Publisher's Synopsis
In addition to revisiting Parsons' extensive oeuvre, Uta Gerhardt takes up themes in current research and theory including social inequality, civic culture, and globalization offering a fascinating demonstration of what the conceptual approaches of Parsons can accomplish today. Revealing methodology and the American ethos to be the cornerstones of Parsons' social thought, this book will appeal not only to those with interests in classical sociology and who wish to fully understand what this 'classic' has to offer but also to those who wish to make sociology answer to the problems of the society of the present.