An anthology that thematizes the dramatic upward and downward shifts that have created the social theory. It includes sections on such issues as imperialism, power, civilization clash, health, and performance.

Part 1: General Theory without Foundations. New Critical Theory 1. Contributions to a Discourse Theory of Law and Democracy Jurgen Habermas 2. Personal Identity and Disrespect Semiotic Structuralism Axel Honneth 3. Historical Metaphors and Mythical Realities Marshall Sahlins 4. On Ethnographic Allegory James Clifford. Poststructuralism 5. Power/Knowledge Michael Foucault 6. Outline of a Theory of Practice Pierre Bourdieu. Cultural Studies 7. Cultural Studies Stuart Hall 8. The Political Unconscious Frederic Jameson Part 2: The Normative Turn. Justice 9. A Defense of Pluralism and Equality Michael Walzer 10. Political Liberalism John Rawls. Ethics 11. Whose Justice? Which Rationality? Alasdair MacIntyre 12. Postmodern Ethics Zygmaunt Bauman. Truth 13. Pragmatism, Relativism, and Irrationalism Richard Rorty 14. Feminism and the Question of Postmodernism Seyla Benhabib Part 3: Rethinking Power. Performativity 15. Imitation and Gender Insubordination Judith Butler 16. Performance and Power Jeffrey Alexander. Domination/Liberation 17. From Redistribution to Recognition? Nancy Fraser 18. Queer Politics David Halperin. Biopoliftics 19. The Body and the Reproduction of Femininity Susan Bordo 20. : The Politics of Life Itself Nicolas Rose Part 4: Societies and World Order. Postmodernity 21. Simulcra and Simulations Jean Baudrillard 22. The Condition of Postmodernity David Harvey. Civil Society 23. The Utopia of Civil Society Jean L. Cohen and Andrew Arato 24. Global Civil Society Mary Kaldor. Multiculturalism 25. Justice and the Politics of Difference Iris Marion Young 26. Multicultural Citizenship Will Kymlicka. Nationalism 27. Imagined Communities Benedict Anderson 28. Whose Imagined Community? Partha Chatterjee. World Politics 29. The End of History Francis Fukuyama 30. The Clash of Civilizations Samuel Huntington. Globalisation 31. A New Society Manuel Castells 32. The Cosmopolitan Perspective Ulrich Beck. Empire 33. From Direct to Indirect Rule Mahmood Mamdani 34. The New U.S. Empire George Steinmetz Part 5: Identities. Self 35. Self and Society in the Late Modern Age Anthony Giddens 36. The Making of Modern Identity Charles Taylor. Gender 37. Gender as a Structure of Social Practice R.W. Connell 38. Westernization and Third World Feminism Uma Narayan. Sexuality 39. Heter Hetero/Homosexuality Diana Fuss 40. Shifts in Normative Heterosexuality Steven Seidman. Race 41. Racial Formation Michael Omi and Howard Winant 42. The Mirage of an Unmarked Whiteness Ruth Frankenberg. Postcoloniality 43. Orientalism Edward Said 44. Postcolonial Melancholia Paul Gilroy

"Seidman and Alexander compiled a collection of essays on social theory in 2001. In the time since enough has changed to warrant a much expanded second edition. The authors give in-depth introductions to each section. The first articles review the latest theories. Then they move from macro to microcosm. From ephemeral concepts like truth, ethics and justice, the authors then look at new ways of defining power, then societies: postmodern, multi-cultural, national, global and imperial. The final focus is on self-definition by race, nationality, gender, sexuality and post colonial identification. Many of the articles have already appeared in a variety of journals. This updated edition is of interest to sociologists and ideal for university classrooms." - Book News Inc., August 2008