Classical Sociological Theory

Written by one of the foremost authorities in the world on sociological theory and a junior colleague (and former student) who specializes, and has already published widely, in theory, this market-leading text gives readers a comprehensive overview of the major classical theorists and contemporary schools of sociological thought. Key theories are integrated with biographical sketches of the lives of theorists to place readings in their personal and historical context for students. This book provides students with the context to understand the original works of classical authors as well as the framework to compare and contrast the newest substantive theories that they have learned in other sociology courses.