In recent years, there has been a proliferation of concerns about the status of social theory, particular in the context of debates about 'mobility', 'technology' and 'complexity' which in their extreme are said to undermine the very basis of 'the social'. Addressing these issues is important if social theory is to have a voice in shaping a future in which boundaries between 'nature' and 'society' are challenged and threaten in new ways. The second edition of "Situating Social Theory" examines the implications of recent developments, challenges and disputes that have become important to debates in social theory including new commentaries on key authors. The new edition also explores the extent to which how we situate social theory may need re-examining. The relationship between 'agency', 'social self' and 'social structure' will be examined in relation to the implications of 'mobility', 'technology' and 'complexity' through revised and updated material, the integration of new analysis of key authors, and two new chapters addressing the challenges of recent developments.

提姆·梅伊(Tim May)英国都市与区域可持续发展研究中心主任．现就职于美国斯坦福大学，著有《社会研究与自反性》(Social Research and Reflexivity．with Beth Perry．Sage Publications．2011)等,偏向于从哲学与社会学视角关注社会问题。

詹森．L．鲍威尔{Jason L Powell)英国曼彻斯特城市大学社会公正与社区实践中心教授，哈佛大学客座研究员，主要研究领域为老龄化与社会政策，其关于老龄化的著述颇丰，包括《社会理论与老龄化》(Social Theory and Aging Rowman＆Littlefield Publ ishers，2005)等。