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Understanding Contemporary Society
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Understanding Contemporary Society
Theories of the Present

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February 2000 | 520 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
Understanding Contemporary Society: Theories of the Present is a comprehensive textbook to guide students through the complexities of social theory today. Over 30 chapters, written by an international team of contributors, demonstrate clearly the practical applications of social theory in making sense of the modern world. Students are both introduced to the most significant theories and guided through the major social developments which shape our lives.

Key features of the book are: clearly structured and readable prose; bullet pointed summaries and annotated further reading for each topic; makes complex issues accessible to undergraduates; focuses on relevance and practicality; chapter lay-out which is ideal for teaching and seminar readings.


Gary Browning, Abigail Halcli and Frank Webster
Theory, Theorists and Themes
A User's Guide to Understanding the Present

 
 
PART ONE: THEORIES
Christopher Norris
Postmodernism
A Guide for the Perplexed

 
Mich[gr]ele Barrett
Post-Feminism
Krishan Kumar
Post-History
Living at the End

 
Terrell Carver
Post-Marxism
Don Robotham
Post-Colonialism and Beyond
Ted Benton
Reflexive Modernization
Susan Stephenson
Narrative
John Scott
Rational Choice Theory
Tim Blackman
Complexity Theory
Gary Browning
Contemporary Liberalism
Nick Hewlett
Democracy
Liberal and Direct

 
Elizabeth Frazer
Communitarianism
Kimberly Hutchings
New Thinking in International Relations
Stephen Crook
Utopia and Dystopia
 
PART TWO: THEMES
David Lyon
Post-Modernity
Barrie Axford
Globalization
Andy Kilmister
Restructuring
Saskia Sassen
Cities in the Global Economy
Rick Maxwell
Cultural Studies
Carl Boggs
Intellectuals
Frank Webster
Higher Education
Kaarle Nordenstreng
Mass Communication
Vincent Mosco
The Web
Murray Low
Nationalism
Sarah Ansari
Islam
Avigail Eisenberg
Cultural Pluralism Today
Mary Maynard
Families and Households
Chris Shilling
The Body
Ken Plummer
Intimate Choices
David Pepper
Environmentalism
Abigail Halcli
Social Movements
Harriet Bradley
Social Inequalities
Coming to Terms with Complexity

 

A comprehensive and comprehensible book that provides an up-to-date overview of social theory. I particularly liked the summaries, which enabled me to decide quickly which are the most useful chapters for the course I deliver. A good reader for students who wish to get to grips with making sense of today's society.

Ms Angela Hilton
School of Education, Wolverhampton University
May 14, 2013

This is an excellent resource; lucid discussion of key issues, accessible writing which encourages and enables undergraduates to understand the importance of social theory as an explanatory tool. It is remarkable that all of the many different writers have offered sophisticated but engaging analyses of their topics.

Thoby Miller
Sociology , University
December 2, 2010

An excellent text that gives student an understnadeing of some of the current theories in sociology

Dr Caroline Lohmann-Hancock
ESSI, Trinity College Carmarthen
January 21, 2010

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