Full Description
A unique contribution to discussions of social theory, this book counters the argument that no social theory was ever produced in Britain before the late twentieth century. Reviewing a period of 300 years from the seventeenth century to the mid-twentieth century, it sets out a number of innovative strands in theory that culminated in powerful contributions in the classical period of sociology. The book discusses how these traditions of theory were lost and forgotten and sets out why they are important today.
Contents
Chapter 1 Was There a Failure of British Social Theory?
Foundations of Social Thought
Chapter 2 Social Thought in Mainstream Philosophy: Towards a Science of Social Structure
Chapter 3 Difference, Diversity, and Development in the Social Organism
Chapter 4 The Romantic Critique and Social Idealism
Chapter 5 The Socialist Critique and Cultural Materialism
Classical Social Theories
Chapter 6 Patrick Geddes: Towards a Professional Sociology
Chapter 7 Robert MacIver: Building an Intellectual Base
Chapter 8 Leonard Hobhouse: Building Disciplinary Sociology
Development and Decay
Chapter 9 Social Theory After the Classics
Chapter 10 Rediscovering Theory and Theorists
Appendix: Principal Social Theorists
Bibliography
