'Vince Marotta’s exploration of the idea of the stranger in the social sciences is a tour de force. Its critical insights combine to make an invaluable contribution to our understanding of the multiple ways the term has been and continues to be used, while pointing us in analytically productive directions.' - Peter Kivisto, Augustana College, U.S.A and St. Petersburg State University, Russia'Marotta presents a meticulous analysis of concepts of the stranger from Simmel’s classical statement through ideas of the ‘marginal man’ and cosmopolitanism to the emerging debate on the ‘cyborg’ and ‘posthumanism’. This is essential reading for those interested in the history of a key idea in social theory.' - Stephen Castles, University of Sydney, Australia