This meticulous collection of contemporary sociological theory is the definitive guide to current perspectives and approaches in the field. For this second edition, selected readings bring the book up to date and enhance the richness of the text by way of examples, accessibility, and connections to today’s theoretical discussions. Organized thematically, this volume includes the most representative material available on topics such as symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, structuralism, networks theory, critical theory, feminist theory, and the debates over modernity and postmodernity. The theories of Foucault, Giddens, and Bourdieu are thoroughly represented in order to enable the reader to examine their work in depth.