Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

Contents

The Enlightenment and New Ways of Thinking.
The Origin and Context of Auguste Comte's Thought.
The Sociology of Aguste Comte.
The Origin and Context of Herbert Spencer's Thought.
The Sociology of Herbert Spencer.
The Origin and Context of Karl Marx's Thought.
The Sociology of Karl Marx.
The Origin and Context of Max Weber's Thought.
The Sociology of Max Weber.
The Origin and Context of Georg Simmel's Thought.
The Sociology of Georg Simmel.
The Origin and Context of Émile Durkheim's Thought.
The Sociology of Émile Durkheim.
The Origin and Context of George Herbert Mead's Thought.
The Sociology of George Herbert Mead.

ABOUT THE BOOK
This scholarly text covers the first one hundred years of sociological theorizing, from 1830-1930, focusing primarily on Comte, Spencer, Marx, Weber, Simmel, Durkheim, and Mead. The text provides an in-depth examination of these early sociological theorists with biographical background, analysis of key works, major influences, critical insights, and also answers the question, "What do these ideas tell us about the basic forces that shape the social world?" Posing this question for each theorist adds a unique perspective to the text and distinguishes it from other sociological theory books. In addition, it also includes material on the enduring models and principles of the theorists' work that continue to inform sociological theory today.