Synopses & Reviews
This classic text explores the lives and ideas of the social thinkers who have shaped and continue to forge traditions in sociology. Focusing on the great names in the field, it weaves biographical and conceptual details into a tapestry of the history of social thought of the 19th and 20th centuries. Written in a narrative style that is accessible and exciting, this text serves as an excellent supplement for courses in social and sociological theory, the history of social thought, the history of sociology, and introduction to sociology.
About the Author
Randall Collins is Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Riverside. He earned his A.B. at Harvard in 1963, his M.A. at Stanford in 1964, and received his Ph.D. at University of California, Berkley in 1969. He is the author of numerous books and articles, such as Conflict Sociology: Toward an Explanatory Science, The Credential Society, Three Sociological Traditions, Weberian Sociological Theory, and Theoretical Sociology. Many of his works are of international interest, and have been translated into Italian, Duthc, Spanish, Korean, Chinese, Rumanian, German, and Arabic.Michael Makowsky is organizational consultant to Musart Company. He earned his B.A from New York Universitys Washington Square College in 1962, and received his M.A. in Sociology from the University of California at Berkley in 1967. Over the last 30 years, he has taught at his alma mater, the University of California at Berkeley, as well as the University of California at Davis, Chabot College, College of San Mateo, Goddard College, the California Institute of Integral Studies, and the Cultural Integration Fellowship. He is the author of numerous articles in contemporary journals, such as Minstrel of Love: A Biography of Satguru Sant Keshavadas, Breath of the Eternal: The Way of Self-Knowledge: The Concept of Atman in Four Upanishads. He is the president of his own company, Deal Glamour Media and Education Productions and is a member of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Committee of Las Vegas.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION Society and Illusion Chapter 1. The Prophets of Paris: Saint-Simon and Comte Chapter 2. Sociology in the Underground: Karl Marx Chapter 3. The Last Gentleman: Alexis de Tocqueville Chapter 4. Nietzsche's Madness Chapter 5. Do-Gooders, Evolutionists and Racists Chapter 6: Dreyfus' Empire: Emile Durkheim Chapter 7: Max Weber: The Disenchantment of the World Chapter 8: Sigmund Freud: Conquistador of the Irrational Chapter 9: The Discovery of the Invisible World: Simmel, Cooley and Mead Chapter 10. The Discovery of the Ordinary World: Thomas, Park, and the Chicago School Chapter 11. The Emergence of African-American Sociology: DuBois, Frazier, Drake and Cayton Chapter 12. The Construction of the Social System: Pareto and Parsons Chapter 13. Hitler's Shadow: Mannheim and Mills Chapter 14. Erving Goffman and the Theatre of Social Encounters Chapter 15. Cultural Capital, Revolution, the World-system, and Globalization: the Theories of Pierre Bourdieu, Theda Skocpol, and Immanuel Wallerstein Bibliographical Suggestions Index