Contemporary Sociological Theory

Jonathan H. Turner (PhD, Cornell University) is Distinguished Professor of sociology at the University of California at Riverside and University Professor for the University of California. The leading authority on sociological theory, Dr. Turner is the author of 38 influential books, which have been published in twelve different languages, as well as the author of many research articles in numerous journals and books.

1. The Nature of Sociological Theory PART I. FUNCTIONAL THEORIZING 2. The Rise of Functional Theorizing 3. Talcott Parsons' Analytical Functionalism 4. The Systems Functinoalism of Niklas Luhmann 5. Efforts to Revitalize Functionalism PART II. EVOLUTIONARY AND ECOLOGICAL THEORIES 6. The Rise of Evolutionary and Ecological Theories 7. Ecological Theories 8. Stage Theories of Societal Evolution 9. Darwinian-inspired Evolutionary Theories PART III. CONFICT THEORIZING 10. The Rise of Conflict Theorizing 11. Early Analytical Conflict Theories 12. Randall Collins' Analytical Conflict Theory 13. Marxian Conflict Theories 14. Conflict Theories in Historical-Comparative Sociology PART IV. INTERACTIONIST THEORIZING 15. The Rise of Interactionist and Phenomenological Theorizing 16. Symbolic Interactionist Theories of Identity 17. Roles Theories 18. Status Theories 19. Dramaturgical Theories 20. Ethnomethological Theories PART V. EXCHANGE THEORIZING 21. The Rise of Exchange Theorizing 22. Early Exchange Theorizing 23. Rational Choice Theories 24. Exchange-Network Theories PART VI. STRUCTURALIST AND CULTURAL THEORIZING 25. The Rise of Structuralist and Cultural Theorizing 26. Early Structural and Cultural Theories 27. Cultural Theories 28. Structuration Theory 29. Network Analysis PART VII. THE CHALLENGE OF CRITICAL THEORIZING 30. The Rise of Critical Theorizing 31. Critical Theorizing in the Frankfurt School 32. Postmodernism as Critical Theory 33. American-style Critical Theory