Anthony Giddens was born in London on January 11, 1938. In 1961, he earned his Master of Arts (MA) from the London School of Economics, and earned a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in 1976. From 1961 to 1970, he served as a lecturer at the University of Leicester. From 1970 onward, he was a professor of sociology at the University of Cambridge.

Throughout his career, Giddens explored the dynamics of modern society. Some of his publications include:

• "Capitalism and Modern Social Theory" (1971)
• "The Class Structure of the Advanced Societies" (1973)
• "New Rules of Sociological Method" (1976)
• "Central Problems in Social Theory" (1979)
• "The Consequences of Modernity" (1990)
• "Modernity and Self-Identity" (1991)
• "The Third Way and Its Critics" (2000)

Giddens made significant contributions to sociological theory, emphasizing concepts like structuration theory, agency-structure, and reflexivity. His ideas challenged conventional sociological wisdom and led to new perspectives in the field.

Giddens was involved in four key projects during his career, focusing on classical social theory, contemporary societal reflections, the development of a comprehensive social theory, and the application of these theories to the study of modernity. A central tenet of Giddens' work was the idea that individuals have the capacity to shape their own history, albeit within the constraints of the social conditions they find themselves in.