Description: This wide-ranging collection of original essays examines the intersection of philosophy and social theory, from a variety of viewpoints, some from the interpretative side of the discipline, and others from within the camp of formal and mathematical modelling. Leading practitioners from both of these major theoretical factions give voice to their plans for enlarging the scope of social theory and maintaining its vitality into the next century. They seek to help alleviate some of the crises that have recently afflicted sociology as it has struggled to accommodate postmodernism, feminism, moral philosophy, and other challengers to its classical analytic tradition. Chapters by the old guard are combined with chapters by some of the best representatives from various contemporary modes of theorizing. What is Social Theory? fills a unique role as a guide to philosophically informed social thought as it is practiced today.

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