Explorations in Classical Sociological Theory: Seeing the Social World

by Kenneth Allan

Continually praised for its conversational tone, personal examples, and helpful pedagogical tools, the exciting Third Edition of Kenneth Allan's Explorations in Classical Sociological Theory: Seeing the Social World has been reorganized around the modern ideas of progress, knowledge, and democracy.  With a historical thread woven throughout the chapters, the book presents a diverse selection of major classical theorists: marx, Spencer, Durkheim, Weber, Simmel, Mead, Schutz, Martineau Gilman, Du Bois, and Parsons.  Author Kenneth Allan focuses on the specific views of each theorist, rather than schools of thought, and highlights modernity and postmodernity to help readers understand how classical theory applies to their lives.

401 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 12, 2005

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was trying to decide between a 3 and 4 star rating. I would rate it a 3 because of the lack of coverage of race and gender theorists (one chapter is dedicated to two women (Martineau and Gilman) and one chapter dedicated to race (Douglass and Du Bois). Both chapters combined only cover a little over 60 pages, while other theorists got 30-50 pages each (Spencer, Marx, Durkheim, Weber). Those theorists are absolutely important, but it is such a disservice to students to marginalize women and people of color who were active and renowned theorists of their times. Much of their work is still applicable today.

That all being said, I decided on a 4 star review because I love the way Allan writes. It is very conversational and he makes it easy to read and grasp the central ideas presented by these theorists. He also ends each chapter with suggested further readings from primary sources (the theorists' actual work) and secondary sources.