"Talcott Parsons has been one of the most influential American sociologists of the post-war period, but he has also been widely criticized for, among other things, the alleged conservatism of his structural functionalist theory. Bryan Turner's selections from Parson's work provide a comprehensive overview of his principal contributions and are grouped under the following subdivisions religion and modern society, life, sex, and death; sociological theory; and American society and the world order." "The book clearly presents the core features of Parsons's sociology and demonstrates his continuing relevance to critical issues today, including globalization, the place of American civilization in the world order, and the importance of sociological theory as an analysis of modern culture."--Jacket.
