Perspectives in Sociology: Classical and Contemporary
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Review
"The book is outstanding in its penetration and coverage of the main streams in sociological/social theory."
-Serena Bufton, Sheffield Hallam University
"A new edition is timely. There have been many substantial changes in the discipline. The opening up of new concerns and the questioning of established perspectives and methodologies. I think that this new edition captures effectively the nature of these new concerns, takes the debate forward, and presents them usefully to new undergraduates."
-David Newton, Staffordshire University
-Serena Bufton, Sheffield Hallam University
"A new edition is timely. There have been many substantial changes in the discipline. The opening up of new concerns and the questioning of established perspectives and methodologies. I think that this new edition captures effectively the nature of these new concerns, takes the debate forward, and presents them usefully to new undergraduates."
-David Newton, Staffordshire University
Product Description
From its first edition in 1979, Perspectives in Sociology has provided generations of undergraduates with a clear, reassuring introduction to the complications of sociological theory. This revised and updated edition features:
- a concise introduction to the major debates of the twentieth century, placing them in historical and philosophical context
- information on thinkers of the nineteenth and early twentieth century whose relevance to modern social thought is only now being recognized, e.g. Nietszche, Saussure, Simmel
- connections drawn between post-structuralist thinkers like Foucault and Derrida and the founding figures of sociology: Marx, Weber and Durkheim
- a completely rewritten chapter on the ‘Synthesisers’ - Bourdieu, Habermas and Giddens - and their attempts to generate a consensus from the apparently conflicting theories of their predecessors
- a new chapter reviewing the rise of British sociology, with particular reference to the political context and the changing role of ‘class’ in sociological thinking
- a new chapter describing the attempts of sociological theorists to explain current concerns, problems, and issues in the areas of gender, (homo)sexuality, and ethnicity in the context of the postcolonial world.
While retaining its emphasis and wealth of information on the founding figures of sociology, this fifth edition now features a new easy-to-read format, (with particular attention paid to the linking and cross-referencing of chapters), and includes much new material on contemporary social theory with particular reference to its attempts to tackle current problems and issues in the areas of gender, sexuality, and ethnicity in the postcolonial context.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Paperback
I'm doing a level 8 applied social studies course and I recently got this book for my sociology module.... and I really like it!!
It's extremely easy to navigate through and is really well written and easy to understand.
It's not an introduction sociology book and is no good for helping you to understand the basics, but it does tell you everything you need to know about sociology theorists and is full of excellent information for essays.
I would highly recommend this book to anybody doing an applied sociology course.
It's extremely easy to navigate through and is really well written and easy to understand.
It's not an introduction sociology book and is no good for helping you to understand the basics, but it does tell you everything you need to know about sociology theorists and is full of excellent information for essays.
I would highly recommend this book to anybody doing an applied sociology course.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Excellent descriptions of the competing sociological theories
11 Jun 2009
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read this 1998 4th paperback edition as part of an independent study course, Principles of Sociology, given by the London School of Economics. There's no instructor in these courses, just a study guide, so the textbooks have to be clear. Perspectives in Sociology is just that.
Despite the confusing and overlapping nature of the subject matter, the authors do a great job in describing and dissecting each point of view. Special-use terms are clearly explained in boxes intermixed in the text. The chapters create a historical progression through the development of sociological theory, from founders Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, up through post-structuralists and synthesists.
Each theorist is presented impartially and objectively. (Incuding those theorists who say objectivity is impossible because we're all prisoners of language, lol.) The main criticisms of each theory are also presented. So, frequently, I found myself thinking that a theory made a lot of sense -- and then on reading the criticism or on reading the next theorist, I underwent an oh-yeah reaction, realizing that the theory failed to explain major phenomena.
In the book's final concluding chapter, the authors note that the term Perspectives is a bit obsolete. Their original intention was to present the varied points of view in sociological theory. Then came the poststructuralists and postmodernists who think the whole concept of sociological theory is incorrect. Nonetheless, I think Perspectives is still a good description of the subject matter.
There is now a fifth edition available which is likely even more useful, though a used 4th edition is currently quite a bit cheaper.
A sidenote: there are a number of neuroscience books now out that describe how much of human behavior and "thinking" is unconscious. This ties well into many sociological theories.
Despite the confusing and overlapping nature of the subject matter, the authors do a great job in describing and dissecting each point of view. Special-use terms are clearly explained in boxes intermixed in the text. The chapters create a historical progression through the development of sociological theory, from founders Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, up through post-structuralists and synthesists.
Each theorist is presented impartially and objectively. (Incuding those theorists who say objectivity is impossible because we're all prisoners of language, lol.) The main criticisms of each theory are also presented. So, frequently, I found myself thinking that a theory made a lot of sense -- and then on reading the criticism or on reading the next theorist, I underwent an oh-yeah reaction, realizing that the theory failed to explain major phenomena.
In the book's final concluding chapter, the authors note that the term Perspectives is a bit obsolete. Their original intention was to present the varied points of view in sociological theory. Then came the poststructuralists and postmodernists who think the whole concept of sociological theory is incorrect. Nonetheless, I think Perspectives is still a good description of the subject matter.
There is now a fifth edition available which is likely even more useful, though a used 4th edition is currently quite a bit cheaper.
A sidenote: there are a number of neuroscience books now out that describe how much of human behavior and "thinking" is unconscious. This ties well into many sociological theories.
good book
30 Jan 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I would have to say that the book was really good. The item came quickly. The only let down was so many highlighted pages!
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