In Defence of Sociology: Essays, Interpretations and Rejoinders

To many critics, the future of sociology is uncertain. Born of the ideas of Auguste Comte in the nineteenth century, sociology established itself as the science of modernity', linked to a progressive view of history. Yet today the idea of progress has more or less collapsed; with its demise, some say, sociological thought has moved to the margins of contemporary intellectual culture.

In this book the author challenges such an interpretation, showing that sociology continues to hold a central...