Contested Knowledge: Social Theory Today 5th Edition

In this tour de force, Steven Seidman surveys social theory from Auguste Comte to Zygmunt Bauman via feminism, world systems theory, queer theory, post–colonialism and much more. It is not just a survey, but rather a plea for a public sociology that is relevant, committed and morally challenging. In a style of writing that is at once direct, personal and engaging, Seidman provides a penetrating overview of the state of sociology that is critical but optimistic. Contested Knowledge now in its fifth edition gets better with age. Bryan S. Turner, The City University of New York

A very valuable update to this superb and exceptionally readable book. The new chapters are a significant contribution in their own right: the chapter on the Other is a major achievement. William Outhwaite, Newcastle University

In his spirited defense of theory as a moral enterprise, Steven Seidman offers insightful, penetrating, critical, but always fair assessments of the theoretical contributions of a wide range of theorists past and present…. Written with an enviable clarity, in a style that is at once lucid and engaging.” Peter Kivisto, Augustana College and University of Turku

Each edition of Contested Knowledge has garnered critical acclaim for its insightful presentation of up–to–date perspectives on social theory by one of the most influential thinkers of the modern era. In the new 5th Edition Contested Knowledge, renowned social theorist Steven Seidman proclaims the demise of the era of the great universalist theorists represented by figures such as Habermas, Foucault, Baudrillard, and Bourdieu. In its place, Seidman reveals the dawn of a modern–day shift to networks of clustered debates relatively autonomous and interdisciplinary social theorizing on issues such as citizenship, performativity, nationalism, globalization, cosmopolitanism, and queer life. To gain a better appreciation of this new social thinking and theorizing, Seidman hones his focus on discussions of three distinct clustered debates now swirling in social theory intimacy, postcolonial nationalism, and the concept of the other. Scholarly and rigorous, yet engagingly written for widespread accessibility, the 5th Edition of Contested Knowledge offers thought–provoking insights into exciting new frontiers of sociological theorizing precipitated by the emergence of a globalized world.