Full Description
Written by award-winning scholar, Jonathan Turner, Contemporary Sociological Theory covers the range of diversity of theory in nine theoretical traditions, and variants of theoretical approaches in these traditions. The result is a comprehensive review of present-day theorizing in sociology covering functional, evolutionary, ecological, conflict, interactionist, exchange, structuralist, cultural, and critical theories and the major proponents of these theories. Moreover, for each theoretical tradition, it origins are examined in a separate chapter with an eye to how classical theorists influenced the work of key contemporary scholars. This book will serve as a valuable resource for those readers seeking in-depth and comprehensive coverage of contemporary traditions in their historical contexts. Unlike many texts, coverage is comprehensive and deep. The theories and their origins are examined in detail so that readers can fully understand the origins and present profile of theories in present-day sociology.
Contents
1. The Nature of Sociological TheoryPART I. FUNCTIONAL THEORIZING2. The Rise of Functional Theorizing3. Talcott Parsons' Analytical Functionalism4. The Systems Functinoalism of Niklas Luhmann5. Efforts to Revitalize FunctionalismPART II. EVOLUTIONARY AND ECOLOGICAL THEORIES6. The Rise of Evolutionary and Ecological Theories7. Ecological Theories8. Stage Theories of Societal Evolution9. Darwinian-inspired Evolutionary TheoriesPART III. CONFICT THEORIZING10. The Rise of Conflict Theorizing11. Early Analytical Conflict Theories12. Randall Collins' Analytical Conflict Theory13. Marxian Conflict Theories14. Conflict Theories in Historical-Comparative SociologyPART IV. INTERACTIONIST THEORIZING15. The Rise of Interactionist and Phenomenological Theorizing16. Symbolic Interactionist Theories of Identity17. Roles Theories18. Status Theories19. Dramaturgical Theories20. Ethnomethological TheoriesPART V. EXCHANGE THEORIZING21. The Rise of Exchange Theorizing22. Early Exchange Theorizing23. Rational Choice Theories24. Exchange-Network TheoriesPART VI. STRUCTURALIST AND CULTURAL THEORIZING25. The Rise of Structuralist and Cultural Theorizing26. Early Structural and Cultural Theories27. Cultural Theories28. Structuration Theory29. Network Critical Theorizing31. Critical Theorizing in the Frankfurt School32. Postmodernism as Critical Theory33. American-style Critical Theory
