Classical Sociological Theory, 3rd Edition

Building on the success of the previous editions, this book presents an updated and comprehensive collection of substantial primary-source texts that represent a definitive guide to the roots of sociology. With new readings, an increased emphasis on the Enlightenment, a new section on de Tocqueville, and suggestions for further reading, the reader traces the evolution of social science from its undisciplined beginnings to its current guideposts and reference points in contemporary sociological debate.

This reader explores the pioneering minds of Marx, Durkheim, and Weber, the works of early sociologists Mead, Simmel, Freud, and Du Bois and the major works and theoretical perspectives of the mid-twentieth century, including those of Adorno, Marcuse, Parsons, and Merton. Balancing accessibility and intellectual seriousness, this third edition offers readers an authoritative and compact survey of the most representative works of classical social theory.