Blackwell Reference Online

This New Companion brings together leading scholars to provide a comprehensive guide to the principal traditions of social theory – including classical sociology, the philosophy of the social sciences, functionalism, structuralism, ethnomethodology, rational choice theory, pragmatism and social interactionism, phenomenology, and conversation analysis. In addition it explores recent trends such as actor network theory, social constructionism, postmodernism, globalization theory, theories of mobility, the sociology of the body, human rights and cosmopolitanism.

The Companion argues that sociology has regrettably been isolated from other major areas of the social sciences and therefore chapters are included on demography, science and technology studies, and genetics and social theory. Also emphasized are certain key areas of sociology which in recent years have had an important impact in shaping the discipline as a whole – feminist social theory, economic sociology, cultural studies, historical sociology, and the sociology of religion.