Changing Theories

Download or read book Changing Theories written by Roberta Garner and published by University of Toronto Press. This book was released on 2009-03-01 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Influenced by Thomas Kuhn's work on paradigm shifts in the social sciences, this overview of contemporary theory identifies major themes, charts the impact of social change on theories, acquaints readers with a sample of individual theorists (the "transitional giants" who shaped contemporary theories), explores the impact of contemporary theories on various areas of sociology, and traces how the great social theories of the past are being reinterpreted and incorporated into new theories. The result is an original interpretation of the important role that theory plays both in the real world and in the shaping of an academic discipline.