the discipline is to remain dynamic, critical and relevant.

Contributors.

Introduction: A New Agenda for Social Theory? (Bryan S. Turner, National University of Singapore).

Part I: Foundations.

1. The Foundations of Social Theory (Gerard Delanty, University of Sussex).

2. Contemporary Sociological Theory: Post–Parsonian Developments (John Holmwood, University of Birmingham).

3. Philosophy of the Social Sciences (Patrick Baert, University of Cambridge and Fernando Rubio Dominguez, University of Cambridge).

Part II: Actions, Actors, and Systems.

4. Theories of Social Action (Rob Stones, University of Essex).

5. Functionalism and Social Systems Theory (Giuseppe Sciortino, University of Trento).

6. Structuralism and Poststructuralism (David Chaffee, Flinders University and Charles Lemert, Wesleyan University, CT).

7. Actor Network Theory and Material Semiotics (John Law, Lancaster University).

8. Ethnomethodology (Richard A. Hilbert, Gustavus Adolphus College).

9. Rational Choice Theory (Raymond Boudon, University of Paris––Sorbonne).

Part III: Perspectives on Social and Cultural Analysis.

10. Pragmatism and Symbolic Interactionism (Jack Barbalet, University of Leicester).

11. Phenomenology (Michael G. Flaherty, Eckerd College).

12. Feminist Theory (Mary Evans, Gender Institute, London School of Economics and Political Science).

13. Postmodern Social Theory (Jan Pakulski, University of Tasmania).

14. Social Constructionism (Darin Weinberg, University of Cambridge).

15. Conversation Analysis and Social Theory (John Heritage, University of California, Los Angeles).

16. Globalization Theory (John Boli, Emory University and Frank J. Lechner, Emory University).

Part IV: Sociology and the Social Sciences.

17. Genetics and Social Theory (Oonagh Corrigan, University of Plymouth).

18. Economic Sociology (Richard Swedberg, Cornell University).

19. Cultural Sociology (Jeffrey C. Alexander, Yale University and Isaac Reed, University of Colorado).

20. Historical Sociology (Krishan Kumar, University of Virginia).

21. The Sociology of Religion (Michele Dillon, University of New Hampshire).

22. Demography (John MacInnes, University of Edinburgh and Julio Pérez Diaz, Spanish Council for Scientific Research).

23. Science and Technology Studies (Sophia Roosth (MIT) and Susan Silbey, Fellow of the American Academy of Political and Social Science).

Part V: New Developments.

24. Mobilities and Social Theory (John Urry, Lancaster University).

25. Sociological Theory and Human Rights: Two Logics, One World (Judith Blau, University of North Carolina and Alberto Moncada, Valencia Center, UNESCO).

26. The Sociology of the Body (Bryan S. Turner, National University of Singapore).

27. Cosmopolitanism and Social Theory (Daniel Chernilo, University of Alberto Hurtado).

28. The Future of Social Theory (Stephen Turner, University of South Florida).

Index.

Bryan S. Turner is the research leader of the cluster on globalization and religion in the Asia Research Institute at the National University of Singapore. He is the founding editor of the journals Citizenship Studies, Journal of Classical Sociology (with John O’Neil), and Body & Society (with Mike Featherstone). His publications include The Blackwell Companion to Social Theory, second edition (Blackwell, 1996), The Cambridge Dictionary of Sociology (2006), and Vulnerability and Human Rights (2006).

"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)