Social Theory Now

Most courses in social theory cover either “classical theory” (stopping around WWII) or “contemporary theory” (stopping in the early 1990s). This course offers a broad overview of recent trends and new directions in social theory. It focuses on works published since 2000 by sociologists and by theorists that have been influential in sociology. The course covers conversations in “metatheory” around mechanisms and fields, science studies approaches to the body and nature, diverging interpretations of the place of culture, debates around identity, and critical perspectives including feminist theory and postcolonial theory.