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Anthony Giddens and Modern Social Theory
- Kenneth Tucker - Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley
October 1998 | 240 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
Anthony Giddens is widely recognized as one of the most important sociologists of the post-war period. This is the first full-length work to examine Giddens' social theory. It guides the reader through Giddens' early attempt to overcome the duality of structure and agency. He saw this duality as a major failing of social theories of modernity. His attempt to resolve the problem can be regarded as the key to the development of his brandmark `structuration theory'.
The book is the most complete and thorough assessment of Giddens' work currently available. It incorporates insights from many different perspectives into his theory of structuration, his work on the formation of cultural identities and the fate of the nation-state. This far-reaching work also touches on issues such as the transformation of modern intimacy and sexuality, and the fate of politics in late modern society.
Introduction
PART ONE: THE RECONSTRUCTION OF SOCIAL THEORY
The Legacy of Classical Sociological Theory
New Rules of Sociological Method
Structuration Theory
PART TWO: SOCIAL CHANGE AND MODERNITY
The State, Capitalism and Social Change
The Culture of Modernity
The Problems and Possibilities of a Democratic Public Life in Late Modern Societies
Feminism, Sexuality and Self-Identity
Conclusion
