Books like New rules of sociological method by Anthony Giddens

Erving Goffman's classic work uses the stage as a metaphor for everyday life, showing how people craft and manage impressions in social interactions to shape how they are perceived.

"This lucid and lively book, punctuated with witty, incisive examples, is addressed both to the layman who wants to know what sociology is all about -- and to students and sociologists who are concerned over the larger implications and dimensions of their discipline. The author views sociology in the humanist tradition and recognizes it as a 'peculiarly modern, peculiarly timely form of critical thought.' Without underestimating the importance of scientific procedures in sociology, he points out its essential affinity with history and philosophy, and he shows how sociology in this sense can contribute to a fuller awareness of the human world. 'Unlike puppets', he notes, 'we have the possibility of stopping in our movements, looking up and perceiving the machinery by which we have been moved. In this act lies the first step towards freedom.' Professor Berger discusses this consciousness in detail, in relation to one's own biography, to the operations of social institutions, and to the makeup of man as a product of these institutions. In each instance, he outlines the major contributions to sociology of such classical sociologists as Weber, Pareto, and Durkheim in Europe; Veblen, Cooley, and Mead in the United States; and some of the most important men in the field today." -- Back cover.

This text, written expressly for upper-level undergraduates and graduate students in sociology, political science, English, and humanities courses provides a cogent and accessible explanation of critical social theory. Ben Agger introduces students to the Frankfurt School, postmodernism, theories of multiculturalism and difference, feminist theory, and cultural studies. Arguing for an integration of these theories, Critical Social Theories is a useful supplement to social theory texts. Throughout the book, Agger considers implications of critical social theory, making the book highly relevant to mainstream sociologists seeking theoretical guidance.