Dr. Ian Craib is Reader in Sociology, University of Essex. He is the author of Modern Social Theory: From Parsons
to Habermas.
Summary
Ian Craib compellingly shows the value of studying classic thinkers such as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Simmel
alongside the more popular contemporary questions. Providing an account of the key ideas of classical social theory,
Dr. Craib establishes their relevance today, their enduring significance, and their contribution to understanding
contemporary problems.
Written in a direct, personal style, Classical Social Theory's thematic structure helps the reader compare
the theorists systematically, and the book-by-book approach pays close attention to each thinker's key texts, quoting
the most important passages and analyzing them in a clear, straightforward way.
Other student-friendly features include:
Biographical details and an elementary overview of the work of Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Simmel
Dramatis Personae with brief details of the life and thought of other relevant thinkers
Glossary covering important terms and phrases used in the text.
Classical Social Theory is an indispensable guide to the key thinkers in Sociology for anyone new to
the subject.
