Sociological Theory in the Classical Era: Text and Readings

Now available for the first time in both print and e-book formats Sociological Theory in the Classical Era, Fourth Edition is an innovative text/reader for courses in classical theory. It introduces students to important original works by sociology′s key classical theorists while providing a thorough framework for understanding these challenging readings. For each theorist, the editors supply a biographical sketch, discuss intellectual influences and core ideas, and offer contemporary applications of those ideas. In addition to the seven major theorists covered, the book also connects their work to "Significant Others"—writers and thinkers who may have derived much of their own perspectives from Marx, Durkheim, Weber, Gilman, Simmel, Du Bois, and Mead. Included with this title: The password-protected Instructor Resource Site (formally known as SAGE Edge) offers access to all text-specific resources, including a test bank and editable, chapter-specific PowerPoint® slides.

Table of Contents:
List of Figures and Tables Preface About the Authors Chapter 1. Introduction Key Concepts What Is Sociological Theory? Why Read Original Works? The European Enlightenment The Ins and Outs of Classical Canons Discussion Questions Chapter 2. Karl Marx (1818–1883) Key Concepts A Biographical Sketch Intellectual Influences and Core Ideas Marx’s Theoretical Orientation Discussion Questions Chapter 3. Émile Durkheim (1858–1917) Key Concepts A Biographical Sketch Intellectual Influences and Core Ideas Durkheim’s Theoretical Orientation Discussion Questions Chapter 4. Max Weber (1864–1920) Key Concepts A Biographical Sketch Intellectual Influences and Core Ideas Weber’s Theoretical Orientation Discussion Questions Chapter 5. Charlotte Perkins Gilman (1860–1935) Key Concepts A Biographical Sketch Intellectual Influences and Core Ideas Gilman’s Theoretical Orientation Discussion Questions Chapter 6. Georg Simmel (1858–1918) Key Concepts A Biographical Sketch Intellectual Influences and Core Ideas Simmel’s Theoretical Orientation Discussion Questions Chapter 7. W. E. B. Du Bois (1868–1963) Key Concepts A Biographical Sketch Intellectual Influences and Core Ideas Du Bois’s Theoretical Orientation Discussion Questions Chapter 8. George Herbert Mead (1863–1931) Key Concepts A Biographical Sketch Intellectual Influences and Core Ideas Mead’s Theoretical Orientation Discussion Questions Glossary and Terminology References Index

About the Author :
Laura Desfor Edles (PhD, University of California, Los Angeles, 1990) is Professor of Sociology at California State University, Northridge. She is the author of Symbol and Ritual in the New Spain: The Transition to Democracy after Franco (1998) and Cultural Sociology in Practice (2002), as well as various articles on culture, theory, race/ethnicity, and social movements. Scott Appelrouth (PhD, New York University, 2000) is Professor of Sociology at California State University, Northridge. His interests include sociological theory, cultural sociology, and social movements. He has taught classical and contemporary theory at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, and has published several articles in research- and teaching-oriented journals on social movements, theory, and the controversies over jazz during the 1920s and rap during the 1980s. His current research focuses on political discourse in American party platforms.

Review :
"Of all the books I reviewed, it does the best job of explaining to students what the readings are trying to say while also giving them exposure to the original texts. The primary texts we use in teaching classical sociology tend to be dense, archaic, and occasionally arcane, so having solid prefatory material that can guide them is a boon for me and them." I love the inclusion of original writings, the sophistication of the book; the visual elements, and the structure.