Contemporary Social and Sociological Theory

Kenneth Allan received his PhD in sociology from the University of California, Riverside (1995), and is currently professor of Sociology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG). Before moving to UNCG, he directed the Teaching Assistant Development Program at the University of California, Riverside, and coedited Training Teaching Assistants, 2nd Edition (1997), published by the American Sociological Association. In addition to teaching classical and contemporary theory at UNCG, Allan also supervised UNCG’s sociology iSchool program, which offered online introduction to sociology classes to high school students across North Carolina, has designed several online courses for both the college and department, and has regularly taught graduate pedagogy courses. Allan’s research areas include theory, culture, and the self. He has authored several works in the area of theory, including multiple textbooks covering classical and contemporary theory, as well as The Meaning of Culture: Moving the Postmodern Critique Forward, and A Primer in Social and Sociological Theory: Toward a Sociology of Citizenship. His current projects include a social history of American individualism, a sociological analysis of consciousness and self, as well as a novel based in early 20th century American life.

• Part I: IntroductionsChapter 1: In the Beginning Was ModernityModern SocietyModern KnowledgeTheory: The Key to Modern KnowledgeThe Classical TheoristsComplexities of Contemporary TheorySummaryBuilding Your Theory ToolboxSummaryChapter 2: Defining Moments in Twentieth-Century Theory - Talcott Parsons and the Frankfurt SchoolTalcott Parsons: Defining SociologyThe Frankfurt School: The Problem With SociologyBuilding Your Theory ToolboxPart II: Individuals and SituationsChapter 3: The Language of the Self - Herbert BlumerTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Emergent MeaningsConcepts and Theory: Self and ActionConcepts and Theory: Society and SociologySummaryTaking the Perspective: Symbolic InteractionismBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 4: Imaging the Self - Erving GoffmanThe Big Picture: Self-ImageTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Impression ManagementConcepts and Theory: The EncounterConcepts and Theory: Frames and KeysConcepts and Theory: The Interaction OrderSummaryTaking the Perspective: DramaturgyBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 5: Achieving Social Order - Harold GarfinkelThe Big Picture: Social ConstructivismTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Achieving Social OrderConcepts and Theory: ReflexivitySummaryTaking the Perspective: EthnomethodologyBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 6: Social Exchanges - George Homans, Peter Blau, and Randall CollinsThe Big Picture: AgencyElementary Forms of Social Behavior: George HomansTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Basic Principles of Behavioral PsychologySummarySocial Exchanges and Power: Peter BlauTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Social ExchangesConcepts and Theory: Creating Power and Social StructuresSummaryRitualized Exchanges: Randall CollinsTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Emotion - The GeneralizedConcepts and Theory: Interaction Ritual ChainsConcepts and Theory: Ritualizing StratificationSummaryTaking the Perspective: Exchange TheoryBuilding Your Theory ToolboxPart III: Social Structures and SystemsThe Big Picture: Levels of AnalysisChapter 7: Structures of Racial and Gender Inequality - William Julius Wilson and Janet Saltzman ChafetzThe Big Picture: StructuresThe Declining Significance of Race: William Julius WilsonTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: American Racial HistoryConcepts and Theory: Policy ImplicationsSummaryTaking the Perspective: American Race TheoryThe Structures of Gender Inequality: Janet Saltzman ChafetzTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Coercive Structures of Gender InequalityConcepts and Theory: Micro-Level Coercive StructuresConcepts and Theory: Changing Gender InequalitySummaryTaking the Perspective: FeminismBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 8: Structuring Class - Pierre BourdieuThe Big Picture: ClassTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Structuring ClassConcepts and Theory: Replicating ClassConcepts and Theory: Toward a New SociologySummaryTaking the Perspective: Cultural EmbodimentBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 9: Structures of Power - Michel FoucaultThe Big Picture: PowerTheorist′s DigestSummaryTaking the Perspective: DramaturgyBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 5: Achieving Social Order - Harold GarfinkelThe Big Picture: Social ConstructivismTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Achieving Social OrderConcepts and Theory: ReflexivitySummaryTaking the Perspective: EthnomethodologyBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 6: Social Exchanges - George Homans, Peter Blau, and Randall CollinsThe Big Picture: AgencyElementary Forms of Social Behavior: George HomansTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Basic Principles of Behavioral PsychologySummarySocial Exchanges and Power: Peter BlauTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Social ExchangesConcepts and Theory: Creating Power and Social StructuresSummaryRitualized Exchanges: Randall CollinsTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Emotion - The GeneralizedConcepts and Theory: Interaction Ritual ChainsConcepts and Theory: Ritualizing StratificationSummaryTaking the Perspective: Exchange TheoryBuilding Your Theory ToolboxPart III: Social Structures and SystemsThe Big Picture: Levels of AnalysisChapter 7: Structures of Racial and Gender Inequality - William Julius Wilson and Janet Saltzman ChafetzThe Big Picture: StructuresThe Declining Significance of Race: William Julius WilsonTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: American Racial HistoryConcepts and Theory: Policy ImplicationsSummaryTaking the Perspective: American Race TheoryThe Structures of Gender Inequality: Janet Saltzman ChafetzTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Coercive Structures of Gender InequalityConcepts and Theory: Micro-Level Coercive StructuresConcepts and Theory: Changing Gender InequalitySummaryTaking the Perspective: FeminismBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 8: Structuring Class - Pierre BourdieuThe Big Picture: ClassTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Structuring ClassConcepts and Theory: Replicating ClassConcepts and Theory: Toward a New SociologySummaryTaking the Perspective: Cultural EmbodimentBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 9: Structures of Power - Michel FoucaultThe Big Picture: PowerTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: The Truth About TruthConcepts and Theory: The Practices of PowerConcepts and Theory: Disciplining the BodySummaryTaking the Perspective: PoststructuralismBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 10: World-Systems Theory - Immanuel WallersteinThe Big Picture: GlobalizationTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: The Dialectics of CapitalismConcepts and Theory: The End of the World as We Know ItSummaryTaking the Perspective: World-Systems TheoryBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 11: The Network Society - Manual CastellsThe Big Picture: Network SocietyTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Information TechnologyConcepts and Theory: Networks, Identities, and DemocracyThe Network Society and the Crisis in DemocracySummaryTaking the Perspective: Society Writ LargeBuilding Your Theory ToolboxPart IV: Modernity - Possibilities and ProblemsThe Big Picture: Civil Society and DemocracyChapter 12: Reason and Democracy - Jürgen HabermasThe Big Picture: Social ChangeTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Capitalism and LegitimationConcepts and Theory: The Colonization of DemocracyConcepts and Theory: Hope for DemocracySummaryTaking the Perspective: Critical TheoryBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 13: Civil Society and Democracy - Jeffrey C. AlexanderThe Big Picture: SolidarityTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: The New Civil SphereConcepts and Theory: Civil InstitutionsConcepts and Theory: Civil Society OutcomesSummaryTaking the Perspective: A Strong Program in Cultural SocietyBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 14: Runaway Modernity - Anthony GiddensThe Big Picture: Social OntologyTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: The Reality of SocietyMaking Society and Hiding ItUnconscious MotivationConcepts and Theory: The Contours of ModernityConcepts and Theory: The Experience of ModernitySummaryBuilding Your Theory ToolboxPart V: Contemporary Political IdentitiesThe Big Picture: Politics of IdentitiesChapter 15: Being Black in America - Patricia Hill Collins and Cornel WestThe Big Picture: EpistemologyBlack Feminism and Intersectionality - Patricia Hill CollinsTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: The Standpoint of Black WomenConcepts and Theory: Intersectionality and Matrices of DominationSummaryCommodification of Black Experience - Cornel WestTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: Black Existence in AmericaSummaryBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 16: Text, Power, and Women - Dorothy E. SmithTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: The Problem With FactsConcepts and Theory: Lived Experience and KnowingSummaryBuilding Your Theory ToolboxChapter 17: Exposing Sex - Judith ButlerTheorist′s DigestConcepts and Theory: What′s the Matter With Bodies?Concepts and Theory: Haunting, Subversion, and Queer PoliticsSummaryTaking the Perspective: Poststructuralism and Queer TheoryBuilding Your Theory Toolbox