Classical Sociological Theory

In an accessible and thoughtful manner, this anthology - an update of "Social and Political Theory: Classical Readings" (1998) - introduces students to the key classic texts in social thought. In the second edition, Michael Kimmel focuses more specifically on the discipline of sociology, rather than melding classical sociological and political theories in one volume. Taking a serious look at the canonical texts, he presents a diverse range of thinkers who were critical to the development of sociological theory and offers a more inclusive classical canon that is informed by both the historical record and the needs of contemporary students. Many of the classical theorists whose works are included here were much more influential than the canon suggested. For example, the writings of Mary Wollstonecraft, Frederick Douglass, Margaret Fuller, and W. E. B Du Bois were widely disseminated and discussed in their time, yet they were pushed to the margins of the canon, declared to be derivative or second-rate. In attempting to set the record a bit straighter, Kimmel restores these and other forgotten thinkers to the positions they once held. The questions they posed are among the most vital theoretical and political questions of our era, evidence that classical social and political theory continues to speak to new generations of students about the issues that most affect their lives. Features new to the second edition are: selections of key texts by Auguste Comte ("Positive Philosophy" of Auguste Comte); Edmund Burke ("Reflections on the Revolution in France"); John Dewey ("Democracy and Education"); and Elsie Clews Parsons ("Women in Public Life"); and stronger disciplinary focus within sociology. "Classical Social Theory, Second Edition" is an ideal text for courses in the theory of sociology, the history of social theory, the history of political thought, and western philosophy.