Description: This book is a fresh and expansive take on social theory that foregrounds a plurality of perspectives and reflects contemporary trends in the field, while being an accessible and manageable teaching tool.
Brief description:
Black Hawk Hancock is Associate Professor of Sociology at DePaul University in Chicago. He is the co-author with Roberta Garner of Changing Theories: New Directions in Sociology (2009) and author of American Allegory: Lindy Hop and the Racial Imagination (2013).
Review Quotes: At a time when even some 'contemporary' theories are getting old, Garner and Hancock have given us something new: a reader that resists oversimplification and shows students the living relationships between classical and contemporary theory. The sheer number of authors presented here is impressive, and would be daunting if the organization of the book was not so ingenious. As a bonus, pedagogical materials at the end of each chapter help instructors to help their students become a part of these theoretical dialogues.--David Yamane, Wake Forest University
Garner and Hancock offer a selection of readings that are well chosen and wide reaching, providing theoretical materials which reflect the continuing relevance of the classics and the contemporary expansion of the discipline, but which also transcend strict disciplinary boundaries. Social Theory is an excellent resource for undergraduate and graduate instruction alike.--Claire Laurier Decoteau, University of Illinois, Chicago
Social Theory: A Reader is a sweeping review of sociological thought like no other.--Jonathan R. Wynn, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
This collection offers a dynamic juxtaposition of original text, biography, history, and practice-based exercises that allow readers to become apprentice-theorists, able to navigate the complex and contested meanings and mechanisms of society. Garner and Hancock's revised edition is an indispensable tool for teacher and student alike.--Erin O'Connor, Marymount Manhattan College
In this new edition, Garner and Hancock have established a forum for effective and productive learning, offering an exemplary balance between a comprehensive text that facilitates students' ability to read original statements, and a compendium of essential readings.--Preston Rudy, San Jose State University