Foundations of Social Theory: A Critical Introduction

Cover
Half Title
Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1: Introduction: Question Everything!
	What is Social Theory?
		Concepts
		Theories
		Perspectives
	What is Society?
	So What is Social Theory?
	The Past, Present, and Future of Social Theory
		Classical Social Theory
		Contemporary Social Theory
		What About the Future?
	Reading Social Theory Today
	The Structure of this Book
	Over to You
Chapter 2: Karl Marx: Critique, Class Struggle, and Revolution
	Key Concepts
		Alienation
		Class
		Mode of Production
		Commodity Fetishism
		Historical Materialism
	How Did Marx’s Work Shape Social Theory?
		Historical Materialism as ‘The Second Copernican Revolution’
		Linking Theory and Praxis
	Problems for Contemporary Social Research
		Eurocentrism
		Class Reductionism
	How are Marx’s Key Concepts Deployed Today?
		Marxist Schools
		International Relations
	Conclusion
	Further Reading
		Primary Texts
		Secondary Texts
Chapter 3: Émile Durkheim: Society Functions!
	Key Concepts
		Anomie
		Collective Consciousness
		Organic and Mechanical Solidarity
		The Division of Labour
		Social Facts
	How Did These Concepts Shape Social Theory?
		Functionalism
		Positivism
	Problems with Using Durkheim’s Work Today
		Functionalism Normalises Conflict and Exploitation
		Positivism: Blind to Rationality and Depth-Psychology
	How Do Durkheim’s Ideas Impact on Social Theory Today?
		Anthony Giddens: Structuration Theory
	Conclusion
	Further Reading
		Primary Texts
		Secondary Texts
Chapter 4: Max Weber: Meaningful Social Action
	Key Concepts
		Verstehen
		Ideal Types
		Ideal Types of Authority; Ideal Types of Social Action
		The Iron Cage
		Disenchantment and the Protestant Work Ethic
	How Did Weber’s Concepts Shape Social Theory?
		Interpretivism
		Linking Economy, Society, Subjectivity
	What Are the Problems for Social Theorists Engaging with Weber’s Work Today?
		Was Weber Racist?
	How Do Weber’s Ideas Inform Sociology Today?
		The McDonaldization Thesis
		Social Stratification
	Conclusion
	Further Reading
		Primary Texts
		Secondary Texts
Chapter 5: The Early Frankfurt School: What Happened to the Revolution?
	Key Concepts
		Traditional and Critical Theory
		Reification
		Instrumental Rationality
		Culture Industry
		Freudo-Marxism: One Dimensionality and Pathological Normalcy
	How Did These Concepts Shape Social Theory?
		The Idea of ‘Critical Theory’
	Contemporary Challenges: Gender, ‘Race’, and Teleology
		Teleology
		Androcentrism
	How Are First-generation Frankfurt School Concepts Deployed Today?
		Science and Technology
	Conclusion
	Further Reading
		Primary Texts
		Secondary Texts
Chapter 6: Pierre Bourdieu: Class Meets Culture
	Pierre Bourdieu: A Biographical Sketch
	Key Concepts
		Capital
		Habitus
		Field
		Homology and Structural Correspondence
		Symbolic Violence
	How Did These Concepts Shape Social Theory?
		Inequality and Cultural Sociology
		Sociology as a Combat Sport
	Problems for Use in Contemporary Social Theory
		Forgetting the Mute Compulsion of Capital
		Lacking Intersectionality
	How Do Bourdieu’s Ideas Impact on Social Theory Today?
		Capital
		Practice Theory
	Conclusion
	Further Reading
		Primary Texts
		Secondary Texts
Chapter 7: The Frankfurt School Today: Modernity, Communication, and Recognition
	Key Concepts
		Modernity and ‘Social Learning Processes’
		Post-Marxism
		Post-Metaphysics
		Communicative Action
		Recognition
	How Has This Shaped Social Theory?
		The Intersubjective Turn
		Fusing Theoretical Traditions
		Modernity and Modernities
	What Are the Limitations of Second- and Third-generation Critical Theory?
		Forgetting Capitalism
		Blind to Power
		Eurocentrism
	How Are Third-generation Concepts Deployed Today?
		Communication and the Public Sphere
		Recognition
	Conclusion
	Further Reading
		Primary Texts
		Secondary Texts
Chapter 8: Gender: Theorising Patriarchy
	Key Concepts
		Patriarchy
		Sex and Gender
		Queer Theory
		Care Labour and Feminist Political Economy
		Intersectionality
	How Did These Concepts Shape Social Theory?
		Fluid Identities
		Hegemonic Masculinity
		Emphasised Femininity
	Problems for Use in Contemporary Social Theory
		Equality, Diversity, Inclusion
		The Decay of Intersectionality
	How Do These Ideas Impact on Social Theory Today?
		Political Transformation
	Conclusion
	Further Reading
		Primary Texts
		Secondary Texts
Chapter 9: Post-structuralism and Post-modernism: ‘It’s All So Much More Complicated Than That!’
	Key Concepts
		Post-modernism
		Deconstructionism
		Discourse and Power/Knowledge
		Biopolitics
		Hyperreality
	How Did These Ideas Impact on Social Theory?
		Rejection of Binaries
		Subjectivity
	The Problems With Using These Concepts Today
		Relativism
		Obscurantism and Nonsense
	How Post-modernism and Post-structuralism Impact on Social Research Today
		Critical Discourse Analysis
	Conclusion
	Further Reading
		Primary Texts
		Secondary Texts
Chapter 10: Decolonial Social Theory: Confronting Coloniality
	Key Concepts
		Coloniality of Power
		Eurocentrism
		Epistemicide and Decolonising Knowledge
		Subalternity
		Modernity/Coloniality
	How is Decolonial Theory Shaping Social Research Today?
		Epistemic Diversity
		Normalising Global Social Research
	Problems of Using Decolonial Theory Today
		Mute Symbolism and Co-optation
		Neo-nativism and Fetishised Indigeneities
	Conclusion
	Further Reading
		Primary Texts
		Secondary Texts
Chapter 11: Conclusion: Key Questions
Index