Back for the Future: Sociological Theory and Today's Big Issues

by James Simpson

What would the great founders of modern sociology have to say about happiness, modern capitalism, generation rent or pop music? What were their ideas about? Back For the Future introduces the concept of sociological investigation and describes the theoretical approaches of Emile Durkheim, Karl Marx and Max Weber in the context of their times and through the big challenges in society today. The book discusses world happiness research, the internet and 'glocalisation', sexual freedom and gender, 'collective effervescence', modern capitalism, the ever-present bureaucratic model of management in society, social behaviour and cognitive bias amongst many other topics in today’s world. You even get fine art samples, a fun puzzle and a great You Tube link to illustrate the ideas! In reader testing Back for the Future was highly rated as an introductory reader, a teaching and learning aid and as a student text that cuts across disciplinary boundaries.

104 pages, Paperback

Published December 2, 2015

About the author

William James Simpson (writing as James Simpson), Ph.D., is a lecturer and Chair of the English Department at the University of Cambridge, and a Fellow of Girton College. His primary focus is on medieval literature, as well as Middle English and early modern literature and culture (1150-1600).