Jeffrey C. Alexander is Professor and Chair of Sociology at Yale University and the author most recently of "The Meanings of Social Life: A Cultural Sociology. "Gary T. Marx is Professor Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is the author of "Undercover: Police Surveillance in America, "among other works. Christine L. Williams is Professor of Sociology at the University of Texas, Austin, and author of "Gender Differences at Work "and "Still a Man's World.

Steven Seidman is Professor of Sociology at State University of New York at Albany. He is a world renowned social theorist working in the areas of social theory, culture, sexuality, comparative sociology, theory of democracy, nationalism and globalization. He is the author and editor of several books including "Embattled Eros: Sexual Politics and Ethics in Contemporary America" (1992), "The Postmodern Turn: New Perspectives on Social Theory" (editor, 1995), "Queer Theory/Sociology" (Blackwell, 1996), "The New Social Theory Reader: Contemporary Debates" (edited with Jeffrey C. Alexander, 2001), and "Beyond the Closet: The Transformation of Gay and Lesbian Life" (2002).

This is the first anthology to thematize the dramatic upward and downward shifts that have created the new social theory, and to present this new and exciting body of work in a thoroughly trans-disciplinary manner. In this revised second edition readers are provided with a much greater range of thinkers and perspectives, including new sections on such issues as imperialism, power, civilization clash, health, and performance. The first section sets out the main schools of contemporary thought, from Habermas and Honneth on new critical theory, to Jameson and Hall on cultural studies, and Foucault and Bourdieu on poststructuralism. The sections that follow trace theory debates as they become more issues-based and engaged. They are: the post-foundational debates over morality, justice and epistemological truth the social meaning of nationalism, multiculturalism, globalization identity debates around gender, sexuality, race, the self, and post-coloniality. This new edition provides more ample biographical andintellectual introductions to each thinker, and substantial introductions to each of the major sections. The editors introduce the volume with a newly revised, interpretive overview of social theory today. The New Social Theory Reader is an essential, reliable guide to current theoretical debates.