The ideas of the English philosopher Herbert Spencer (1820-1903) have shaped evolutionary theory, philosophy of science, sociology & politics. This work aims to dispel the plethora of misinformation surrounding Spencer, throwing light on the broader cultural history of the 19th century.

The republication of this book is eminently fitting at this time. Jay Rumney's Herbert Spencer's Sociology first appeared in 1937. In that year Talcott Parsons, citing Crane Brinton, declared: "Spencer is dead. But who killed him and how?" It was the thesis of Parsons' famous The Structure of Social Action that the evolution of scientific theory had put an end to Spencer. For more than a generation the man whose name had been synonymous with sociology was, or so it seemed, repressed and forgotten.

This set traces Herbert Spencer's influence, from his contemporaries to the present day. Contributions come from across the social science disciplines and are often taken from sources which are difficult to access.

The Handbook of Social Theory presents an authoritative and panoramic critical survey of the development, achievement and prospects of social theory.