Johan Heilbron is a research fellow at the Amsterdam School for Social Research.

'This is an excellent book. Heilbron's text is illuminating. The interest of Heilbron's book is that he subjects homo sociologus to Bourdieu's treatment. He provides a fascinating and well-researched social and intellectual history of France from the ancient regime through to the time of Comte.' The Times Higher Education Supplement 'An outstanding scholarly product ... a good book in the sense of enjoyable reading.' Acta Sociologica'Wealth of cultural history ... brilliantly written and rich ... provide[s] essential contributions to the self-reflection of sociology in our time.' European Journal of Social Theory

• Foreword. Introduction.Part I: The Rise of Social Theory:.1. Intellectuals Between Academy and Salon.2. Rivalry for Reason.3. French Moralists and the Social Order.4. The Construction of Social Theory.5. Theoretical Models Compared: France and Scotland.Part II: From Social Theory to Social Science:.6. Reform, Revolution and the Napoleonic Era.7. Intellectual Transformations Around 1800.8. Natural Science and Revolution.9. The Literary Opposition.10. Models for a Social Science.Part III: Foundations of Sociology:.11. The Interrupted Career of Auguste Comte.12. Politics, Science and Philosophy.13. The Turn to the Philosophy of Science.14. Response and Resistance.Summary.Notes.Index.