Lord Anthony Giddens is one of the most prominent modern contributors in the field of sociology and is the fifth most-referenced author of books in the humanities, according to analysts Thomson Reuters. His advice has been sought by political leaders the world over and he is in great demand as a speaker by corporate clients.
Anthony Giddens is a British sociologist who is renowned for his theory of structuration and his holistic view of modern societies. He is currently emeritus professor at London School of Economics and a life fellow at King’s College, Cambridge.
His ideas have profoundly influenced the writing and teaching of sociology and social theory around the world. In particular, he developed the theory of structuration, which is the understanding of the relationship between individuals and the conditions around them. We should view life in society as a series of ongoing activities and practices that people carry on, but which at the same time reproduce larger institutions. Most recently he has been at the forefront of developing ideas in left of centre politics. He has helped to popularise the idea of the ‘Third Way’. The Third Way represents the renewal of social democracy in a world where the views of the old left have become obsolete, while those of the new right are inadequate and contradictory. A new social democratic agenda is emerging that is integrated, robust and wide-ranging, which can also rekindle political idealism. He has had a profound influence on contemporary politics, with both Tony Blair and Bill Clinton citing his ‘third way’ political approach as a guiding idea and has travelled to many countries around the world talking to political leaders and heads of state about the development of third way politics.
He was educated at the University of Hull and the London School of Economics. He served as Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) from 1997 to 2003. He was previously a Fellow and Professor of Sociology at King’s College, Cambridge and is currently a Life Fellow. He holds honorary degrees from 15 different universities. He was made a Life Peer in May 2004. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Science and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. In 2002 he was awarded the Prince of Asturias Prize for the social sciences, known as ‘the Spanish Nobel Prize’.
He is the author or editor of 34 books translated into over 40 different languages. His first work, ‘Capitalism and Modern Social Theory’, has been continuously in print for more than three decades. In1999 he was the BBC Reith Lecturer.
Anthony Giddens is the most widely read and cited social theorist of his generation. His ideas have profoundly influenced the writing and teaching of sociology and social theory around the world. He has been described as Britain’s best known social scientist since John Maynard Keynes.
Topics
- Globalisation
- The Renewal of Democracy
- The Theory of “Structuration”
- The Third Way; Left or Right … or what?
- Modernity, Post-Modernity and the Post-Traditional
- Global Warming
