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Abstract

This chapter aims to provide you with a brief introduction to contemporary social theory. To this end, the chapter is divided into seven parts. In the first part, you will learn about the concept of social theory. This part argues that, while the history of social theory is inextricably linked to the rise of modernity, in the early 21st century its status vis-à-vis the social sciences has been called into question. In the second part, you will find out about the relevance of social theory, notably in terms of the central place it occupies in the contemporary social sciences. In the third part, you will be invited to grapple with the knowledge-seeking spirit of social theory, which, as you will see, obliges us to examine the epistemic differences between ‘ordinary’ and ‘scientific’ ways of engaging with the world. In the fourth part, you will be made aware of key dimensions that should be taken into account when studying social theories – notably their historical situatedness, their principal contributions to human knowledge, and their strengths and weaknesses. In the fifth part, you will acquire some basic insights into the scope of social theory, including the distinction between ‘clas- sical’ and ‘contemporary’ approaches. In the sixth part, you will be presented with an overview of different versions of social theory, recognizing that its contemporary variants are far more diversified than their classical predecessors. In the seventh part, you will benefit from a synopsis of noteworthy trends and developments in contemporary social theory, emphasizing its heterogeneous nature and pluralistic outlook.

Publication Type:	Book Section
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HM Sociology H Social Sciences > HN Social history and conditions. Social problems. Social reform
Departments:	School of Policy & Global Affairs School of Policy & Global Affairs > Department of Sociology & Criminology
SWORD Depositor:	Symplectic Administrator

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