Hurst (College of Wooster) explains to undergraduate students how classical social theories articulated a hundred years old can be applied to contemporary society. He discusses Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Goerg Simmel, and Max Weber as representatives of social theory and because they address many issues confronted by contemporary society. The first edition was published in 2000; the second incorporates subsequent events. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)