A theory is a set of ideas that claims to explain how something works. A Sociological theory is, therefore, a set of ideas that claims to explain how society or aspects of society work.'Social theories' as a field of study is particularly difficult to accurately determine or define. As understood, social theories are the systematic study of human society, including the processes of social change and transformation, involving the formulation of theoretical (and empirical) hypothesis, explanations, justifications and prescriptions. In disciplinary terms 'social theories' are often associated with sociological theories, and the origins of modern social theories have their origins in the sociological tradition. As can be seen from the range of disciplinary approaches surveyed in this essay, social theory includes the 'social-scientific' approach to studying society (in terms of the disciplines one finds in the social- scientific approach to studying society and social phenomenon- sociology and anthropolo...