The Social Theories of Talcott Parsons

“For those interested in Parsonian theory—and there are few who can afford not to be—this will be an extremely valuable volume, representing one as­pect of the process that must occur as thistheory comes increasingly to con­stitute a part of the mainstream of soci­ological thought.”—William L. Kolb, The American Journal of Sociology

“The problem of arriving at a reasoned assessment of Parsons’ thought is greatly complicated by a remarkable obscurity of structure and style. Even those accustomed to abstract philosophical discussion find it a considerable chore to decide what is being said on any page, let alone also to assess its intellectual worth. . . . For this reason the present volume is especially welcome. . . . The papers, though inevitably uneven, are serious scholarly efforts. They are sympathetic in tone, often quite candid in judgment.”—Philip Selznick, American Sociological Review