A Beginner′s Guide to Social Theory (Theory, Culture & Society (Paperback))

'This book is accessible, as a beginner's guide should be, but without an over-simplification of the arguments. It should prove an immensely durable text for generations of students to come' - John Hughes, Lancaster University At last, a book that makes social theory for undergraduates a pleasure to teach and study. The book offers a comprehensive overview of social theory from classical sociology to the present day. Students are guided through the work of Durkheim, Marx and Weber, functionalism, action perspectives, feminism, postmodernism and contemporary thinkers like Anthony Giddens, Michel Foucault, J[um]urgen Habermas, Frederic Jameson, Judith Butler, Gilles Deluze, Manuel Castells, Luce Irigary, Naomi Woolf and Camille Paglia. The book presents clear accounts of these contributions and employs an extensive range of activities that encourage the reader to evaluate the work of given theorists and approaches. The book is: - Comprehensive - Student-friendly - Accurate - Unpatronising It offers lecturers and students an ideal study resource for undergraduate modules in social theory. ‘This book is accessible, as a beginner's guide should be, but without an over-simplification of the arguments. It should prove an immensely durable text for generations of students to come‘ — John Hughes, Lancaster University At last, a book that makes social theory for undergraduates a pleasure to teach and study. The book offers a comprehensive overview of social theory from classical sociology to the present day. Students are guided through the work of Durkheim, Marx and Weber, functionalism, action perspectives, feminism, postmodernism and contemporary thinkers like Anthony Giddens, Michel Foucault, Jüurgen Habermas, Frederic Jameson, Judith Butler, Gilles Deluze, Manuel Castells, Luce Irigary, Naomi Woolf and Camille Paglia. The book presents clear accounts of these contributions and employs an extensive range of activities that encourage the reader to evaluate the work of given theorists and approaches. The book is: Comprehensive; Student-friendly; Accurate; Unpatronising. It offers lecturers and students an ideal study resource for undergraduate modules in social theory

From Emile Durkheim to Camille Paglia, Best's (sociology, U. of Manchester, UK) overview of social theory for undergraduates encourages readers to reflect on their own assumptions and conclusions as they consider what each theorist thinks, what concepts they use, and how they make use of them. Sections cover functionalist perspectives, Marxism, action perspectives, feminist approaches, the influence of Anthony Giddens and the concept of human agency, and postmodernism. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Offering a comprehensive overview of social theory from classical sociology to the present day, this text guides students through the work of Durkheim, Marx and Weber, feminism, postmodernism and contemporary thinkers like Foucault