Contemporary Sociological Thinkers and Theories

Sandro Segre is Professor of Sociology at the University of Genoa, Italy and author of A Weberian Analysis of Business Groups and Financial Markets, Introduction to Habermas and Talcott Parsons: An Introduction.

’This book by Sandro Segre is much recommended, not only for the expert but also for use in undergraduate and graduate courses in sociological theory. Segre writes, as always, with insight, imagination and analytical sharpness.’ Richard Swedberg, Cornell University, USA ’A stimulating, thorough, and balanced exposition of current thinking in sociological theory, provided by an old hand in the theory business whose work is always reliable and interesting. This book will prove particularly suitable for advanced students who want to fill in the gaps in their knowledge of today's theorizing.’ Alan Sica, Pennsylvania State University, USA ’In many years of teaching contemporary social theory, I have never found an introduction to the topic as wonderfully concise, readable, thoughtful, and reflective as this terrific volume by Sandro Segre. His essays on recent social theorists and schools of thought are gems of explication, assessment, and critique. Highly recommended for advanced students and specialists alike.’ Mustafa Emirbayer, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA

• Foreword; Chapter 1 The Neofunctionalism of Jeffrey Alexander; Chapter 2 Pierre Bourdieu (1930–2002); Chapter 3 Ethnomethodology; Chapter 4 Exchange Theory; Chapter 5 Michel Foucault (1926–1984); Chapter 6 Anthony Giddens; Chapter 7 Erving Goffman (1922–1982); Chapter 8 Jürgen Habermas; Chapter 9 Niklas Luhmann (1927–1998); Chapter 10 Robert K. Merton (1910–2003); Chapter 11 Network and Social Capital Theory; Chapter 12 Talcott Parsons (1902–1979); Chapter 13 Rational Choice Theory; Chapter 14 The Phenomenological Perspective of Alfred Schutz (1899–1959); Chapter 15 Structuralism in Sociology and Other Social Sciences; Chapter 16 Symbolic Interactionism;