Introducing Sociological Theory

by Darren J. O'Byrne

Introducing Sociological Theory offers a comprehensive, navigable and highly readable introduction to the main schools of thought in sociology, along with the philosophical ideas that underpin them. 8 broad theoretical traditions, or perspectives, are explained helping you to recognize the scope and range of sociological theory and to think sociologically and see the social world in different ways. The author skilfully and revealingly engages with each theoretical perspective showing what it actually means, why it utilises certain concepts over others, and how it generates and derives from evolving traditions of sociological thought.

Introducing Sociological Theory is an essential text for all sociology students and of key interest more broadly within the social sciences and humanities.

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 5, 2010

Reviews

[Geru_b · Rating 4 out of 5]

So far the best book I've encountered on sociological theory. The author sets aside the esoteric vocabulary and phrasing that characterizes most of the sociological theory text books and lays out the different sociological theoretical traditions in a very clear fashion. Also, the exercises provide a nice tool to take those theories to the real and material world (if such a world even exists). However, the constant "her or his", "herself or himself", "she or he" can make some segments (specially where hypothetical examples are provided) tedious and distracting. This only reveals that the author adheres more to interactionism and post-structuralism than any other sociological school of thought and places label over meaning. Paradoxically the only two examples in the book where the subject is fully and completely male (a man in a bar seducing a women and a bearded professor giving a lecture -Stanley Milgram would grin-) reinforce the image of male individuals in patriarchal social paradigms. Additionally, sometimes the tone became a bit too informal, almost childish, for my taste; sociological theory, in the end, is not a toy. In the end, this book can be a stepping stone to regain an interest towards sociology and the theory behind it at a moment when total despair is reached with this discipline, since most authors out there appear to be simply saying much but telling very little. This goal is very clearly stated at the beginning of the book and is very much achieved. I will be in eternal debt with this author.

[sof☀️]

sarebbe stato molto meglio se solo non lo avessi dovuto studiare per un esame!