Social Theory: Roots and Branches: Readings

by Peter J. Kivisto

Book Overview

The third edition of Peter Kivisto's comprehensive collection of student-accessible, primary-source readings provides students an opportunity to experience "first-hand" a broad range of orientations shaping sociological theory today. Its seminal writings from key theorists were selected for their high degree of relevance and accessibility to undergraduates. The readings help students make the connection across schools of thought-revealing that theories are always about something --as well as demonstrating the roles theories play in interpreting our social world. Brief, thought-provoking introductions frame each article in a larger context and alert students to key points. These introductions serve as a useful "road map" as students travel through the diverse views and continuing debates that make the study of social theory an exciting adventure. These introductions also identify and explain central issues and relationships among the topics covered.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195332431
• ISBN13: 9780195332438
• Release Date: May 2007
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 576 Pages
• Weight: 2.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Very helpful book!

I used this book for a class, and it was extraordinarily informative. It's basically an anthology of the writings of social philosophers. The section on Bordieu is especially good, with a short exerpt from Durkheim's entry earlier in the text. The table of contents is organized into Classical and Contemporary Social Theory, and respectively from there on. The only failing of this book is that it does not include and index (!!) which can occasionally make leafing through the TOC a little laborious, when looking for a particular name. This second edition also includes Martineau, who, for some weird and unexplainable reason, was left out of the first edition.