überall einen richtigen Gebrauch der reinen Vernunft giebt, in welchem Fall es auch einen Canon derselben geben muß, so wird dieser nicht den speculativen, sondernden pr.ntischen Vernunftgebrauch betreffen, den wir also iezt ...

The Protestant ethic — a moral code stressing hard work, rigorous self-discipline, and the organization of one's life in the service of God — was made famous by sociologist and political economist Max Weber. In this brilliant study (his best-known and most controversial), he opposes the Marxist concept of dialectical materialism and its view that change takes place through "the struggle of opposites." Instead, he relates the rise of a capitalist economy to the Puritan determination to work out anxiety over (...) salvation or damnation by performing good deeds — an effort that ultimately discouraged belief in predestination and encouraged capitalism. Weber's classic study has long been required reading in college and advanced high school social studies classrooms. (shrink)

In this book, Roy Bhaskar sets out to revindicate ontology, critiquing the reduction of being in favor of knowledge, which he calls the "epistemic fallacy".

Une critique de la modernité qui cherche à en sauver (reformuler)) l'idée puisque "le sujet ne peut pas se dissoudre dans la post-modernité". L'auteur rappelle d'abord le triomphe des conceptions rationalistes de la modernité. Puis il suit la destruction de cette idée de la modernité, dans la pensée et les pratiques sociales. Dans une troisième partie, qui peut se lire en premier, l'auteur présente ses idées sur la modernité comme relation tendue entre la Raison et le Sujet, la rationalisation et (...) la subjectivation, entre l'esprit de la Renaissance et celui de la Réforme, la science et la liberté (cf. la présentation très claire et accessible, p. 11-17). (shrink)

First Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

While sociological modernists were outrageously presumptious in their claims for sociological knowledge, postmodernists have gone to another extreme in claiming that it has no more truth status than fiction. Critical of both positions, Sociological Reasoning develops an original typology of approaches to social scientific theory and research which is distinguished by its openness and reflexive awareness of rhetorical and methodological aspects of knowledge claims. Laced with graphic illustrative examples, this is a strikingly well-written text that will appeal to students at (...) undergraduate level and beyond. (shrink)

Postmodernity has been dubbed the great transformation in society and culture, yet in this book Keith Tester casts a cautious eye on such grandiose claims. Drawing on a range of themes and stories from European sociology and literature, Tester shows how many of the great statements about postmodernityare misleading. Tester argues that "postmodernity" is not so much the harbinger of new world expression as it is a parasite of modernity, feeding off its predecessor's unresolved paradoxes and possibilities. This book provides (...) a wealth of sources which are usually denigrated or ignored in the debates on postmodernity. As such, it sheds light on old claims, yet never fails to acknowledge the profound insights of sociologists and other authors.The Life and Times of Postmodernityis an elaboration of the themes which Tester raised in his earlier books,The Two SovereignsandCivil Society, both published by Routledge. (shrink)

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain (...) in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. (shrink)

In this study Ann Game attempts to redefine the discipline of sociology in light of contemporary cultural and feminist theory. Exploring the immediate experience of daily life, she considers the themes of desire, memory, time, and the body. The book begins with an essay on current issues in sociology such as relexivity and the relationship between the subject and power. The second section analyses these issues in relation to the writings of Foucault, Freud, Bergson, Irigaray, Hegel, Sartre, Lacan, and Cixous. (...) The third section deals with issues of mediation and immediacy, and time and place. Here Game explores the dialectic of boss-secretary relations, and offers an analysis of the Cronenberg film Dead Ringers. Game unsettles sociological assumptions and shows that a deconstructive strategy is just as relevant in sociology and in literary, cultural, or philosophical studies. (shrink)

First lecture: The end -- Second lecture: The means -- Third lecture: The achievements.

Claude Lefort is one of the leading social and political theorists in France today. This anthology of his most important work published over the last four decades makes his writing widely accessible to an English-speaking audience for the first time. With exceptional skill Lefort combines the analysis of contemporary political events with a sensitivity to the history of political thought. His critical account of the development of bureaucracy and totalitarianism in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe is a timely contribution (...) to current debates about the nature and shortcomings of these societies. His incisive analyses of Marx's theory of history and concept of ideology provide the backdrop for a highly original account of the role of symbolism in modern societies. While critical of many traditional assumptions and doctrines, Lefort develops a political position based on a reappraisal of the idea of human rights and a reconsideration of what "democracy" means today. The Political Forms of Modern Society is a major contribution to contemporary social and political theory. The volume includes a substantial introduction that describes the context of Lefort's writings and highlights the central themes of his work. (shrink)

Social Postmodernism offers a transformative political vision and addresses the live questions in identity politics. The postmodern focus on race, sexuality and gender is sharpened by integrating the micro-social concerns of the social movements associated with these issues and macro-institutional and cultural analysis. Social Postmodernism brings together leading theorists to explore further the implications for the discourses of feminism, post-Marxian cultural studies, African-American, Gay, Latino/a and postcolonial studies.