Sometimes social theory can seem dry and intimidating - as if it's something completely apart from everyday life. But in this brilliant new text, Brian Heaphy and Jane Franklin show exactly how the arguments of the great contemporary theorists play out against extended examples from real life. Introducing the work of Anthony Giddens, Zygmunt Bauman, Michel Foucault and Jean Baudrillard, the first section examines the merits of the 'late modernity' thesis against those of the proponents of 'post-modernity'. The authors show the wide swoop of influence of 'postmodern' thought and how it has changed the way even its opponents think. The second section puts these theories in context by looking at how they play out against key features of contemporary society and culture including work, consumption and the information revolution.