The aim of the book is to make available some of the best writings in the field of social theories from the days of establishment of sociology to the present day. A perusal of the book would reveal how sociology has developed as an independent discipline since mid-19th century. It grew from social philosophy in mid-19th century France into a leading social science by 20th century.

This book offers a critical introduction to sociology and to the ways in which sociologists are trained to think and work. It is written with a range of readers in mind, from beginners in the subject to advanced level practitioners in social science. It will also be of interest to those who are curious to know about the nature of contemporary sociology. The subject is presented as a sequence of different perspectives on the social world, all of them interrelated, sometimes in conflict with one another, and all contributing important and necessary insights. 

It comprises the most recent development in Western sociology. The book presents a broad historical panorama of sociological thinking which is no less relevant for anthropology, economics and political science, and history. Hopefully enough, this book will be of value for all sorts of readers of sociology.

• Sociology: Themes and Theories

• Positivism and Neo-positivism

• Evolutionary Theories and Neo-evolutionism

• Cyclical Theories

• Marxism or Conflict Theories

• Functionalism and Neo-functionalism

• Neo-Marxism or Critical Theory

• Symbolic Interactionism

• Phenomenological Sociology and Ethnomethodology

• Social Exchange Theory

• Structuralism and Post-structuralism

• Modernism and Post-modernism

• World-system Theory

• Theories of Structure and Structuration

• Philosophy of Science

J. P. Singh, an author and lexicographer, holds MA (PU, Patna) and MPhil in Sociology (JNU, New Delhi) and PhD in Demography from the Australian National University, Canberra. Worked as Associate Professor of Research Methodology at TISS, Mumbai, Addl. Director of Population Research Centre, Patna University, Director (Higher Education), Government of Bihar, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Professor of Sociology at Patna University, Patna till his superannuation in 2015. He also held Professional Associateship of the Population Institute, East-West Center, Hawaii (USA). In addition to numerous research papers in professional journals from India and abroad and standard textbooks in Hindi, the author has published such lexicographic titles as Samaj Vigyan Vishwakosh (2009), Manavshastra Shabdakosh (2019) and A Comprehensive Dictionary of Sociology (2021).