"Criminologists have waited long for a book that would re-energise their discipline's connections with sociological theory. Crime and Social Theory excels in this regard, revealing what light criminology can shed on so many of the pressing challenges of our time. A must-read." - David Gadd, University of Manchester, UK "A much needed, rigorous, accessible treatment of the underexplored relations between social theory and criminology, without which we can have no full picture of the work we do or of the phenomena we study." - Michelle Brown, University of Tennessee, USA

What can social theory really teach us about crime in the world today? This book gives an overview of key theoretical debates alongside explanations of cutting edge research to show how abstract thought relates to everyday experience. Looking at global crime to street crime, it brings together the most significant work on crime and social theory.