Download or read book A Beginner s Guide to Social Theory written by Shaun Best and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2003-02-24 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offering a comprehensive overview of social theory from classical sociology to the present day, this text guides students through the work of Durkheim, Marx and Weber, feminism, postmodernism and contemporary thinkers like Foucault.
Download or read book Social theory for beginners written by Ransome, Paul and published by Policy Press. This book was released on 2010-05-12 with total page 793 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Treating social theory as an exciting intellectual journey in its own right, this new introductory-level textbook presents the key ideas and concepts in social theory together with an account of the intellectual background from which they emerged. Aimed at first-year undergraduates studying sociology and all related disciplines in the social sciences and humanities, it provides an introduction to the major questions and debates facing social theorists and sociologists. Clearly designed presentation and layout features help readers navigate their way around the material thus giving them the best chance of finding what they need quickly and easily. The book is supported by a companion website, containing additional materials for both students and lecturers using the book, which is available from the link above
Download or read book Introducing Social Theory written by Pip Jones and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2017-11-27 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This revised edition of this extremely popular introduction to social theory has been carefully and thoroughly updated with the latest developments in this continually changing field. Written in a refreshingly lucid and engaging style, Introducing Social Theory provides readers with a wide-ranging, well organized and thematic introduction to all the major thinkers, issues and debates in classical and contemporary social theory. Introducing Social Theory traces the development of social theorizing from the classical ideas about modernity of Durkheim, Marx and Weber, right up to a uniquely accessible review of the contemporary theoretical controversies in sociology that surround post-colonialism, gender and feminist theories, and public sociology. The ideal textbook for students of sociology at all levels, from A-level to undergraduates, Introducing Social Theory is remarkably easy to follow and understand. This new edition lives up to its predecessors' goal that students need never be intimidated by social theory again.
Download or read book A Beginner s Guide to Social Theory written by Shaun Best and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2003-02-24 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Best offers a comprehensive overview of social theory from classical sociology to the present day. The reader is guided through the work of Durkheim, Marx and Weber and contemporary thinkers like Anthony Giddens, Michel Foucault, Jurgen Habermas, Judith Butler, Gilles Deluze, Manuel Castells, Luce Irigary, Naomi Woolf and Camille Paglia.
Download or read book Social Theory for Today written by Alex Law and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2014-12-01 with total page 445 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is distinctive for extending the usual sociological reach, reopening territory that has lain fallow, set aside from the well-ploughed fields of orthodox social theory. In doing so, Law not only produces fresh insight into familiar theorists but guards against collective forgetting of the sociological canon. - Professor Bridget Fowler, University of Glasgow "An excellent book, it will be welcomed and read widely by advanced undergraduates, postgraduates and scholars in sociology, cultural studies, social theory and beyond." - Professor Chris Shilling, University of Kent Social Theory for Today guides students through the ‘turns’ of past and present social theory as it attempts to wrestle with a recurring sense of crisis in social relations and social theory. Drawing on both classical and contemporary sources, Alex Law provides readers with a firm grasp of competing perspectives. Too often social theories attempt to dominate the field by casting rival theorists, past and present, as deluded fools, while the more familiar ‘big names’ in social theory are subject to ever-increasing commentary that runs in ever-decreasing circles. This survey of social theory and crisis lessens the temptation to engage in internal theoretical polemics and esoteric wordplay. Social theory must become practical and specific if it is to become a means of orientation for uncertain times. This is a must-read for upper level undergraduate and postgraduate students looking for a vibrant and extended understanding of social theory.
Download or read book Social Theory written by Hans Joas and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-07-09 with total page 1088 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Social Theory written by Peter Beilharz and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-07-22 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'An alluvial goldfield of social theorists - nuggets lying around all over the place.' Bob Connell Who's who in the social theory zoo? This book introduces some of the leading social theorists in short, lively entries by leading Australian scholars. Social Theory covers thinkers from Althusser to Williams, by locals from Alexander to Yeatman. For beginner and enthusiast alike, it gives a sense of the state of the art in classical and modern social theory. Social Theory is an indispensable reference for undergraduates, postgraduates, academics and anyone else interested in the ideas behind social and political theory and cultural studies today.
Download or read book Understanding Communication Theory written by Stephen M. Croucher and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2015-08-20 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers students a comprehensive, theoretical, and practical guide to communication theory. Croucher defines the various perspectives on communication theory—the social scientific, interpretive, and critical approaches—and then takes on the theories themselves, with topics including interpersonal communication, organizational communication, intercultural communication, persuasion, critical and rhetorical theory and other key concepts. Each theory chapter includes a sample undergraduate-written paper that applies the described theory, along with edits and commentary by Croucher, giving students an insider’s glimpse of the way communication theory can be written about and applied in the classroom and in real life. Featuring exercises, case studies and keywords that illustrate and fully explain the various communication theories, Understanding Communication Theory gives students all the tools they need to understand and apply prominent communication theories.
Download or read book Contemporary Social Theory written by Anthony Elliott and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2009-01-13 with total page 603 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is arguably the definitive undergraduate textbook on contemporary social theory. Written by one of the world’s most acclaimed social theorists, Anthony Elliott provides a dazzlingly accessible and comprehensive introduction to modern social theory from the Frankfurt School to globalization theories and beyond. In distilling the essentials of social theory, Elliott reviews the works of major theorists including Theodor Adorno, Herbert Marcuse, Michel Foucault, Jacques Lacan, Jacques Derrida, Anthony Giddens, Pierre Bourdieu, Julia Kristeva, Jurgen Habermas, Judith Butler, Slavoj Zizek, Manuel Castells, Ulrich Beck, Zygmunt Bauman, Giorgio Agamben and Manuel De Landa. Every social theorist discussed is contextualized in a wider political and historical context, and from which their major contributions to social theory are critically assessed. This book is essential reading for students and professionals in the fields of social theory, sociology and cultural studies, as it is both an original enquiry and a consummate introduction to social theory.
Download or read book A Beginner s Guide to Structural Equation Modeling written by Randall E. Schumacker and published by Psychology Press. This book was released on 2004-06-24 with total page 590 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The second edition features: a CD with all of the book's Amos, EQS, and LISREL programs and data sets; new chapters on importing data issues related to data editing and on how to report research; an updated introduction to matrix notation and programs that illustrate how to compute these calculations; many more computer program examples and chapter exercises; and increased coverage of factors that affect correlation, the 4-step approach to SEM and hypothesis testing, significance, power, and sample size issues. The new edition's expanded use of applications make this book ideal for advanced students and researchers in psychology, education, business, health care, political science, sociology, and biology. A basic understanding of correlation is assumed and an understanding of the matrices used in SEM models is encouraged.
Download or read book A Beginner s Guide to Graph Theory written by W.D. Wallis and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-05-05 with total page 266 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Concisely written, gentle introduction to graph theory suitable as a textbook or for self-study Graph-theoretic applications from diverse fields (computer science, engineering, chemistry, management science) 2nd ed. includes new chapters on labeling and communications networks and small worlds, as well as expanded beginner's material Many additional changes, improvements, and corrections resulting from classroom use
Download or read book The Art of Social Theory written by Richard Swedberg and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2015-09-01 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A practical guide to the art of theorizing in the social sciences In the social sciences today, students are taught theory by reading and analyzing the works of Karl Marx, Max Weber, and other foundational figures of the discipline. What they rarely learn, however, is how to actually theorize. The Art of Social Theory is a practical guide to doing just that. In this one-of-a-kind user's manual for social theorists, Richard Swedberg explains how theorizing occurs in what he calls the context of discovery, a process in which the researcher gathers preliminary data and thinks creatively about it using tools such as metaphor, analogy, and typology. He guides readers through each step of the theorist’s art, from observation and naming to concept formation and explanation. To theorize well, you also need a sound knowledge of existing social theory. Swedberg introduces readers to the most important theories and concepts, and discusses how to go about mastering them. If you can think, you can also learn to theorize. This book shows you how. Concise and accessible, The Art of Social Theory features helpful examples throughout, and also provides practical exercises that enable readers to learn through doing.
Download or read book Social Theory Ideas in Profile written by William Outhwaite and published by Profile Books. This book was released on 2015-11-19 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ideas in Profile: Small Introductions to Big Topics In a world that is constantly changing, understanding the world has never been more important. But by thinking in neat segments, we miss the big picture. When economists think about globalisation, they often see trade; politicians see institutions and power; artists see a new global aesthetic. Social theory is what sees them all together. Renowned theorist William Outhwaite takes us on a journey through the major thinkers and topics of this often misunderstood discipline. We move from the the work of Rousseau to the still powerful insights of Marx and on to the great sociologists, Weber and Durkheim. We probe the big questions - why is religion powerful, where does capitalism come from - and move through the key ideas of the twentieth century thought from the Frankfurt School to Bourdieu and Giddens. Lastly Outhwaite questions the role of social theory today. Where does this vital discipline go next and how will its wide horizons help us stand up to the challenge of the twenty-first century?
Download or read book Teaching Yourself Social Theory written by David Harris and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2002-12-13 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: `Social theory is a very difficult subject to teach and it is one that students generally find hard to get to grips with. Teaching Yourself Social Theory offers a highly original and comprehensive resource that will be welcomed by students and teachers alike′ - Barry Smart, University of Portsmouth `I have no hesitation in recommending Harris′ text to students and teachers of social theory′ - Sociology This refreshing and accessible text demonstrates how social theory can be made into an intelligible discourse that touches upon key aspects of everyday life. The abstraction and formalism of much contemporary social theory is criticized as unnecessarily `scholastic′ for the beginner. The author maintains that the main problems in studying the subject are not intrinsic to social theory, but derive from how the subject is taught as a university discipline. This lively book uses non-specialist terms to introduce more complex themes, and incorporates a Website with questions and reading guides to some of the classic works.
Download or read book Social Theory and the Urban Question written by Peter Saunders and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2003-09-02 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First published in 1986. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Download or read book Game Theory written by John Cummings and published by . This book was released on 2020-10-30 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although game theory as a salient concept is relatively young, the principles behind game theory have for millennia allowed humans to anticipate the behavior of their fellows and work out compelling exchanges that suit everyone's self-interest, allowing people to benefit both individually and collectively. This book serves as a complete guide to game theory, and will explain the principles of game theory, while also providing practical examples such as the Prisoner's Dilemma, and the role that game theory played during the Cold War. Game theory principles are used to inform strategists, entrepreneurs, politicians, analysts, and philosophers, and help them make strong decisions in military, commercial, social, and moral areas. In all things, game theory principles can be used to logically minimize risk, reduce the chances of calamity, and gain an understanding of rational human behavior. Whether you're trying to help your team cooperate or you're ambitiously trying to figure out your next campaign strategy, game theory can be a useful tool for you in all arenas of the modern world!
Download or read book Understanding Agency written by Barry Barnes and published by SAGE. This book was released on 2000 with total page 182 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this penetrating and assured book, one of the leading commentators in the field argues that social theory is moving in the wrong direction in its reflections on human freedom and autonomy. It has borrowed notions of 'agency' and 'choice' from everyday discourse, but increasingly it puts a misconceived individualistic gloss upon them. Against this, Barnes unequivocally identifies human beings as social agents in a profound sense, and emphasises the vital importance of their sociability. Notions of 'agency', 'freedom' and 'choice' have to be understood by reference to their role in communicative interaction; they are key components of the discourse through which human beings identify each other, and have effects upon each other, as soci
