What do you think?
Rate this book
Social Theory: Twenty Introductory Lectures
Social theory is the theoretical core of the social sciences, clearly distinguishable from political theory and cultural analysis. This book offers a unique overview of the development of social theory from the end of the Second World War in 1945 to the present day. Spanning the literature in English, French and German, it provides an excellent background to the most important social theorists and theories in contemporary sociological thought, with crisp summaries of the main books, arguments and controversies. It also deals with newly emerging schools from rational choice to symbolic interactionism, with new ambitious approaches (Habermas, Luhmann, Giddens, Bourdieu), structuralism and antistructuralism, critical revisions of modernization theory, feminism and neopragmatism. Written by two of the world's leading sociologists and based on their extensive academic teaching, this unrivalled work is ideal both for students in the social sciences and humanities and for anyone interested in contemporary theoretical debates.
618 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
15 people are currently reading
198 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 1, 2015
Being you a graduate or not, this ‘Social Theory’ stands out as a broad account on the sociologies which set in motion since Parsons, that is, since the forties and fifties, an overwhelming account worthy reading, as I said, so much for the novel students as we the people who have finished our grade on sociology but still we need to fill out those empty spaces relating to certain authors an theories.
As for me, now (after the reading) I’m able to understand a little better some currents whose key points turned out unfamiliar for me, those of Luhmann, Habermas or the American pragmatism, the latter with its claim that thinking and action are not things apart.
These disparate sociological endeavours tackled by Joas here are all regarded under the prism of the sociology as a research of three basic issues: action, order and social change. Bourdieu’s insights, for instance, Joas asserts, lacks from a more comprehensive approach in terms of action: if the social actors conceive of themselves as capital(s) searchers and the social struggle are always interest(capital)-based, if the matter we talk about doesn’t go on further from the means, we’re leaning towards a utilitarian model in which people have their ‘preferences’ (a classic utilitarian term) and society is no more than a space where resources are shared out, many times in an unfair way.
Joas himself is a scholar hugely oriented toward the reflexion over the action, as he demonstrates in the chapter on neo-pragmatism.
Finally, I would like to say that every page of the Joas’ book succeed in expressing complex and very abstract ideas by means of a rather clear language and very well structured chapters. Certainly, ‘Social Theory’ is a must-read.
As for me, now (after the reading) I’m able to understand a little better some currents whose key points turned out unfamiliar for me, those of Luhmann, Habermas or the American pragmatism, the latter with its claim that thinking and action are not things apart.
These disparate sociological endeavours tackled by Joas here are all regarded under the prism of the sociology as a research of three basic issues: action, order and social change. Bourdieu’s insights, for instance, Joas asserts, lacks from a more comprehensive approach in terms of action: if the social actors conceive of themselves as capital(s) searchers and the social struggle are always interest(capital)-based, if the matter we talk about doesn’t go on further from the means, we’re leaning towards a utilitarian model in which people have their ‘preferences’ (a classic utilitarian term) and society is no more than a space where resources are shared out, many times in an unfair way.
Joas himself is a scholar hugely oriented toward the reflexion over the action, as he demonstrates in the chapter on neo-pragmatism.
Finally, I would like to say that every page of the Joas’ book succeed in expressing complex and very abstract ideas by means of a rather clear language and very well structured chapters. Certainly, ‘Social Theory’ is a must-read.
February 8, 2015
This is an excellent overview of sociological theory from Parsons and onwards. Joas and Knöbl structure the book in a way that encourages students to understand why sociology as a discipline looks as it does today. While the conversational tone is good, the translation is a little weird—with some direct "Germanisms" having snuck into the text. That is slightly annoying.
The big critique I have is that while the authors have a broad overview, the focus is clearly on a traditional "general sociology" with a continental focus. This means that some American theory and developments are given short shrift.
Particularly worth your time, however, are the sections on post-Parsonian developments, as Joas and Knöbl do an excellent overview of theorists famous maybe in Europe but who don't have broad purchase beyond (like Luhmann and Eisenstadt). The section on Joas' own contribution is also excellent.
This is probably the best modern theory book I've read.
The big critique I have is that while the authors have a broad overview, the focus is clearly on a traditional "general sociology" with a continental focus. This means that some American theory and developments are given short shrift.
Particularly worth your time, however, are the sections on post-Parsonian developments, as Joas and Knöbl do an excellent overview of theorists famous maybe in Europe but who don't have broad purchase beyond (like Luhmann and Eisenstadt). The section on Joas' own contribution is also excellent.
This is probably the best modern theory book I've read.
July 2, 2020
Estupendo compendio para iniciarse en esta época de la disciplina. Claro, conciso y con abundantes citas de los autores estudiados.
Única pega, no sé si la traducción del alemán es demasiado literal pero en algún párrafo me ha sido complicado seguir el razonamiento descrito y he tenido que recurrir a fuentes externas.
Única pega, no sé si la traducción del alemán es demasiado literal pero en algún párrafo me ha sido complicado seguir el razonamiento descrito y he tenido que recurrir a fuentes externas.
August 15, 2024
Está bien por la cantidad de contenido que tiene, pero es muy complicado de leer. Es un libro obligatorio de una asignatura del grado de sociología. He leído muchos manuales como estos, pero he de decir que este en especial se hace duro. Quizá la organización es lo que no me ha convencido. No obstante, la información es interesante.
May 4, 2021
Alexander’s lectures are a better introduction. Works like these honestly are a large part of why I have no interest in ‘sociological theory’ anymore.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews