About the Book

The first half of the twentieth century was dominated by modernism. It was later replaced by postmodernity. This book analytically examines the emergence and development of modernity and postmodernity in the western countries and India. The author argues that the classical and modern sociological theories have become irrelevant to study the present capitalist society. It is in this context that he examines the social theory, which has replaced sociological foundational theory. What is important about the book is that besides critically reviewing modernity and postmodernity, the author elaborates social theories of liberal and radical postmodernists, namely, Jean Baudrillard, Michel Foucault, Jean-Francois Lyotard, Jacques Derrida and Fredric Jameson. To meet the challenge of social theory, some discoveries and reinterpretations of modern sociological theories have come up in the form of structuration, structuralism, poststructuralism, neo-functionalism and neo-conflict theories. All these and globalization have been discussed in full length. The book, which has strong Indian bias and fervour, is a pioneer effort to introduce modernity and postmodernity to Indian students, teachers, policymakers and competitors to various examinations.

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Contents

ROOTS OF TRADITION: EUROPE AND INDIA

•    What is Modernity?

•    Theories of Modernity

•    Modernization and Traditional Indian Society

POSTMODERN CONDITION: SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES AND EMERGENCE OF SOCIAL THEORY

•    From Industrialism to Post-industrialism and Beyond

•    Postmodernity and Social Pluralism

•    Postmodern Social Theory

•    Postmodern Social Theory: The Indian Experience

POSTMODERN SOCIAL THINKERS

•    Jean Baudrillard

•    Michel Foucault

•    Jean-Francois Lyotard

•    Jacques Derrida

•    Fredric Jameson

NEO-SOCIOLOGICAL THEORIES

•    Globalization

•    From Structuralism to Poststructuralism

•    Neo-functionalism: A Discovery and Reconstruction of Functional Sociology

•    The Structuration Theory of Anthony Giddens

•    Critical Theory: The Frankfurt School

•    Neo-Marxist Theories: Habermas and Althusser

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About the Author / Editor

S.L. Doshi has taught at M.L. Sukhadia University, Udaipur, South Gujarat University, Surat and M.D. University, Rohtak. He has also conducted several research projects. In addition to contributing many articles in reputed journals, he has also authored a few books.

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