This thorough collection of contemporary sociological theory is the definitive guide to current perspectives and approaches in the field. Organized by theme, the volume includes the most representative material available on topics such as symbolic interactionism, phenomenology, structuralism, network theory, critical theory, feminist theory, and the current debates over modernity and postmodernity. The theories of Foucault, Giddens, and Bourdieu also appear in longer sections, enabling students and scholars to examine the work in greater depth. Editorial introductions put these readings into theoretical perspective, making this an authoritative and compact survey of contemporary sociological theory. This book, in conjunction with its complement, Classical Sociological Theory, offers readers a complete overview of sociological theory.