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Rethinking Contemporary Social Theory

Grace Budrys author Roberta Garner author Black Hawk Hancock author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Taylor & Francis Inc

Published:30th Jul '13

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Rethinking Contemporary Social Theory cover

Rethinking Contemporary Social Theory outlines a new theoretical paradigm emerging from out of social construction theory, conflict theory, Marxism and critical theory and argues that these insights are redefining social theory as a whole. The authors select ten fields within sociology and in each one trace the reception and impact of the new paradigm. The fields include gender, sexuality, race/ethnicity, media and the sociology of family life. Drawing on Thomas Kuhn's The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, the authors identify causes for this paradigm shift, which include the contributions of specific individuals, the general intellectual climate and various social changes such as globalisation and neoliberalism.

“This book provides a clear summary of how postmodern approaches are becoming more entrenched within sociology, and it is a good textbook for teachers interested in this topic. Further, it demonstrates that if sociology is to be true to its calling, it must be able to understand the profound changes of the contemporary era, and radically transform its theoretical self-understanding if need be.”
–International Review of Modern Sociology

"Garner, Hancock and Budrys change the game in social-theory pedagogy and research by ‘discovering’ a major new paradigm—conflict constructionism. This is indeed a paradigm shift as they blend traditional conflict theory with social constructionism to explain and explore all manner of phenomena, including discourse, body politics, the microlevels of everyday life, discipline and domination. It is important to understand conflict and coercion as done "to" people but also to understand that people have a hand in their own liberation. In my own teaching, I have been looking for a way to put critical theory, feminist theory and cultural studies on the same page—or in the same week!—and now I have it. Rethinking Contemporary Social Theory will instantly become part of the sociological canon."
-Ben Agger, author of Critical Social Theories

ISBN: 9781612052595

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 566g

256 pages