The Blackwell Companion to Major Contemporary SocialTheorists is a survey of contemporary social theory thatfocuses on the thinkers themselves. In original essays especiallycommissioned for this volume, leading experts and practitionersexamine the life and work of 13 major theorists such as Elias,Baudrillard, Giddens, and Butler. Includes 13 original essays by leading scholars on majorcontemporary social theorists.Covers key figures such as Elias, Goffman, Foucault, Habermas,Giddens, Bourdieu, and Butler.Essays include biographical sketches, the social andintellectual context, and the impact of the thinker's work onsocial theory generally.Includes bibliographies of the theorist's most important worksas well as key secondary works.Can be used in conjunction with The Blackwell Companion toMajor Classical Social Theorists, edited by George Ritzer, fora complete reference source in social theory.