ABSTRACT
The origins of this volume on the work of John H. Goldthorpe can be traced directly, if somewhat paradoxically, to the publication in 1986–87 of a series of books on the work of leading contemporary psychologists: Lawrence Kohlberg, Hans Eysenck, Noam Chomsky, Arthur Jensen and B. F. Skinner. The success of these five volumes, edited by Sohan and Celia Modgil, persuaded the publisher, Malcolm Clarkson of Falmer Press, to initiate a parallel series of books on leading contemporary sociologists. In the autumn of 1986 Jon Clark was appointed principal editor of the new series.
