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Modern Sociological Theory

by George Ritzer

Summary

Written by one of the foremost authorities in American sociological theory, Modern Sociological Theory is a comprehensive overview of the schools of modern sociological thought. Reflecting changes in this fourth edition and paving the way for a separate text on Postmodern Social Theory, which Ritzer is now writing, the title has been changed from "Contemporary Sociological Theory" to "Modern Sociological Theory". Part 1 continues to offer two chapters devoted to the history of sociological theory. Part 2, with significant changes in terms of content and organization, devotes six chapters to the major schools of modern sociological theory. Each has been updated to reflect recent work, including theoretical syntheses. Two chapters in Part 3 address recent integrative developments, namely micro-macro and agency-structure. Part 4, which is new, provides two chapters addressing contemporary theories in modernity, structuralism, and poststructuralism, and the emergence of postmodern social theory. The book concludes with an appendix which provides a metatheoretical schema that informs the text, and highlights the latest work in sociological metatheorizing.