Rob Stones – författare

Bringing together some of the most eminent thinkers in the field, this book celebrates the seminal contribution of Ted Benton to such pressing themes as: realism, naturalism and the philosophy of the social sciences; the continuing relevance of Marxism; philosophical anthropology and human needs; and ecology, society and natural limits.

While sociological modernists were outrageously presumptious in their claims for sociological knowledge, postmodernists have gone to another extreme in claiming that it has no more truth status than fiction. Critical of both positions, Sociological Reasoning develops an original typology of approaches to social scientific theory and research which is distinguished by its openness and reflexive awareness of rhetorical and methodological aspects of knowledge claims. Laced with graphic illustrative examples, this is a strikingly well-written text that will appeal to students at undergraduate level and beyond.

While sociological modernists were outrageously presumptious in their claims for sociological knowledge, postmodernists have gone to another extreme in claiming that it has no more truth status than fiction. Critical of both positions, Sociological Reasoning develops an original typology of approaches to social scientific theory and research which is distinguished by its openness and reflexive awareness of rhetorical and methodological aspects of knowledge claims. Laced with graphic illustrative examples, this is a strikingly well-written text that will appeal to students at undergraduate level and beyond.

This important text argues for a 'strong' notion of structuration theory in contrast to the seminal but more abstract and relatively under-developed project represented by Anthony Giddens's writings. Emphasis on the duality of structure is placed at the centre of the tradition. It is argued that the distinctive power of structuration theory lies in its potential to critically investigate a specific range of in situ questions. Structuration Theory produces a synthesis that draws on Giddens's work, on other versions of the structuration problematic, and on key empirical uses of the approach. The final chapters make use of extended case examples to illustrate the critical power of strong structuration.

This important text argues for a 'strong' notion of structuration theory in contrast to the seminal but more abstract and relatively under-developed project represented by Anthony Giddens's writings. Emphasis on the duality of structure is placed at the centre of the tradition. It is argued that the distinctive power of structuration theory lies in its potential to critically investigate a specific range of in situ questions. Structuration Theory produces a synthesis that draws on Giddens's work, on other versions of the structuration problematic, and on key empirical uses of the approach. The final chapters make use of extended case examples to illustrate the critical power of strong structuration.

Despite the fact that most of us think often about society and social life, few of us have had extensive schooling in how to organize or structure such thought. Guided by the belief that the sociological imagination is impoversihed if accessible only to a handful of specialists, Key Sociological Thinkers provides the lay reader with a clear and manageable overview of the major sociological developments from Marx to the present day. Twenty-one concise, thorough chapters introduce the key thinkers in the field; their driving impulses, issues central to their work, substantive examples of the theory in action, their legacy, as well as reading lists meant to stimulate further research. The book's range includes not only canonical figures, such as Marx, Weber, and Durkheim, but feminist, post-structuralist, and post-colonialist thinkers of recent decades, including Nancy Chodorow, Michel Foucault, and Stuart Hall.Other sociologists and social theorists overed include Sigmund Freud, Georg Simmel, Herbert Blumer, Talcott Parsons, Robert Merton, Simone de Beauvoir, Norbert Elias, Erving Goffman, David Lockwood, Harold Garfinkel, Louis Althusser, Jurgen Habermas, Pierre Bourdieu, Arlie Hochschild, and Anthony Giddens. Key Sociological Thinkers is ideal for students new to the field, veterans looking to brush up, and anyone eager to expand their understanding of the world in which we live.

The third edition of this popular and established core textbook provides an invaluable guide to 24 of the most influential thinkers in Sociology. Written by leading academics in the field, Key Sociological Thinkers provides a clear and contextualised introduction to classical and contemporary theory. Each chapter offers an insightful assessment of a different theorist, exploring their lives, works and legacies, and in a much-valued 'Seeing Things Differently' section authors demonstrate how each thinker’s ideas can be used to illuminate aspects of social life in new ways.With frameworks for deep learning around group discussion, this continues be an essential text for undergraduate and postgraduate modules on sociological and social theory.New to this Edition:- Four new chapters, on Mead, Du Bois, Latour and Alexander- Five chapters by new authors on existing key thinkers: Durkheim, Merton, Goffman, Bourdieu, and Giddens- A major new introduction- An updated, structured and annotated ‘Further Reading’ section for each thinker- Extended accounts of 13 additional thinkers who have influenced, or been influenced by, the key thinkersAccompanying online resources for this title can be found at bloomsburyonlineresources.com/key-sociological-3e. These resources are designed to support teaching and learning when using this textbook and are available at no extra cost.

The third edition of this popular and established core textbook provides an invaluable guide to 24 of the most influential thinkers in Sociology. Written by leading academics in the field, Key Sociological Thinkers provides a clear and contextualised introduction to classical and contemporary theory. Each chapter offers an insightful assessment of a different theorist, exploring their lives, works and legacies, and in a much-valued 'Seeing Things Differently' section authors demonstrate how each thinker’s ideas can be used to illuminate aspects of social life in new ways.With frameworks for deep learning around group discussion, this continues be an essential text for undergraduate and postgraduate modules on sociological and social theory.New to this Edition:- Four new chapters, on Mead, Du Bois, Latour and Alexander- Five chapters by new authors on existing key thinkers: Durkheim, Merton, Goffman, Bourdieu, and Giddens- A major new introduction- An updated, structured and annotated ‘Further Reading’ section for each thinker- Extended accounts of 13 additional thinkers who have influenced, or been influenced by, the key thinkers

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com.Television news is frequently disparaged by thoughtful commentators for its preoccupation with drama and spectacle at the expense of serious, in-depth, engagement with the critical issues it covers. Whilst insisting these charges possess more than a small dose of truth, Rob Stones argues for more emphasis to be placed on strengthening the capacities of audiences. Drawing from major traditions in social thought, and on academic media analysis, Stones provides the conceptual tools for audiences to bring greater sophistication to their interpretations, developing their capacity to think across items and genres.A detailed account of an episode of the Danish political drama, Borgen, reveals the extent to which its viewers already deploy similar concepts and skills in order to follow its storylines. Stones shows how audiences can refine these skills further and demonstrates their value with respect to a wide range of current affairs texts, including: Israeli settlers on the West Bank; the Rwandan genocide; the Egyptian ‘revolution’; the Obama administration’s immigration reform bill; the bases of Germany’s economic success; the conflict between ‘red shirts’ and ‘yellow shirts’ in Thailand; China’s diplomatic relations with Burma; and scandals of mistreatment within the UK and Swedish healthcare systems.The book shows that everyone’s understanding of current affairs can be significantly enhanced by social theory. It will be relevant to students of sociology, politics, media studies and journalism at all levels.