In this book Anthony Giddens addresses a range of issues concerning
current developments in social theory, relating them to the
prospects for sociology in the closing decades of the twentieth
century.
Composed of closely integrated papers, all written over the past
few years, the book includes seven essays not previously published,
plus two have not appeared in English before.
In assessing the likely future evolution of sociology in
particular, and the social sciences in general, the author both
draws upon ideas established in his more abstract theoretical
writings and examines critically competing traditions of
thought.
Those looking for an accessible introduction to Gidden’s writing
will find in this book a set of clear expositions of his basic
ideas. By situating these ideas in relation to the critical
assessment of the views of others, however, the author provides new
sources of insight into the distinctiveness of his own claims.
Table of Content
Preface.
1. What Do Sociologists Do?.
2. Nine Theses on the Future of Sociology.
3. The Social Sciences and Philosophy – Trends in Recent
Social Theory.
4. Structuralism, Post-Structuralism and the Production of
Culture.
5. Erving Goffman as a Systematic Social Theorist.
6. Time and Social Organization.
7. Nation-States and Violence.
8. Social Theory and Problems of Macroeconomics.
9. Out of the Orrery: E.P.Thompson on Consciousness and
History.
10. Reason Without Revolution? Heberman’s Theory of
Communicative Action.
11. Alvin Gouldner and the Intellenctuals.
12. The Perils of Punditry: Gorz and the End of the Working
Class.
Index.
About the author
Anthony Giddens is Director of the London School of
Economics and Political Science. He was formerly Professor of
Sociology and Fellow of King’s College at the University of
Cambridge.
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