FRONTIERS OF SOCIAL THEORY: The New Syntheses

Frontiers of Social Theory presents essays reflecting the current state and near-term prospects of sociological theory. Written especially for this volume by the younger generation of sociological theorists, these essays point away from the theoretical extremism typical of the past and discuss the ways in which traditional labels and commitments to sociological theory are changing. Contributors present a wide range of contemporary theoretical perspectives and simultaneously reveal a profound interchange among them. Together these essays demonstrate today’s powerful movement towards syntheses in theoretical sociology.

GEORGE RITZER is Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland. Author of numerous articles and several well-known monographs and texts in sociological theory and metatheory, Dr. Ritzer was the past Chair of the American Sociological Association’s Section on Theoretical Sociology.