Origins & Early Life

Anthony Giddens, Baron Giddens (born 18 January 1938) is an English sociologist who is known for his theory of structuration and his holistic view of modern societies. He is the author of more than 34 books and was listed, in 2007, as the fifth most cited author in the humanities. He has held academic appointments at universities across the world and has received numerous honorary degrees. His works are divided into four stages: The first one involved outlining a new vision of what sociology is, presenting a theoretical and methodological understanding of that field based on a critical reinterpretation of the classics.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

His major publications of that era include Capitalism and Modern Social Theory (1971) and The Class Structure of the Advanced Societies (1973). In the second stage, Giddens developed the theory of structuration, an analysis of agency and structure in which primacy is granted to neither. His works of that period, such as New Rules of Sociological Method (1976), Central Problems in Social Theory (1979) and The Constitution of Society (1984), brought him international fame on the sociological arena. The third stage of Giddens's academic work was concerned with modernity...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Ahn Chang Ho — Contemporary (Died in 1938) (1938): Pioneering Korean independence activist and leader of the Korean-American community.
• Alan Bond — Contemporary (Born in 1938) (1938): Australian businessman known for high-profile dealings, the America's Cup, and founding Bond University.
• Albert Fert — Contemporary (Born in 1938) (1938): Pioneering physicist known for the discovery of giant magnetoresistance.
• A. A. Milne — Shared historical date (01-18 · Born) (1882): Celebrated English author, famed for Winnie-the-Pooh and children's literature.
• Aitana Bonmatí — Shared historical date (01-18 · Born) (1998): Star Spanish midfielder known for her decorated career with Barcelona and the Spain national team.
• Anna Wierzbicka — Historical peer (Born in 1938) (1938): Influential Polish linguist known for semantic metalanguage and cross-cultural semantics.
• Anthony Leggett — Historical peer (Born in 1938) (1938): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for work on superfluidity and low-temperature quantum systems.
• Al Oerter — Historical peer (Died in 2007) (2007): Four-time Olympic champion in the discus throw, pioneering athletic consistency.
• Albert Ellis — Historical peer (Died in 2007) (2007): Pioneering figure in psychotherapy, founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
• Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi — Historical peer (Born in 1971) (1971): Iraqi militant leader and founder of the Islamic State (IS)
• 1938 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1938
• January 18 (01-18) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on January 18