Buckley has been described as a pioneer in
social systems theory that challenged conventional views.[5] In his personal life he appreciated
jazz music and played tenor
saxophone. He died in 2006 in
Durham, New Hampshire.[6]
1959. Sociological theory and social stratification. Dissertation University of Wisconsin–Madison.
1967, Sociology and Modern Systems Theory. Prentice Hall
1968, Modern Systems Research for the Behavioral Scientist. Foreword from
Anatol Rapoport,[8]
1969. Class and society with Kurt Bernd Mayer. New York
1971. A systems study in regional inequality: Norrbotten, a fourth of Sweden. With Bengt Sandkull. Stockholm,
1975. Multi-level, dialectical social action : an open systems theory perspective. With
Thomas Baumgartner and
Tom R. Burns
1976. Power and control : social structures and their transformation Edited by
Tom R. Burns and Walter Buckley. London : SAGE.
1982. Power, Conflict, and Exchange in Social Life: An Actor-oriented Systems Theory of the Structuring and Dialectics of Social Systems. With
Thomas Baumgartner and P. DeVille. Institute of Sociology, Uppsala.
1998, Society—A Complex Adaptive System : Essays in Social Theory, Routledge.