Charles Turner is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Warwick. He is author of Modernity and Politics in the Work of Max Weber (1992), Investigating Sociological Theory (2010), and Secularization (2019).

Conceptually rigorous, rich in content, grounded in wide and deep reading, thoughtfully written and judicious, Charles Turner′s new book is a major addition to sociological theory... Its last sentence fittingly urges students and teachers to "keep reading". For those unfamiliar with Turner′s book, I add: put Investigating Sociological Theory at the top of your reading listPeter BaehrCanadian Journal of Sociology Here at last is a book that conveys the drama, excitement, and human importance of sociological theory in a sophisticated yet accessible way. It will launch a thousand conversations in classes, and provide teachers with an opportunity to discuss the big life and historical questions, while at the same time teaching a lot of sociology and theory. The book is terrific. I have nothing but admiration for itStephen TurnerUniversity of South Florida In this authoritative and strikingly original book, Charles Turner demonstrates that sociological theory far from being some dry, boring meta-discourse of society is an ethically engaged enterprise, intimately connected to the arts of living in the contemporary world. Accessible to both students and seasoned practitioners, this book is at once a terrific defence and itself an elegant example of the continuing relevance and intellectual vitality of sociological theory. Turner′s brilliant discussion thoroughly deserves to resonate across the discipline of sociological theory in both its European and north American versionsThomas OsborneUniversity of BristolThis is a splendid, extremely readable book which provides a master-class in how to play off one thinker against another in developing and presenting one′s own perspective. It is in the grand tradition of Sorokin, Andreski and Mouzelis and should inspire generations of advanced undergraduates and graduate students, as well as being a brilliant contribution to the professional literatureWilliam OuthwaiteNewcastle UniversityWe must welcome fresh approaches that make a serious attempt at rethinking the traditional textbook package....CharlesTurner’s Investigating Sociological Theory is such an attempt...Turner has managed, let us hope, to put an end to those silly introductory books, which have plagued the field for such a long time. Future introductory books to sociological theory will hopefully be written with more sense and sensibility. This could be no mean achievementAndreas HessHistory of Human Sciences

• IntroductionClassic and CanonDescriptionCategoriesMetaphorsDiagramsCynicism and Scepticism: Two Intellectual StylesSociological Theory and the Art of LivingConclusion

Charles Turner is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Warwick. He is author of Modernity and Politics in the Work of Max Weber (1992), Investigating Sociological Theory (2010), and Secularization (2019).

Conceptually rigorous, rich in content, grounded in wide and deep reading, thoughtfully written and judicious, Charles Turner′s new book is a major addition to sociological theory... Its last sentence fittingly urges students and teachers to "keep reading". For those unfamiliar with Turner′s book, I add: put Investigating Sociological Theory at the top of your reading listPeter BaehrCanadian Journal of Sociology Here at last is a book that conveys the drama, excitement, and human importance of sociological theory in a sophisticated yet accessible way. It will launch a thousand conversations in classes, and provide teachers with an opportunity to discuss the big life and historical questions, while at the same time teaching a lot of sociology and theory. The book is terrific. I have nothing but admiration for itStephen TurnerUniversity of South Florida In this authoritative and strikingly original book, Charles Turner demonstrates that sociological theory far from being some dry, boring meta-discourse of society is an ethically engaged enterprise, intimately connected to the arts of living in the contemporary world. Accessible to both students and seasoned practitioners, this book is at once a terrific defence and itself an elegant example of the continuing relevance and intellectual vitality of sociological theory. Turner′s brilliant discussion thoroughly deserves to resonate across the discipline of sociological theory in both its European and north American versionsThomas OsborneUniversity of BristolThis is a splendid, extremely readable book which provides a master-class in how to play off one thinker against another in developing and presenting one′s own perspective. It is in the grand tradition of Sorokin, Andreski and Mouzelis and should inspire generations of advanced undergraduates and graduate students, as well as being a brilliant contribution to the professional literatureWilliam OuthwaiteNewcastle UniversityWe must welcome fresh approaches that make a serious attempt at rethinking the traditional textbook package....CharlesTurner’s Investigating Sociological Theory is such an attempt...Turner has managed, let us hope, to put an end to those silly introductory books, which have plagued the field for such a long time. Future introductory books to sociological theory will hopefully be written with more sense and sensibility. This could be no mean achievementAndreas HessHistory of Human Sciences

• IntroductionClassic and CanonDescriptionCategoriesMetaphorsDiagramsCynicism and Scepticism: Two Intellectual StylesSociological Theory and the Art of LivingConclusion

Charles Turner is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Warwick. He is author of Modernity and Politics in the Work of Max Weber (1992), Investigating Sociological Theory (2010), and Secularization (2019).

Conceptually rigorous, rich in content, grounded in wide and deep reading, thoughtfully written and judicious, Charles Turner′s new book is a major addition to sociological theory... Its last sentence fittingly urges students and teachers to "keep reading". For those unfamiliar with Turner′s book, I add: put Investigating Sociological Theory at the top of your reading listPeter BaehrCanadian Journal of Sociology Here at last is a book that conveys the drama, excitement, and human importance of sociological theory in a sophisticated yet accessible way. It will launch a thousand conversations in classes, and provide teachers with an opportunity to discuss the big life and historical questions, while at the same time teaching a lot of sociology and theory. The book is terrific. I have nothing but admiration for itStephen TurnerUniversity of South Florida In this authoritative and strikingly original book, Charles Turner demonstrates that sociological theory far from being some dry, boring meta-discourse of society is an ethically engaged enterprise, intimately connected to the arts of living in the contemporary world. Accessible to both students and seasoned practitioners, this book is at once a terrific defence and itself an elegant example of the continuing relevance and intellectual vitality of sociological theory. Turner′s brilliant discussion thoroughly deserves to resonate across the discipline of sociological theory in both its European and north American versionsThomas OsborneUniversity of BristolThis is a splendid, extremely readable book which provides a master-class in how to play off one thinker against another in developing and presenting one′s own perspective. It is in the grand tradition of Sorokin, Andreski and Mouzelis and should inspire generations of advanced undergraduates and graduate students, as well as being a brilliant contribution to the professional literatureWilliam OuthwaiteNewcastle UniversityWe must welcome fresh approaches that make a serious attempt at rethinking the traditional textbook package....CharlesTurner’s Investigating Sociological Theory is such an attempt...Turner has managed, let us hope, to put an end to those silly introductory books, which have plagued the field for such a long time. Future introductory books to sociological theory will hopefully be written with more sense and sensibility. This could be no mean achievementAndreas HessHistory of Human Sciences

• IntroductionClassic and CanonDescriptionCategoriesMetaphorsDiagramsCynicism and Scepticism: Two Intellectual StylesSociological Theory and the Art of LivingConclusion