Talcott Parsons: Theorist of Modernity

Talcott Parsons was not only the most influential American sociologist of his time, but also one of the key social scientists of the twentieth century. Interestingly, he was also one of the most criticized and rejected figures in the social sciences. It was not until his death in 1979 that a worldwide renaissance of interest in Parsonian sociology emerged. In Talcott Parsons, renowned social theorists offer a complete reappraisal of his writing. Parsons′ own work is represented by a previously neglected essay on American values that is central to understanding his analysis of modernization. The contributors place Parsonian theories in the central realm of current debates over modernity, postmodernity, and globalization. They evaluate Parsons′ value commitments and his position in American social theory, the problems of interpreting his work today, his conception of world history, and the contemporary neofunctionalist movement. Talcott Parsons is essential reading for all teachers and students of sociology and social theory, and for anyone else interested in cultural theory and modernity.