The New Blackwell Companion to Social Theory

A comprehensive new collection covering the principal traditions and critical contemporary issues of social theory. Builds on the success of The Blackwell Companion to Social Theory, second edition with substantial revisions, entirely new contributions, and a fresh editorial direction Explores contemporary areas such as actor network theory, social constructionism, human rights and cosmopolitanism Includes chapters on demography, science and technology studies, and genetics and social theory Emphasizes key areas of sociology which have had an important impact in shaping the discipline as a whole

A comprehensive new collection covering the principal traditionsand critical contemporary issues of social theory.* Builds on the success of The Blackwell Companion to SocialTheory, second edition with substantial revisions, entirely newcontributions, and a fresh editorial direction* Explores contemporary areas such as actor network theorysocial constructionism, human rights and cosmopolitanism* Includes chapters on demography, science and technologystudies, and genetics and social theory* Emphasizes key areas of sociology which have had an importantimpact in shaping the discipline as a whole

List of Contributors viiiIntroduction: A New Agenda for Social Theory? 1Bryan S. TurnerPART I FOUNDATIONS 171 The Foundations of Social Theory 19Gerard Delanty2 Contemporary Sociological Theory: Post-Parsonian Developments 38John Holmwood3 Philosophy of the Social Sciences 60Patrick Baert and Fernando Domínguez RubioPART II ACTIONS, ACTORS, AND SYSTEMS 814 Theories of Social Action 83Rob Stones5 Functionalism and Social Systems Theory 106Giuseppe Sciortino6 Structuralism and Poststructuralism 124Daniel Chaffee and Charles Lemert7 Actor Network Theory and Material Semiotics 141John Law8 Ethnomethodology and Social Theory 159Richard A. Hilbert9 Rational Choice Theory 179Raymond BoudonPART III PERSPECTIVES ON SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ANALYSIS 19710 Pragmatism and Symbolic Interactionism 199Jack Barbalet11 Phenomenology 218Michael G. Flaherty12 Feminist Theory 235Mary Evans13 Postmodern Social Theory 251Jan Pakulski14 Social Constructionism 281Darin Weinberg15 Conversation Analysis as Social Theory 300John Heritage16 Globalization Theory 321John Boli and Frank J. LechnerPART IV SOCIOLOGY AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES 34117 Genetics and Social Theory 343Oonagh Corrigan18 Economic Sociology 360Richard Swedberg19 Cultural Sociology 378Isaac Reed and Jeffrey C. Alexander20 Historical Sociology 391Krishan Kumar21 The Sociology of Religion 409Michele Dillon22 Demography 428John MacInnes and Julio Pérez Díaz23 Science and Technology Studies: From Controversies to Posthumanist Social Theory 451Sophia Roosth and Susan SilbeyPART V NEW DEVELOPMENTS 47524 Mobilities and Social Theory 477John Urry25 Sociological Theory and Human Rights: Two Logics, One World 496Judith Blau and Alberto Moncada26 The Sociology of the Body 513Bryan S. Turner27 Cosmopolitanism and Social Theory 533Daniel Chernilo28 The Future of Social Theory 551Stephen TurnerIndex 567