The Blackwell Companion to Major Classical Social Theorists

The Blackwell Companion to Major Classical Social Theorists provides a comprehensive review of classical social theory. In original essays especially commissioned for this volume leading experts and practitioners examine the life and work of 12 major theorists. Contributors discuss the social and intellectual context of the theorists' writings, and offer an analysis of their impact over time. Each chapter balances systematic treatment of a particular theorist with personal interpretations of the theorist's work. Edited by a leading figure in social theory, this Companion offers an indispensable resource and reference to the life and times of the thinkers who have tried to make sense of our social surroundings.

George Ritzer is Professor of Sociology at the University of Maryland. He has chaired both the Theoretical and the Organizations and Occupations sections of the American Sociological Association, and authored more than 25 books, including Expressing America: A Critique of the Global Credit Card Society (1995), The McDonaldization of Society: An Investigation into the Changing Character of Contemporary Social Life (1995), Classical Sociological Theory (second edition, 1995), and The McDonaldization Thesis: Explorations and Extensions (1998).