ABSTRACT
Responsible practical members of society presumably would live better—with more power, perhaps more pleasure—if they could produce more social theories, that is, if they could use their already considerable practical sociologies to greater advantage. The change in social theory has brought social theory back full circle to at least one important aspect of its origins. Everyone, from the politician to the common man or woman, is aware that there seems to be something different in the world, something that can reasonably be called a new world order. What is certain as the twenty-first century moves into its own is that the ways people engage with their worlds are now changed beyond what could have been imagined, even in the early days of multicultural awareness. Among academic social theorists, it is normal, almost necessary, to develop a theory of language, literature, or discourse early in one's career.
