Social theory Books

Book SynopsisThe 1960s saw pioneering changes in the realms of international politics, science, culture and art. Turning this historical lens onto the study of sociology, The Sociological Inheritance of the 1960s reveals both the continuities and the departures the field has seen in its core principles and approaches over the past several decades. Beginning with an overview of society in the ‘60s, Jiří Šubrt provides an important reflection on a period worthy of contemporary reflection. In this context, what new concepts emerged? What were the popular methodological approaches? What controversies and debates emerged? How did sociology form part of a wider landscape of creative explosion throughout the decade? What implications does this have for contemporary sociology? Inspiring an enriched understanding of a legacy still deeply relevant to current issues and concerns across the field, The Sociological Inheritance of the 1960s proves that, despite the half a century that has since passed, we still have much to learn from this rich period of sociological development.Trade ReviewUnderstanding the 1960s as a decade of hope and a call for radical change, Šubrt . . . masterfully makes astute observations outside of ideas already posited, using language that demonstrates that sociologists are not only dry repeaters of previous thinkers, but instead creative, thoughtful minds, reflecting on society and how it can move forward, even if there is no clear trajectory where that forward might take us . . . The Sociological Inheritance of the 1960s is a useful tool for sociologists as both a reference and as a means to better understand their field, giving credence to the value of historical sociology and placing social phenomena in its appropriate time and place along with context. This is done to the benefit of all, demonstrating that the past, present, and future are all connected in a continuum, showcasing that the present state of sociology did not arise out of nowhere. -- Haylee Behrends, Instructor in History, Political Science, and Sociology, Western Technical College, USA[Šubrt] skillfully situates his work in the concerns and events of historical time, geographical space, and political power. Specifically, he clarifies how US, as well as Western and Eastern European, political and economic structures shaped and legitimized specific ways of thinking . . . Especially informative and powerful for analyzing today’s historically situated social problems, Dr. Šubrt’s work provides the context needed to better understand the development and use of sociological theory, as well as society itself. -- Dawn Norris, Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, USATable of ContentsChapter 1. A time when progress was still believed in (in place of an introduction) Chapter 2. Societies of the 1960s, sociologically speaking Chapter 3. The legacy of positivism, or how to make a sociological theory Chapter 4. How to focus the systems approach on modern societies Chapter 5. Social classes and stratification Chapter 6. Conflicts may not bring only evil Chapter 7. Media and mass communication Chapter 8. Imagination – creative and sociological Chapter 9. The birth of sociological constructivism Chapter 10. What about individual human freedom? Chapter 11. The point is to change the world Chapter 12. One thing ends, another begins (in place of a conclusion)

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Book SynopsisHindu nationalism is transforming India, as an increasingly dominant ideology and political force. But it is also a global phenomenon, with sections of India's vast diaspora drawn to, or actively supporting, right-wing Hindu nationalism. Indians overseas can be seen as an important, even inextricable, aspect of the movement. This is not a new dynamic--diasporic Hindutva ('Hindu-ness') has grown over many decades. This book explores how and why the movement became popular among India's diaspora from the second half of the twentieth century. It shows that Hindutva ideology, and its plethora of organisations, have a distinctive resonance and way of operating overseas; the movement and its ideas perform significant, particular functions for diaspora communities. With a focus on Britain, Edward T.G. Anderson argues that transnational Hindutva cannot simply be viewed as an export: this phenomenon has evolved and been shaped into an important aspect of diasporic identity, a way for people to connect with their homeland. He also sheds light on the impact of conservative Indian politics on British multiculturalism, migrant politics and relations between various minoritised communities. To fully understand the Hindutva movement in India and identity politics in Britain, we must look at where the two come together.Trade Review'A timely and important book adding to our understanding of the complexities of the diasporic experience and its relationship to India.' -- Kavita Puri, Writer and Broadcaster, BBC'This book is so extraordinary and important that it deserves a very wide readership ... An unrivalled perspective of the recent rise of a Hindu nationalism as a global project. It is crucial reading for those interested in Hindu nationalism's global footprint.' -- Joya Chatterji FBA, Professor of South Asian History, Trinity College, University of Cambridge, and author of 'Shadows At Noon: The South Asian Twentieth Century''A carefully researched, deep dive into the Hindutva in diaspora phenomenon. The focus of Anderson's excellent, historical-political work is Britain, but he tells a story that spans India, its diaspora, and globally networked nationalisms more broadly. This is a book for these times, and for times to come.' -- Nikita Sud, Professor of the Politics of Development, University of Oxford'[An] illuminating study ... A major contribution to our understanding of Hindu nationalism as a global project.' -- Thomas Blom Hansen, Reliance-Dhirubhai Ambani Professor, Stanford University‘Anderson’s important study of rightwing Hindu nationalism in multicultural Britain makes a critical intervention ... A must-read for all scholars interested in Hindu religious nationalism.’ -- Tanika Sarkar, Retired Professor, Modern History, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Delhi'[A] uniquely rich and highly readable account ... The book is a must read for anyone interested in the global reach of Hindu nationalism and its diasporic forms.' -- William Gould, Professor of Indian History, University of Leeds'This book offers meticulous documentation of how the expression of Hindu identity in India and abroad became connected... through an organization whose political party now rules India. This is the best account of the process we have, and hence is an important contribution to the literature.' -- Arvind Rajagopal, Professor of Media Studies, New York University

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Book SynopsisBringing together contributions from anthropology, sociology, religious studies, and philosophy, along with ethnographic case studies from diverse settings, this volume explores how different disciplinary perspectives on the good might engage with and enrich each other. The chapters examine how people realize the good in social life, exploring how ethics and values relate to forms of suffering, power and inequality, and, in doing so, demonstrate how focusing on the good enhances social theory. This is the first interdisciplinary engagement with what it means to study the good as a fundamental aspect of social life.

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Book SynopsisDavid R. Maines (1940-2021), one of the most important sociological scholars of the 20th and 21st centuries, constructed a vast area of research to advance the field of symbolic interactionism during his career. Highlighting the significance of Maines’ works in symbolic interactionism, Festschrift in Honor of David R. Maines documents his most celebrated areas of scholarship, including social structure, narrative sociology, social interaction, dialectic perspective, temporality, and mesostructure. Including stories from individuals who knew Maines via kinship, friendship, or professional relationship, the chapters conclude with two new empirical studies to reflect Maines’ interest in continually advancing the field with cutting-edge research. The collection also features a list of Maines’ selected works for further reading to guide other symbolic interactionists in their research endeavors. Volume 57 of Studies in Symbolic Interaction is a source of both consolation and celebration for those who knew David R. Maines, as well as those who have just begun to discover his inspiring work.Table of ContentsPART I. Festschrift in Honor of David R. Maines Chapter 1. David R. Maines and his Collaborative Circles: A Remembrance; Jeffrey T. Ulmer Chapter 2. David R. Maines: The Stranger who Studied Social Structure; Michael A. Katovich Chapter 3. David Maines: Legend or Legacy?; Jim Thomas Chapter 4. David Maines: A Personal Remembrance; Albert Jay Meehan Chapter 5. Police Narratives and Accounts for Viral Use of Force Videos; Joel O. Powell and Rylan Fitzpatrick Chapter 6. Reflecting on Friendship Matters with David R. Maines; William K. Rawlins Chapter 7. Narrating Stories of Elite Blind Athletes: A Study Honoring Learning with David Maines; Elaine Bass Jenks Chapter 8. From Mesostructure to Narrative Structures: David Maines’s Contributions to Communication Research; Shing-Ling S. Chen PART II. Reflections Chapter 9. From Dave Van Ronk - He Was A Friend of Mine (sung at the Phil Ochs Memorial Concert, 1976; original folk); Norman K. Denzin Chapter 10. Remembering David: Childhood Memories of a Remarkable Brother; Rebecca Maines Scheer Chapter 11. Thoughts of David; David W. Britt Chapter 12. Memories; Jim Thomas Chapter 13. My Fond Memories of David R. Maines; Susan Haworth-Hoeppner PART III. New Empirical Studies Chapter 14. Anthropomorphism as Symbolic Interaction: The Demographics of Purgatory; David Aveline Chapter 15. Professions as Closed-Networks: Mississippi River Pilots and Mead’s Conceptualization of Mind; Kenneth H. Kolb Selected Publications by David R. Maines

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Book SynopsisMicroverses comprises over a hundred short essays inviting us to think about society - and social theory - in new ways. Lockdown created the conditions for what Adorno once termed 'enforced contemplation'. Dylan Riley responded with the tools of his trade, producing an extraordinary trail of notes exploring how critical sociology can speak to this troubled decade. Microverses analyses the intellectual situation, the political crisis of Trump's last months in office, and love and illness in a period when both were fraught with the public emergency of the coronavirus.Riley brings the theoretical canon to bear on problems of intellectual culture and everyday life, working through Weber and Durkheim, Parsons and Dubois, Gramsci and Lukács, MacKinnon and Fraser, to weigh sociology's relationship to Marxism and the operations of class, race and gender, alongside discursions into the workings of an orchestra and the complicatedness of taking a walk in a pandemic.Invitations rather than finished arguments, the notes attempt to recover the totalising perspective of sociology - the ability to see society in the round, as though from the outside - and to recuperate what Paul Sweezy described as a sense of the 'present as history'.Trade ReviewRarely have the concepts of classical sociology and Marxist analysis seemed so relevant to life itself. -- Malcolm Bull, author of The Concept of the SocialInspiring and thought-provoking, living up to the author's credo that ideas should be 'strange...difficult...antagonizing'. -- Göran Therborn, author of Inequality and the Labyrinths of DemocracyProvocative and moving observations on the crisis-conjuncture, and a transcript of an embattled soul -- Gavin Jacobson * New Statesman *An impassioned defense of social theory -- Ishan Desai-Geller * Nation *Small starbursts written with a light hand but deep scholarship -- Luisita Lopez Torregrosa * LA Review of Books *A withering demolition of a political culture. Both warranted and necessary -- Luke Warde * Review 31 *

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Book SynopsisThis book is an introductory guide to the work of Talcott Parsons, designed specifically for students and those new to his work. It offers a comprehensive guide to reading and understanding the development of Parsons' sociological ideas, placing them in the context of his life and his position in American sociology. Scott delves into crucial resources on Parsons, including a bibliography of key works and a guide to further reading. By equipping readers to understand Parsons, the author arms them to engage with Parsons' work for themselves and to come to their own, informed judgments about his contemporary relevance.Trade Review'Talcott Parsons’ theories remain central to the developing tradition of sociological theory, but access to his work has been difficult. His writings are complex and often shrouded in a unique terminology. Finally, there is a clear and direct way to engage his work. John Scott has written the first text that is both accurate and comprehensive. It is also a pleasant read. Students of sociological theory and professionals who have not studied Parsons intensively will enjoy and benefit from Professor Scott’s landmark achievement.' -- Victor Lidz, Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychiatry, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Table of ContentsChapter 1. Talcott Parsons and American Sociology Chapter 2. Parsons, Economics, and Sociology Chapter 3. The Sociology is About to Begin! Chapter 4. Outlines of a Sociological Theory Chapter 5. A Theory of the Social System Chapter 6. Refining the Functional Basis Chapter 7. A Revised Theory of the Social System Chapter 8. Evolution, Modernity, and American Society Chapter 9. Action, Society, and the Human Condition Chapter 10. Parsons: Looking Forward Appendix 1: Conspectus of Parsons’s Principal Works Appendix 2: Sources and Further Reading

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Book SynopsisCity of Panic takes the reader on a journey across the airy boulevards of Paris and into the crypt of its Metro. For Virilio, whose sense of cities was formed by earlier wars, Paris is both the City of Light and the City of Panic. Written in the shadow of war, City of Panic argues that cities everywhere have been the dedicated target of political and technological terror throughout the 20th century. The wanton erasure of the past, the construction of identikit places, the proliferation of gated-communities, the ever-widening net of surveillance, the privatisation of what was public ...Now every metropolis is a war zone and every metropolis is the same. In this globalized and militarized everywhere, all citizens are becoming one citizen - saturated, standardized and synchronized - ever-more reliant on a media fabricating a world of fear. For the panic of the 21st century is simply the final phase of the pincer movement. Place-less, media-fed, panic-struck - welcome to the desert of the real.Trade Review'Essential reading for anyone trying to make sense of America's out-of-control war of prevention.' The Guardian 'A speed-driven stream of consciousness centring on the city-world, the metropolitics of globalization, telesurveillance, bunkerization and hyperterrorism.' Times Literary Supplement'It is no accident that when Virilio's dromology (the study of speed) crashes head-long into semiology (the study of signs) the order of things starts to look precarious. Over a diverse career as professor of architecture, film critic, urbanist, military historian, and peace strategist, Virilio has interrogated the integral relationships of security and territory, war and cinema, speed and politics, technology and culture, and left no prisoners.' James Der Derian, author of Virtuous War: Mapping the Military-Industrial-Media-Entertainment Network 'If Walter Benjamin had one true intellectual descendant who extended his inquiries into the second half of the twentieth century, thisTable of Contents* Tabula Rasa * Democracy of Emotion * Kriegstrasse * An Accident in Time * Panicsville * The Twilight of Places

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Book SynopsisFor nearly 40 years, Ronald Reagan's vision--small government, lower taxes, and self-reliant individualism--has remained America's dominant political ideology. The Democratic Party has offered no truly convincing competing vision. Instead, American liberalism has fallen under the spell of identity politics. Mark Lilla argues with acerbic wit that liberals, originally driven by a sincere desire to protect the most vulnerable Americans, have now unwittingly invested their energies in social movements rather than winning elections. This abandonment of political priorities has had dire consequences. But, with the Republican Party led by an unpredictable demagogue and in ideological disarray, Lilla believes liberals now have an opportunity to turn from the divisive politics of identity, and offer positive ideas for a shared future. A fiercely-argued, no-nonsense book, The Once and Future Liberal is essential reading for our momentous times.Trade Review'[Lilla's] argument is an important counter-weight to the prevailing wisdom.' * Financial Times *'The Once and Future Liberal is a dead-on diagnosis of what ails the Democrats.' * The Guardian *'A deep and provocative brief on what has gone wrong, and what liberals, moderates, and progressives might do about it' -- Steven Pinker'Lilla in his new book issues an important, passionate and highly critical wake-up call to liberals who, he believes, are stuck in the mud. . . . Lilla's message to liberals is timely and welcome.' * Arlie Hochschild, Washington Post *‘Lilla is no conservative. Yet it would be hard to find a better skewering of modern American liberalism than in this slim volume . . . Lilla’s book is a sizzling polemic.’'A dead-on diagnosis''Mark Lilla's The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics has annoyed a great many people in the US, though its message is nothing but common sense: in the age of Trumpery, nothing can be done for vulnerable minorities unless liberals get themselves elected to positions of influence. An urgent and important book by one of the clearest and most inspired political thinkers of the day.''Challenging and powerful''Lilla masterfully sets a dialogue in this short book.' * Los Angeles Review of Books *'A terrific short book about the decline of American liberalism explaining how they went from the successes of FDR's coalition to the pitfalls of today's identity politics. It's an accessible book that's essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how we arrived in the Trump era and where the Democrats go from here.' - * Fareed Zakaria, CNN *'Lilla seeks to summon liberals to a politics of broad national interest''An urgent and important book' -- John Banville'A stunning indictment of the left's fatal descent into a bedlam of identity- and a stirring call to the power of shared citizenship and the universality of liberal ideas. Brilliant and necessary.' -- Lord Ken Macdonald QC, Warden, Wadham College, Oxford, and former Director of Public Prosecutions'If I could magically place a copy of Mark Lilla's The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics into the hands of every Democratic Party politician, activist, major donor, pollster, and consultant in the country, I would . . . Lilla has written the most admirable and necessary political broadside in years.''Mark Lilla questions liberalism's intellectual foundations in order to make it forceful and successful . . . An important book.''Besides analysing how American liberals have lost both their appeal and their politi­cal power, The Once and Future Liberal proposes a way to make liberalism relevant again.'

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Book Synopsis"The Social Science of Hayek's 'The Sensory Order'" systematically examines the relevance and significance of Hayek's cognitive psychology for economics and social science, and is the only publication of its kind to do so. Sixteen original papers are divided into four parts in this volume: Hayek's Cognitive Psychology, Evolution, and Social Theory; Hayek's Cognitive Psychology and Economics; Hayek's Cognitive Psychology, Institutions, and Broader Social theory; and The Place of The Sensory Order in Hayek's Oeuvre: A Mini-Symposium. Papers examine Hayek's cognitive psychology from the perspective of evolutionary theory, economics, market and social institutions, and broader social theory. Part of "The Advances in Austrian Economics Series", this book will appeal to people working in a variety of traditions in economics and related disciplines. Although Austrian school economists are the primary audience, those working in public choice, new institutionalism, complexity theory, cognitive or behavior economics, entrepreneurship, and other areas will find great value in the series. This volume is edited by William Butos, Professor of Economics, Trinity College, Hartford and Visiting Research Fellow, New York University, Austrian Economics Program.Table of ContentsList of Contributors. The unexpected fertility of Hayek's cognitive theory: An introduction to The social science of Hayek's “The sensory order”. Science and The Sensory Order. Reflecting upon knowledge: Hayek's psychology and social science. : operational epistemology as an evolutionary adaptationThe sensory order. Hayek: Cognitive scientist Avant la Lettre. Hayek and the evolutionary tradition against the Homo oeconomicus. and the neurophysiological basics of methodological individualismThe Sensory Order. , The economic imagination and the tacit dimensionThe Sensory Order. Hayek on Prices and Knowledge: Supplementing “The Use of Knowledge in Society” with The Sensory Order. and organizational learningThe sensory order. Instincts and institutions: the rise of the market. An institutional solution for a cognitive problem: Hayek's sensory order as foundation for Hayek's institutional order. The role of dispositions in Hayek's cognitive theory. Making Sense out of The Sensory Order. I am not a “Neuro-Hayekian,” I'm a subjectivist. Confessions of a neuro-Hayekian. From Neuro-Hayekians to subjectivist Hayekians: A reply to Horwitz and Koppl. Advances in Austrian economics. The Social Science of Hayek’s ‘The Sensory Order’. Copyright page.

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Book SynopsisInformed by ‘critical religion’ perspective in Religious Studies and postcolonial self-reflection in Sociology, this book interrogates the ideas of ‘religion’ and ‘the secular’ in social theory and Sociology. It argues that as long as social theory and sociological discourse embed the religion-secular distinction and locate themselves on the ‘secular’ side of the binary, Sociology will continue to serve the very ideologies it tries to subvert – namely Western modernity/coloniality. Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Theoretical Background.- ‘Religion’ in Social Theory.- ‘The Secular’ in Sociology.- Social Construction of Secularisation Thesis.- Textbooks and Other Introductory Materials.- ‘Religion’ in Liquid Late Modernity of Risk Society.- Conclusion: Social Theory and Sociology after Deconstructing the Religious-Secular Binary.

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Book SynopsisWissenschaftliche Forschung ist an spezifische Orte, Zeiten und Praktiken gebunden, die durch unzählige explizite und implizite Regeln eingegrenzt werden. Was aber geschieht, wenn diese Konfigurationen auseinanderbrechen? Friedrich Cain untersucht dies anhand der Forschungen, die polnische Wissenschaftler im Verborgenen durchführten, als das Land im Zweiten Weltkrieg unter deutscher Besatzung stand. Alle polnischen Bildungseinrichtungen und Forschungsstätten wie Schulen, Akademien und Universitäten, aber auch Bibliotheken und Labore wurden geschlossen und blieben 'nur für Deutsche' zugängig, denn ein 'Arbeitervolk', so die Rassentheorien der Besatzungsmacht, brauche keine höheren Kultureinrichtungen. Viele polnische Wissenschaftler wandten sich jedoch gegen die Verbote und versuchten weiter wissenschaftlich zu arbeiten. Neben der Organisation geheimer Seminare im Rahmen sogenannter Untergrunduniversitäten gelang es in nahezu allen Disziplinen klandestin zu forschen. Die Studie folgt soziologischen Untersuchungen einer Gesellschaft unter Besatzungsbedingungen, medizinischen Forschungen zur Hungerkrankheit und zum Fleckfieber sowie der Einrichtung physikalischer Experimentalzusammenhänge in Warschau, Krakau, Lemberg und anderswo. Versteckt in Privatwohnungen, getarnt als offizielle Unternehmen oder an der Schwelle zwischen deutscher Administration und polnischem Untergrund wurden gewohnte Infrastrukturen, also das Arsenal von Geräten, Büchern, Techniken und Tugenden neu organisiert. All dies hatte spezifische epistemologische Auswirkungen, etwa wenn Projekte abgebrochen, neu eingerichtet oder in der 'Laborsituation des Krieges' dynamisiert wurden. Häufig führte dies zur politischen Aufladung wissenschaftlicher Neutralitätsgebote und musste mit den politischen und moralischen Narrativen des polnischen Widerstands in Einklang gebracht werden.

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Book SynopsisArt and the Challenge of Markets Volumes 1 & 2 examine the politics of art and culture in light of the profound changes that have taken place in the world order since the 1980s and 1990s. The contributors explore how in these two decades, the neoliberal or market-based model of capitalism started to spread from the economic realm to other areas of society. As a result, many aspects of contemporary Western societies increasingly function in the same way as the private enterprise sector under traditional market capitalism.This second volume analyses the relationships of art with contemporary capitalist economies and instrumentalist cultural policies, and examines several varieties of capitalist-critical and alternative art forms that exist in today’s art worlds. It also addresses the vexed issues of art controversies and censorship. The chapters cover issues such as the culturalization of the economy, aesthetics and anti-aesthetics, the societal benefits of works of art, art's responsibility to society, "artivism", activist arts as protest and capitalism-critical works, and controversies over nudity in art, as well as considering the marketisation of emerging visual arts worlds in East Asia. The book ends with the a concluding chapter suggesting that even in today's marketized and commercialized environments, art will find a way. Both volumes provide students and scholars across a range of disciplines with an incisive, comparative overview of the politics of art and culture and national, international and transnational art worlds in contemporary capitalism.Table of ContentsPart One: Introduction1. The Capitalist Economy as a Precondition and Restraint of Modern and Contemporary Art WorldsPart Two: Contemporary Capitalist Economy and the Demands of Art’s Societal Utility and Responsibility2. Culturalization of the Economy and the Artistic Qualities of Contemporary Capitalism3. Neoliberal Marketization of Global Contemporary Visual Art Worlds: Changes in Valuations and the Scope of Local and Global Markets4. Art, Capitalist Markets, and Society: Insights and Reflections on Contemporary Art5. Art as a Means to Produce Societal Benefits and Social Innovations6. A Plea for Responsible Art: Politics, the Market, CreationPart Three: Alternative and Critical Art Production and its Control7. Artistic Critique on Capitalism as a Practical and Theoretical Problem8. De-Aestheticization and the Dialectics of the Aesthetic and Anti-Aesthetic in Contemporary Art9. Artivism and the Spirit of Avant-Garde Art10. Dirty Pictures. Scandal and Censorship in Contemporary ArtPart Four: Afterword11. Manifestations and Conditions of Art.

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Book SynopsisSetting the context for the upheavals and transformations of contemporary China, this text provides a re-assessment of Max Weber’s celebrated sociology of China. Returning to the sources drawn on by Weber in The Religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism, it offers an informed account of the Chinese institutions discussed and a concise discussion of Weber’s writings on ‘the rise of modern capitalism’. Notably it subjects Weber’s argument to critical scrutiny, arguing that he drew upon sources which infused the central European imagination of the time, constructing a sense of China in Europe, whilst European writers were constructing a particular image of imperial China and its Confucian framework. Re-examining Weber’s discussion of the role of the individual in Confucian thought and the subordination, in China, of the interests of the individual to those of the political community and the ancestral clan, this book offers a cutting edge contribution to the continuing debate on Weber’s RoC in East Asia today, against the background of the rise of modern capitalism in the “little dragons” of Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea, and the “big dragons” of Japan and the People’s Republic of China.Trade Review“The book is an interesting and reliable contribution to the discourses on contemporary Chinese sociology of religion; as a result, it is warmly recommended to all specialists in the field and to the general reader of Chinese culture, as well.” (Lehel Balogh, Religious Studies Review, Vol. 45 (2), June, 2019)“Max Weber's fascination with China has been well documented … . It is a must read for both Weber scholars and China specialists, and will be of great interest to comparative-historical sociologists. Summing Up: Essential. Graduate students/faculty.” (J. Li, Choice, Vol. 55 (9), May, 2018)Table of ContentsIntroduction.- China in Germany.- Confucianism.- Daoism.- Self-interest.- Magic.- Capitalism.

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Book SynopsisFifty years after the appearance of The Dialectical Imagination, his pioneering history of the Frankfurt School, Martin Jay reflects on what may be living and dead in its legacy. Rather than treating it with filial piety as a fortress to be defended, he takes seriously its anti-systematic impulse and sensitivity to changing historical circumstances. Honouring the Frankfurt School's practice of immanent critique, he puts critical pressure on a number of its own ideas by probing their contradictory impulses. Among them are the pathologization of political deviance through stigmatizing "authoritarian personalities," the undefended theological premises of Walter Benjamin's work, and the ambivalence of its members' analyses of anti-Semitism and Zionism. Additional questions are asked about other time-honored Marxist themes: the meaning of alienation, the alleged damages of abstraction, and the advocacy of a politics based on a singular notion of the truth. Rather, however, than allowing these questions to snowball into an unwarranted repudiation of the Frankfurt School legacy as a whole, the essays also acknowledge a number of its still potent arguments. They explore its neglected, but now timely analysis of "racket society," Adorno's dialectical reading of aesthetic sublimation, and the unexpected implications of Benjamin's focus on the corpse for political theory. Jay shows that it is a still evolving theoretical tradition which offers resources for the understanding of - and perhaps even practical betterment - of our increasingly troubled world.Trade ReviewA century after its founding, the Institute for Social Research, now better known as the Frankfurt School of Critical Theory, continues to generate provocative ideas and critical perspectives on the world that we inhabit. Just as from the vantage point of Adorno, Benjamin, Horkheimer, and others, however, there can be no genuinely critical thought that is not mediated in decisive ways by the history of its own genesis, thereby rendering the task of inheriting the refractory legacy of the Frankfurt School a difficult and ongoing undertaking. Martin Jay's powerful new study provides us with a beautifully articulated path through the thicket of that inheritance, thoughtfully lingering along the way to illuminate central tropes and concerns that emerge from this constellation of writers. By focusing on the characteristic critical gesture that unites many Frankfurt School thinkers-that of immanent critique-Jay succeeds in opening up a productive and unfailingly fascinating perspective on a critical legacy that, even a century on, remains open and still to come. In Jay's masterful hands, the texts that constitute this legacy have lost none of their urgency and abiding interest. -- Gerhard Richter, L. Herbert Ballou University Professor of German Studies and Comparative Literature, Brown UniversityThroughout these thought-provoking studies Martin Jay's characteristic lucidity and unrivalled command of the relevant source material is on display. Jay is sensitive both to the socio-political contexts of Frankfurt School thinking and to the continuing relevance of the School's legacy. Even those steeped in the tradition of Critical Theory will learn something new from his wide-ranging and sometimes provocative reflections. -- Peter Dews, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of EssexThat Martin Jay is not only the leading historian of the Frankfurt School, but one of its most creative and interesting practitioners in the third generation, becomes irrevocably apparent in this superb collection of articles. Circling around the notion of "immanent critique", these articles explore the viability of some of this tradition's core ideas in a time of political turbulences and postcolonial challenges. In so doing, Martin Jay teaches us how to actualize Critical Theory without credulously sticking to the original texts. -- Axel HonnethTable of Contents1 1968 in an Expanded Field: The Frankfurt School and the Uneven Course of History2 Adorno and the Role of Sublimation in Artistic Creativity and Cultural Redemption3 Blaming the Victim? Arendt, Adorno and Erikson on the Jewish Responsibility for Anti-Semitism4 The Authoritarian Personality and the Problematic Pathologization of Politics5 The Age of Rackets? Trump, Scorsese and the Frankfurt School6 Go Figure: Fredric Jameson on Walter Benjamin7 Leib, Körper and the Body Politic8 Marx and Mendacity: Can There Be a Politics without Hypocrisy?

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Book SynopsisHow Universal Basic Income could help liberate the working classesTrade Review'A carefully argued case for basic income as central to a democratic transformation of society. Basic income must be seen not just as an anti-poverty policy but as a means for achieving both individual socio-economic independence and collective self-government. It can become the fulcrum around which lack of freedom within employment, domestic life and throughout social life more generally can be confronted. [It] can thus be seen as vital for solving a political problem, which also demands the appropriate universalist policies and structure of rights to uphold unconditional freedom for everyone.' -- Carole Pateman, political theorist, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Political Science UCLA'An ethical defence of basic income constructed on the value of republican freedom, an important proposal in an era of rentier capitalism that allows plutocrats to pocket more and more wealth. We need a new system of distribution with basic income acting as an anchor.' -- Guy Standing, author of 'The Corruption of Capitalism' and 'The Precariat''David's path-breaking work throws new light on how we understand work, freedom, and emancipation in today's highly precariatised and insecure world. He is provocative and equally tender in his treatment of human condition in our particular moment of capitalist evolution, painstakingly sketching what true emancipation looks and feels like, and what role a basic income could play in the process. A must-read for students and teachers, policymakers and activists who are keen to make this world a better place for all of us.' -- Sarath Davala, Sociologist, Chair, Basic Income Earth Network''This is a very important and timely book. The focus on 'social power' adds a new and much needed societal dimension to research and debate about basic income in an age of economic and political upheaval. This excellent book … is a must-read for anyone wanting to gain a broader perspective on basic income reform.' -- Louise Haagh, author of 'The Case for Basic Income''Casassas firmly retraces the Republican case for basic income to its traditional Left-wing origins of combatting structural domination and unequal social power. A timely anti-dote to those propagating the myth of basic income as a trojan horse of the Right!' -- Jurgen De Wispelaere, Visiting Professor, Götz Werner Chair of Economic Policy & Constitutional Theory, University of Freiburg'A useful, militant book, useful because it clearly, rigorously, and skilfully sets out the basic principles of the universal basic income, and militant because it doesn’t hide its position, which I’d describe as radical. In this, [Casassas] follows the advice of our mutual friend and teachermentor, Antoni Domènech, for whom, "If you don’t know how to be sufficiently radical, you’ll always end up in the folly of hyperrealism."' -- Daniel Raventós, author of 'Basic Income: The Material Conditions of Freedom'Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction: Cap and Life Part One: Cartographies Of Social (Dis)Order: Why Something Like a Basic Income? 1. Psychosociology and Politics of Elitist Verticalism 2. The Fallacy of Autogenous Social Orders 3. The Liberal-Organicist Synthesis 4. Resisting Tutelage: Fraternity for the Civilising of a Conflictive World Part Two: Holding the Gaze: Republicanism and Democracy 5. Socioeconomic Independence and Worlds in Common 6. Bargaining Power: Exit Options for Entry Doors and the Emancipatory Potential of Basic Income 7. Universalisation of Citizenship and Universalisation of Property 8. Unconditional Freedom: Basic Income as Predistribution Part Three: Flexible, Multi-Active Lives: The Dimensions of Social Power 9. Basic Income and Democratisation of Work 10. Why Do We Want Bargaining Power? 11. Our Flexibility Is Our Freedom Part Four: The Dream Is Over: Post-Neoliberalism (or Why a Basic Income Now And How) 12. “Wanting Everything Back”: Basic Income in Contemporary Social Movements 13. Societies of the Market or Societies with Markets? 14. Grappling with Customs in Common: A People’s Political Economy? 15. Leaving the Proletariat and Becoming Free Workers Epilogue: Unconditional Freedom at the Frontiers of Capitalism Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisIn this presentation of a general theory of systems, Niklas Luhmann, Germany's most prominent and controversial social thinker, sets out a contribution to sociology that reworks our understanding of meaning and communication.Trade Review"Social Systems presents Luhmann's startling vision of society as a self-producing or autopoietic system of communications. . . . Theories of self-reference are the way forward now in a host of disciplines—the hard sciences, law, literature, psychology, and philosophy. Luhmann's reproduction within sociology of the new systems theory of self-reference vastly enriches our understanding of the possibilities of systems theory for other disciplines."—Arthur J. Jacobsen, Yeshiva UniversityTable of ContentsForeword Instead of a preface to the English edition: on the concepts 'subject' and 'action' Preface to the German edition Introduction: paradigm change in systems theory 1. System and function 2. Meaning 3. Double contingency 4. Communication and action 5. System and environment 6. Interpenetration 7. The individuality of psychic systems 8. Structure and time 9. Contradiction and conflict 10. Society and interaction 11. Self-reference and rationality 12. Consequences for epistemology Notes Index.

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Book SynopsisWhat Work Means goes beyond the stereotypes and captures the diverse ways Americans view work as a part of a good life. Dispelling the notion of Americans as mere workaholics, Claudia Strauss presents a more nuanced perspective. While some live to work, others prefer a diligent 9-to-5 work ethic that is conscientious but preserves time for other interests. Her participants often enjoyed their jobs without making work the focus of their life. These findings challenge laborist views of waged work as central to a good life as well as post-work theories that treat work solely as exploitative and soul-crushing. Drawing upon the evocative stories of unemployed Americans from a wide range of occupations, from day laborers to corporate managers, both immigrant and native-born, Strauss explores how diverse Americans think about the place of work in a good life, gendered meanings of breadwinning, accepting financial support from family, friends, and the state, and

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Book SynopsisThe danza de matachines is a tradition with roots in the Spanish colonization of Mexico that summons history for Mexican, Chicano, and indigenous communities. In this volume Robert Botello reviews the history of the tradition .

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Book SynopsisKaupapa Māori theory and methodology developed over twenty years ago and have since become influential in social research, practice and policy areas. This collection furthers knowledge about kaupapa Māori by examining its effects over the decades, identifying and discussing its conventions and boundaries and reflecting on kaupapa Māori in social and educational research and practice. The collection contains chapters by Brad Coombes, Garrick Cooper, Mason Durie, Carl Mika, Te Ahukaram Charles Royal, Graham Hingangaroa Smith, Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Alice Te Punga Somerville, Georgina Stewart and Tamasailau Suaalii-Sauni, along with the collection editors.

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Book SynopsisTrade Review“An excellent, thorough, inspiring and much needed guide to the source of our deepest energy, pleasure, and power—the clitoris. Everyone needs to read this book and become CLITERATE.” — Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues and In the Body of the World “This read doesn’t just zero in on the politics of pleasure inequality, it also offers up solutions that help the reader become more hands on (literally) with their own sexuality.” — Bust Magazine “Down with ill-cliteracy! The tongue is mightier than the sword! Brothers and Sisters-in-arms (and legs and butts and hearts and souls), bring your huddled masses to this book and embrace orgasm equality! Think outside HER box! Viva la Vulva!” — Ian Kerner, PhD, LMFT, New York Times bestselling author of She Comes First “Brilliant.” — GOOP “Becoming Cliterate will change how we think and talk about female sexual pleasure. The orgasm gap isn’t a consequence of women not knowing how—it’s a cultural problem that we should be reading about to discover what went wrong in the first place.” — Betty Dodson, sex educator and author of Sex for One “What a fascinating and deeply empowering book. I wish every woman could read what Dr. Laurie Mintz has to teach us about our bodies.” — Sara Benincasa, comedian and author of Real Artists Have Day Jobs (And Other Awesome Things They Don't Teach You In School) “Women experience sexual pleasure - and, often orgasm - from diverse ways of physical and mental stimulation. This book provides a wealth of information on the clitoris and ways of imagining and creating a more fulfilling sexual life.” — Debby Herbenick, PhD, associate professor at Indiana University and author of Because It Feels Good “For too long, men and women have assumed that a penis inside a vagina is the holy grail of sex.Women’s sexual satisfaction depends on way more than this. Fortunately, Mintz provides helpful suggestions to increase women’s pleasure. I encourage both men and women read this valuable and insightful book.” — Paul Joannides, Psy.D., author of Guide to Getting it On “If you sometimes feel lost on the way to your orgasm, Becoming Cliterate is the map (and the cheering section) you need to find your way. Grounded in research and packed with real-world tips, readers will thank Mintz for her truth-telling.” — Dorian Solot, co-author of I Love Female Orgasm “This book is set up like a college textbook for female orgasm, with some philosophy and pep talks and then some hands-on experimenting. And a chapter at the end for male partners to read. What more could you need?” — Book Riot “A fun and empowering reminder that sexual dissatisfaction is not inevitable….Becoming Cliterate does a good job questioning these basic assumptions, re-orienting us to another vision of what sex can be, and giving practical advice on how to be a boss bitch during sex.” — Feministing “Laurie Mintz, a professor of psychology at the University of Florida, wins this year’s award for best book title.” — New York Times “You’ll be reading for pleasure in more ways than one.” — Bustle “A manifesto for today’s orgasmic insurrection….Mintz is unpretentious and intuitive….Becoming Cliterate will help many women reach their orgasm objectives.” — Los Angeles Review of Books “Fun, funny, and empowering. A must-read for people with clits, especially those who are having sex with people with penises.” — Buzzfeed “Personable, witty, and easy to read … Becoming Cliterate could be considered a book for anyone with a vulva as well as anyone who is interested in having sex with someone with a vulva.” — Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy Dr. Laurie Mintz draws up biology, sociology, and sex therapy to provide a comprehensive manual for both achieving orgasm and raising awareness about female orgasm. Readers will walk away with suggestions for changing our culture of sexuality and, more specifically, female orgasm. — PsycCRITIQUES

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Book SynopsisRelief Chief is Mark Lowcock's behind-the-scenes account of his experience as the world's most senior humanitarian official—the UN Relief Chief. In his four years on the job, Lowcock coordinated the work of UN agencies, the Red Cross, and countless national and international humanitarian groups to save lives and protect the most vulnerable. Appointed in 2017, Lowcock was witness to the biggest explosion in humanitarian need in modern history. Wars, droughts, floods, storms, earthquakes, volcanoes, and then the COVID-19 global pandemic put humanitarian agencies under unprecedented strain. Long-standing crises like those in Syria, Yemen, and the Sahel got worse. New ones arose, in Ethiopia, Mozambique, Venezuela, and elsewhere. Over his tenure, Lowcock raised record amounts of money to tackle these problems, but this was not enough to prevent humanitarian agencies from being overwhelmed by the emergencies they were asked to deal with, as Lowcock documents from a personal, inside perspective. Part memoir and part manifesto for reform, Relief Chief depicts the brutality, misery and inhumanity inflicted on innocent people in crises. Lowcock recounts what people he met in dozens of countries—especially women and children—shared with him about their plight and the help they needed. He warns that crises will continue to get worse without a renewed global effort to tackle their causes. But Relief Chief is also an uplifting story of lives saved and suffering reduced, and a detailed, practical agenda for solving crises faster and better in the future.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE CMI MANAGEMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARDNetflix, Spotify, and Salesforce are just the tip of the iceberg for the subscription model. The real transformation--and the real opportunity--is just beginning---Today''s consumers prefer the advantages of access over the hassles of ownership. It''s not just internet services like Netflix and Spotify; even industrial firms like GE and Caterpillar are reinventing themselves as solutions providers. Whether you sell software, clothes, insurance, or industrial machines, you need to master the transition to the subscription model.Adapting to the subscription economy takes more than just deciding to sell subscriptions instead of products. You''ll have to reinvent your company from the inside out -- from your accounting to your entire IT architecture. No matter how large or small your company, Subscribed gives you a practical, step-by-step framework to reTrade ReviewThis book is ostensibly about subscription models, but it's ultimately about the future of business. In Subscribed, you'll learn from the masters of this business model and fundamentally change the way you think about your product, customers, growth, and talent -- no matter what industry you're in -- Aaron Levie * CEO and Founder of Box *Tien Tzuo, who I was lucky enough to hire as my eleventh employee at Salesforce, has written the definitive playbook for anyone navigating the most important business model shift of our time. The subscription model is exploding everywhere, and nobody knows how to steer through this shift better than Tien -- Marc Benioff * Chairman & CEO of Salesforce *Tien Tzuo is the godfather of the subscription economy and now he shares his unparalleled wisdom in this book. A must read for anyone who wants to have a breakout company. -- Maynard Webb * Author of Rebooting Work *Tzuo dissects the building blocks of what may be the greatest shift in business in the last twenty years; the move to a recurring revenue/subscription based model. For any business looking to break the chains of episodic, transactional commerce, Tien's book is a must-read -- Scott Galloway * Professor of Marketing, NYU Stern, author of The Four *Subscribed shows you how to keep customers coming back for more. The implications for product design are enormous -- Nir Eyal * author of Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products *All in all, Tien's book is spot-on. It has just the right blend of background information about the Subscription Economy and best practices -- Tom Taulli * Forbes *

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Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • “An instant American classic and almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the American century thus far.”—Dwight Garner, The New York TimesThe Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling author of The Warmth of Other Suns examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions.#1 NONFICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR: TimeONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, O: The Oprah Magazine, NPR, Bloomberg, The Christian Science Monitor, New York Post, The New York Public Library, Fortune, Smithsonian Magazine, Marie Claire, Slate, Library Journal, Kirkus ReviewsWinner of the Carl Sandberg Literary Award • Winner of the Los Angeles Times Boo

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Book Synopsis#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • “An instant American classic and almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the American century thus far.”—Dwight Garner, The New York TimesThe Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling author of The Warmth of Other Suns examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions—now with a new Afterword by the author.#1 NONFICTION BOOK OF THE YEAR: TimeONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post, The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, O: The Oprah Magazine, NPR, Bloomberg, The Christian Science Monitor, New York Post, The New York Public Library, Fortune, Smithsonian Magazine, Marie Claire, Slate, Library Journal, Kirkus ReviewsWinner of the Carl Sandberg Literary Award • Winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize • National Book Award Longlist • National Book Critics Circle Award Finalist • Dayton Literary Peace Prize Finalist • PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction Finalist • PEN/Jean Stein Book Award Longlist • Kirkus Prize Finalist“As we go about our daily lives, caste is the wordless usher in a darkened theater, flashlight cast down in the aisles, guiding us to our assigned seats for a performance. The hierarchy of caste is not about feelings or morality. It is about power—which groups have it and which do not.” In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched, and beautifully written narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings. Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. Using riveting stories about people—including Martin Luther King, Jr., baseball’s Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson herself, and many others—she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their outcasting of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity.Original and revealing, Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents is an eye-opening story of people and history, and a reexamination of what lies under the surface of ordinary lives and of American life today.

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Book SynopsisIn the social sciences today, students are taught theory by reading and analyzing the works of Karl Marx, Max Weber, and other foundational figures of the discipline. What they rarely learn, however, is how to actually theorize. The Art of Social Theory is a practical guide to doing just that. In this one-of-a-kind user's manual for social theorisTrade Review"[C]oncise and readable... Writing in accessible language and using the canon of social theorists to illustrate points, Swedberg meets a need for practitioners and students alike."--ChoiceTable of ContentsIntroduction: Why Theorize and Can You Learn to Do It? 1 Part 1: How to Theorize Chapter 1. Starting Anew 13 Chapter 2. Social Observation 29 Chapter 3. Naming, Concept, and Typology 52 Chapter 4. Analogy, Metaphor, and Pattern 80 Chapter 5. Coming Up with an Explanation 98 Part 2: Preparing for Theorizing Chapter 6. Heuristics 127 Chapter 7. Practical Exercises 146 Chapter 8. The Role of Theory 169 Chapter 9. Imagination and Art 188 Chapter 10. Summary and More 210 Appendix: How to Theorize according to Charles S. Peirce 230 Acknowledgments 249 Notes 251 References 253 Index 279

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Book SynopsisThe French social philosopher Pierre Bourdieu is now recognised as one of the major thinkers of the twentieth century. In a career of over fifty years, Bourdieu studied a wide range of topics: education, culture, art, politics, economics, literature, law, and philosophy. Throughout these studies, Bourdieu developed a highly specialised series of concepts that he referred to as his "thinking tools", which were used to uncover the workings of contemporary society. Pierre Bourdieu: Key Concepts highlights his most important concepts and examines them in detail. Each chapter deals with an individual concept and is written to be of immediate use to the student with little or no previous knowledge of Bourdieu. This new edition of the leading text is entirely revised and updated and includes new essays on Methodology, Politics and Social Space.Trade ReviewReviews of the first edition: "This collection is highly admirable for its clarity and thoroughness, and should be of great interest to anthropologists and others who are new to, or familiar with, Bourdieu's oeuvre." – Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute"The book manages that extraordinary feat of offering both accessible introductions to Bourdieu’s concepts that are 'good to think with’ whilst also offering a depth of analysis that will engage scholars already familiar with Bourdieu’s work. Whether a chapter says something new about familiar concepts like habitus, field, or capital, or it introduces less discussed concepts like conatus, the writing stretches the reader’s understanding of what sociological theory can be." – Arthur Frank, University of Calgary, CanadaTable of ContentsIntroduction Michael Grenfell Part 1: Biography, Theory and Practice Introduction 1. Biography Michael Grenfell 2. Theory of Practice Derek Robbins Part 2: Field Theory: Beyond Subjectivity and Objectivity Introduction 3. Habitus Karl Maton 4. Field Pat Thomson Part 3: Field Mechanisms Introduction 5. Social Class Nick Crossley 6. Capital Rob Moore 7. Doxa Cécile Deer 8. Hysteresis Cheryl Hardy Part 4: Field Conclusions Introduction 9. Interest Michael Grenfell 10. Conatus Steve Fuller 11. Suffering/Symbolic Violence J. Daniel Schubert 12. Reflexivity Cécile Deer Part 5: Applications Introduction 13. Methodology Michael Grenfell 14. Social Space Cheryl Hardy 15. Politics Michael Grenfell Conclusion Michael Grenfell Chronology of Life and Work. Index

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Book Synopsis* These letters offer the reader a fascinating insight into the life of one the most important figures of twentieth-century intellectual life. * The letters touch upon issues of great personal and historical significance: the Nazi regime in 1930s Germany and the Second World War; the experience of the intellectual in exile.Trade Review"Adorno’s childhood always served him as a recollected utopia of protected bliss. The publication of his extensive correspondence with his parents well after that paradise was lost demonstrates its enduring power in his adult emotional life. Poignant, loving, anxious, at turns intellectually serious and childishly goofy, these letters not only testify to the strength of his family’s bonds, but also provide invaluable evidence of the struggles of German exiles in their new homeland. Scrupulously translated and exhaustively annotated, Adorno’s Letters to his Parents is a document of unique importance for anyone interested in the history of the Frankfurt School and for the migration as a whole." Martin Jay, University of California, BerkeleyTable of ContentsLetters 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 Editors’ Afterword Index

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Book SynopsisMakes the provocative claim that queer theory has run its course, made obsolete by the elaboration of its own logic within capitalism.Trade Review'The audacious and sound thesis of Penney's new book - that the political as such is structured by sexuality - reties the knot between Freud and Marx' -- Joan Copjec, Brown University'Whether you're convinced or outraged by After Queer Theory, Penney's impressive research demands that you engage with it in the most serious terms' -- Nina Power, University of Roehampton, author of One-Dimensional Woman'States that queer theory is now at a crucial turning point, when the only option is to undertake a radical and thorough critique of its presuppositions and present state. No other critics have undertaken such a project at the present time' -- Clive Thompson, School of Languages and Literatures, University of GuelphTable of ContentsIntroduction: After Queer Theory: Manifesto And Consequences 1. Currents Of Queer 2. The Universal Alternative 3. Is There A Queer Marxism? 4. Capitalism And Schizoanalysis 5. The Sameness Of Sexual Difference 6. From The Antisocial To The Immortal Notes Index

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Book Synopsis* Luc Ferry is a well-known philosopher, essayist and public intellectual, with a large and established readership. * In this broad-ranging and original book, he presents a clear argument for a comprehensive philosophy of love that will in effect replace dead faiths and ideologies.Trade Review"Highly recommended - Ferry challenges readers to consider love as no longer lurking on the periphery of philosophic consciousness, but instead as providing a new definition of the good life."Choice"On Love is thrilling - fireworks of ideas, flashing sabres, and a hell of a good gallop."Times Higher Education"The great value of Ferry's work lies in his vitality of thought. His celebration of love guarantees that philosophy will remain alive and well throughout the 21st century. And that, to many of us, is something to cherish."Wichita Eagle"With his usual clarity, rigour, and intelligence, Luc Ferry in his new book tackles the daunting topic of love, its history in modern culture and society, and its role and benefits for the present and the future. For Ferry, love offers not only the possibility of surpassing the broken ideals of the past, but of founding a new humanism in the century ahead. Highly recommended."Richard J. Golsan, Texas A&M University"With great clarity and an extraordinary sense of historical synthesis, Luc Ferry traces the genealogy of love in the West, right up to its contemporary status where it has triumphed as the apotheosis of our civilization."Pascal Bruckner, Le Nouvel ObservateurTable of Contents Contents Preface by Claude Capelier Introduction: A brief history of the meaning of life Chapter 1 - The revolution of love A new principle of meaning Chapter 2 - Politics at the dawn of a new era From the revolution of love to care for the fate of future generations Chapter 3 - On the spiritual in art and education Conclusion - Death, the only objection? Love, a utopia?

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Book SynopsisFocuses on discriminating different meanings of culture, as a way of introducing the debates around it. This book offers a critique of postmodern 'culturalism', arguing instead for a more complex relation between Culture and Nature, and trying to retrieve the importance of such concepts as human nature from a non-naturalistic perspective.Trade Review"In this brief volume, Eagleton has produced both a thoughtful analysis of cultural theories as well as a shrewd, liberal dissection of current social and political trends."Publishers Weekly "Eagleton's latest book promises to be an important addition to the field of cultural studies." Library Journal "A magnificent reassertion of timeless cultural values." The Observer "A voice of sanity amid the roar of turbo-capitalism."Independent> "As always, Eagleton shows a provocative wealth of learning. He is able to see the many sides of a problem, to put it in context and suggest new ways of viewing it, a healthy corrective to the soundbite society."Times Higher Education Supplement "Stimulating and very readable. The Idea of Culture is a book which challenges our attention."The Irish TimesTable of Contents1. Versions of Culture. 2. Culture in Crisis. 3. Culture Wars. 4. Culture and Nature. 5. Towards a Common Culture. Notes. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe first volume of The Idea of Communism followed the 2009 London conference called in response to Alain Badiou's 'communist hypothesis', where an all-star cast of radical intellectuals put the idea of communism back on the map.This volume brings together papers from the subsequent 2011 New York conference organized by Verso and continues this critical discussion, highlighting the philosophical and political importance of the communist idea, in a world of financial and social turmoil.Contributors include Alain Badiou, Etienne Balibar, Bruno Bosteels, Susan Buck-Morss, Jodi Dean, Adrian Johnston, François Nicolas, Frank Ruda, Emmanuel Terray and Slavoj Zizek.Trade ReviewDo not be afraid, join us, come back! You've had your anti-communist fun, and you are pardoned for it-time to get serious once again! -- Slavoj Zizek

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Book SynopsisDurkheim is one of the founding fathers of modern sociology and a key figure in the development of social theory. And yet today his work is often misunderstood, since it is commonly viewed through the lens of later authors who used his writings to illustrate certain tendencies in social thought.Trade Review'Susan Stedman Jones's book is a fiery, evocative attack on old, naive interpretations of Durkheim that have so long dominated the sociological scene. She has done a great service in calling scholars and students to look again at the texts and historical background of this grandmaster. The book further points to the devious paths sociological thought has trodden in recent years, not least in neglecting Durkheim's fundamental ideas. Her stimulating work will inevitably give rise to considerable debate.' W. S. F. Pickering, British Centre for Durkheimian Studies, Oxford 'This book fully lives up to its title. It offers a coherent critique of interpretations of Durkheim that remain widespread in Anglo-American sociology, providing a reassessment that will come as a surprise, even a shock, to many readers.' Willie Watts Miller, University of Bristol 'Together with her previous articles, Stedman Jones' book is beyond all doubt the best and most complete assessment on this topic, often throwing a new light on some puzzles of Durkheimian sociology.' Durkheimian Studies 'Susan Stedman Jones' rich, remarkable book provides a largely new investigation of Durkheim's philosophical background... Durkheim Reconsidered recommends itself to the reader for its wide documentation, method consistency, and clear sometimes even brilliant style.' Durkheimian Studies "This book stands out to the reader with its documentation, by its coherent methodology and by its clear style of writing which can be described, at times, as brilliant". Giovanni Paoletti, Department of Philosophy, University of Pisa "Stedman Jones presents a lively, original and appealing thinker for today ... Her text is refreshing and enlightening, ideal for anthropologists, who, as Evans-Pritchard said, could make profitable use of Durkheim's ideas." Journal of The Royal Anthropological Institute "A book worthy of the highest attention." European Journal of Social TheoryTable of ContentsPreface. Chapter 1: The Interpretation of Durkheim: Sociology Contra Durkheim. Chapter 2: Durkheim as the Theorist of Order and Science. Chapter 3: Understanding Durkheim in his Time: Historical and Political Considerations. Chapter 4: Philosophy and the Republic: the Influence of Renouvier. Chapter 5: Differentiation and the Problems of Modernity. Chapter 6: Individualism and Socialism?. Chapter 7: The Science of Facts and Things: Methodological Considerations. Chapter 8: Society as the "Coefficient of Preservation": the Question of Suicide. Chapter 9: The Thinking State: Power and Democracy. Chapter 10: Practical Reason and Moral Order: Morality and Society. Chapter 11: Belief and the Logic of the Sacred. Chapter 12: Final Reflections - Durkheim Contra Sociology. Appendix: Durkheim and Renouvier. Glossary. Biographical Sketches. Notes. References. Index

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Book SynopsisThis study uses qualitative and quantitative data from the history of a specific organization, Stanford University, to develop speculations about the ways in which written rules change. It contributes both to a theory of rules and to theories of organizational decision-making, change, and learning.Trade Review"In developing an elegant and sophisticated theory of how and why organizational rules change, the authors have created an entirely new field of organizational research. I know of no other general theory on the rise, evolution, and demise of rules, and I have never seen such a rich longitudinal dataset on rules." —Frank Dobbin, Princeton University"This is an important book. . . . It outlines an emerging theory of the dynamics of organizational rules that enriches many other perspectives on the functioning of organizations. . . . Future discussions of institutionalization, organization-environment adaptation, organizational learning, organizational change, and the effect of contextual influences on individual behavior will benefit from consideraiton and inclusion of the themes presented here."—Personnel Psychology"James March, Martin Schulz, and Xueguang Zhou address the fascinating question of how rules evolve in a complex organization with a unique data set. . . . No other book equals this one in regard to the breadth of the questions asked and the mode of analysis. . . . Scholars interested in the study of institutional arrangements will find this a valuable part of their library."—American Political Science ReviewTable of ContentsContents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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Book SynopsisTrust is an elusive concept, meaning different things to different people, and so needs to be clearly defined. By focusing on relations within and between firms, Bart Nooteboom undertakes to produce a clearer definition of trust and its role in the economy.Trust deals with a range of questions such as: what are the roles of trust? What can we trust in? Can trust serve as an instrument for the governance of relations? Is trust a substitute, a precondition or an outcome of contracts? The author then goes on to analyse what trust is based on, what its limits are, how it grows and how it can also break down. The role of intermediaries is also discussed.Bart Nooteboom argues that trust goes beyond calculative self-interest and that blind, unconditional trust is unwise. He then examines the paradox of how trust can be non-calculative and yet, not blind. The book also reveals ways to measure and model trust, its antecedents and its consequences.Trade Review'The book is a pleasure to read, well edited, well argued, and covering much ground in only just over 200 pages. It is thoroughly introduced and has a very complete "summary and conclusions" chapter. With its extensive references and a subject and author index, it is a valuable scholarly help.' -- D.J. Bezemer, Journal of Socio-Economics'[The book] provides a well-grounded approach to the study of trust and offers a number of ways to continue empirical work on this difficult subject.' -- Peter Smith Ring, Administrative Science Quarterly'. . . the book is clear and engaging, targeted at an academic audience but suitable also for practitioners and general interest given some basic knowledge of organisation science and proclivity for concepts.' -- Guido Mollering, Personnel Review'This book provides an interesting and informative account of the nature, causes and consequences of trust. . . Nooteboom has written an interesting book which has prompted this reviewer to think fruitfully about various aspects of trust. I am confident that the book will provide other readers with similar intellectual stimulation and sustenance.' -- P.A. Lewis, The Economic Journal'. . . it is clear that this is an important work, which, with considerable erudition, breaks new ground on a hitherto little understood aspect of economic behaviour. The fact that the book is also well written and draws upon literatures that range from psychology through to organization theory and philosophy, reinforces the indubitable intellectual contribution it makes. It deserves to be widely read and discussed.' -- Gary B. Magee, Journal of Evolutionary Economics'In the past, the economic analysis of the firm has focused too exclusively on pecuniary considerations. While costs and revenues are vital, it is equally important not to ignore other essential elements, such as trust, that cannot be so readily traded or given a monetary value. Bart Nooteboom's work is an important corrective to mainstream opinion. He is one of the pioneers of the analysis of trust in organizations and this present volume is a wonderful and elegant addition to this literature.' -- Geoffrey M. Hodgson, University of Hertfordshire Business School, UKTable of ContentsContents: Preface 1. Aims and Foundations 2. Forms 3. Foundations 4. Functions 5. Failures 6. Figures 7. Summary and Conclusions References Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review'A powerful, thought-provoking and timely contribution, offering new insights that will greatly enhance our understanding of well-being and its determinants.' -- Dimitris Ballas, University of Groningen, the Netherlands'Wellbeing has been a vibrant field of research across a number of disciplines for several years. However, the experience of the pandemic, which has exposed deeply ingrained inequalities and injustices, makes the concept more relevant than ever. The pandemic raises the possibility of transformational change that could lead to a refocusing of policy goals away from narrowly-defined economic indicators to those focused on a multidimensional conception of wellbeing. As such, this volume is incredibly well timed. It brings together contributions from across the social sciences to demonstrate how understanding the ways in which wellbeing is mobilised as a concept in research, practice and policy is central to these endeavours. In highlighting practice-based approaches the volume reflects on how wellbeing could form the foundation of a post-pandemic world. In doing so, it provides a rich and valuable contribution not only to wellbeing scholarship but also to practical debates on how to take this agenda forward most effectively.' -- Ian Bache, University of Sheffield, UK'An essential practical aide for charting the challenges facing us today with the ambition they merit, A Modern Guide to Wellbeing Research offers guidance for actions and policies to improve wellbeing while casting some light on the different understandings of this important, but complex concept.' -- Katherine Trebeck, Wellbeing Economy Alliance'Wellbeing is the overarching aim of social science and needs a multidisciplinary dialogue and approach. For sustainable, inclusive well-being as both a goal and process we need to draw on the strengths of all academic disciplines. You won‚Äôt agree with everything here, I don‚Äôt, but that‚Äôs the point as we work out what really matters, how we can study it and how to use that knowledge in practice.' -- Nancy Hey, Executive Director, What Works Centre for Wellbeing, UKTable of ContentsContents: Foreword xiv Katherine Trebeck, Wellbeing Economy Alliance 1 Introduction to wellbeing research 1 Beverley A Searle, Jessica Pykett and Maria Jesus Alfaro-Simmonds PART I APPROACHING WELLBEING 2 Commentary to Part I: reanimating the radical possibilities of wellbeing 23 Sarah Atkinson 3 Towards a queer epistemological framework for wellbeing research 29 Julia Zielke 4 A Marxian approach to wellbeing: human nature and use value 51 David Watson 5 Developing qualitative, biographical research into happiness and wellbeing: a sociological perspective 68 Mark Cieslik 6 Practicing wellbeing through community economies: an action research approach 84 Thomas SJ Smith and Kelly Dombroski PART II PRACTICING WELLBEING 7 Commentary to Part II: a wellbeing lens in practice 104 Neil Thin 8 Prisoners’ rehabilitation and wellbeing: a psychosocial perspective 110 Fabio Tartarini 9 Gender and wellbeing in post-war Sri Lanka 129 Fazeeha Azmi 10 Wellbeing and inclusion: a place for religion 148 Laura Kapinga and Bettina Bock 11 Children experiencing happiness in the city 164 Maria Jesus Alfaro-Simmonds 12 Housing inequalities and wellbeing: a critical analysis of narratives from stakeholders in Luxembourg 184 Magdalena Górczyńska-Angiulli, Elise Machline 13 Woodlands and wellbeing: evaluating the ‘Actif Woods Wales’ programme 205 Heli Gittins, Sophie Wynne-Jones and Val Morrison PART III WHERE NEXT FOR WELLBEING? 14 Commentary to Part III: wellbeing: a means for informed policy-making 227 Susan J Elliott 15 Who benefits and who suffers from international migration? Global evidence from the science of happiness 232 Martijn Hendriks 16 Human wellbeing in environmental management 245 Kelly Biedenweg and David J Trimbach 17 Budgeting for wellbeing 266 Arthur Grimes 18 Subjective wellbeing and transformation 282 Beverley A Searle Index

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Book SynopsisThis invaluable Encyclopedia presents an interdisciplinary and comprehensive overview of the field of social innovation, providing an insightful view into potential future developments both practically and theoretically. With entries authored by prominent international scholars, the Encyclopedia outlines the theoretical foundations, concepts, types, processes and measurement of social innovation. Entries cover a variety of key themes including social innovation ecosystems, co-creation, new technologies and methods, education, governance and policies.The Encyclopedia of Social Innovation will serve as a significant reference point for both scholars and students of social entrepreneurship, sociology and management. It will also be beneficial for all those seeking to clarify various problem-solving routes in the face of contemporary societal challenges.Key Features:77 accessible and fully-referenced entriesAn interdisciplinary scope providing readers with a sound overview of social innovation in different research areasExploration of the societal, political, business and entrepreneurial ramifications of social innovationExamination of the challenges caused by modern phenomena such as rapid population growth and how these challenges have affected new social demands.Trade Review‘In recent decades, the study of social innovations has become a vibrant and increasingly specialized field of research. This Encyclopedia offers a unique journey into this research area thanks to a plurality of theoretical frameworks, disciplinary perspectives and research angles from 77 articles. An essential reference!’ -- Sylvain Lefèvre, University of Québec at Montréal, Canada‘With contributions from leading scholars and practitioners from all over the world, this comprehensive and extraordinary reference work provides a wealth of information on innovative approaches to addressing social and socio-economic challenges. Whether you're an academic, a social entrepreneur, or policymaker, the Encyclopedia of Social Innovation is a must-have for understanding and advancing social innovation.’ -- Susana Borras, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark‘The Encyclopedia of Social Innovation offers a rich set of topics and themes and insightful reflection by globally renowned scholars.’ -- Johanna Mair, Hertie School, GermanyTable of ContentsContents: Introduction to the Encyclopedia of Social Innovation xxv Jürgen Howaldt and Christoph Kaletka PART I THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS 1 Ambivalence and side-effects of social innovations 2 Stefan Böschen 2 Imagined futures and social innovation 7 Timur Ergen 3 Operationalizing social practice theories for social innovation research 11 Maria Rabadjieva and Marthe Zirngiebl 4 Resistance to social innovation 18 Tuur Ghys 5 Social innovation and the remaking of structures, systems and regimes 23 René Kemp and Bonno Pel 6 Social innovations as a repair of social order 31 Cornelius Schubert 7 Social innovation and social change 36 Jürgen Howaldt and Michael Schwarz 8 Strands of social innovation research 44 Adela McMurray, Ashokkumar Manoharan and Don Scott 9 System thinking for social innovation 49 Katharine McGowan, Michele-Lee Moore and Ola Tjörnbo PART II CONCEPTS AND TYPES 10 Exnovation 55 Rafael Ziegler 11 Joseph A. Schumpeter: innovation and society 60 Birgit Blättel-Mink 12 Open social innovation 66 Anne-Laure Fayard 13 The politics of conceptualizing social innovation 72 Michael J. Roy, Simon Teasdale and Lars Hulgård 14 Social innovation in the digital age 76 Gianluca Misuraca and Pierre Rossel 15 Social innovation and technological innovation 82 Matthias Weber 16 Social innovation research and innovation studies 88 Attila Havas 17 The South American concept of tecnologia social 94 Marlei Pozzebon, Ana Clara Souza and Fabio Prado Saldanha 18 Sustainable innovation 99 Cordula Kropp PART III SOCIAL INNOVATION PROCESSES 19 Co-creation in social innovation 106 Melanie Smallman and Cian O’Donovan 20 Democratic experimentation and social innovation 111 Carolina Andion and Graziela Alperstedt 21 Design for social innovation 117 Alessandro Deserti and Francesca Rizzo 22 Diffusion 122 Jürgen Howaldt, Ralf Kopp and Michael Schwarz 23 Grassroots innovation for transformative social change 127 Swati Banerjee, Abdul Shaban and Shrirang Chaudhary 24 The institutionalization of social innovations 132 Bonno Pel 25 Power and empowerment in social innovation 139 Flor Avelino, Julia M. Wittmayer and Adina Dumitru PART IV ECOSYSTEMS, ACTORS AND GOVERNANCE 26 Collaborative spaces for social innovation 147 Eva Wascher 27 Cross-sector collaboration for social innovation 152 Jo Barraket and Sally McGeoch 28 Ecosystems of social innovation 157 Dmitri Domanski, Christoph Kaletka and Daniel Krüger 29 Foundations and social innovations 162 Steffen Bethmann 30 Governance of social innovation 167 Diego Galego and Marleen Brans 31 Innovation systems 172 Alexander Ebner 32 Law and social innovation 177 Bronwen Morgan 33 Social innovation, civil society and democracy-building 184 Alejandra Boni, Sergio Belda-Miquel and Diana Velasco 34 Social innovation labs 189 Mónica Edwards-Schachter 35 Social movements 195 Maria da Glória Gohn and Karina Maldonado-Mariscal 36 Social networks and social innovation 203 Lina Sonne Vyas PART V SOCIAL INNOVATION IN ESTABLISHED RESEARCH AREAS 37 Futures studies and social innovation 209 Elmar Schüll 38 Social innovation to advance diversity and inclusion 214 Wendy Cukier, Zohreh Hassannezhad Chavoushi and Guang Ying Mo 39 Social innovation in education 219 Karina Maldonado-Mariscal and Antonius Schröder 40 Social innovation in energy system transformation 224 Julia M. Wittmayer and Karoline S. Rogge 41 Social innovation in the fashion industry 229 Sabine Weber 42 Social innovations and the future of mobility in times of climate change 234 Andreas Knie 43 Social innovation in health 239 Victoria Boelman 44 Social innovation through the Maker Movement 245 Massimo Menichinelli 45 Social innovation and poverty and marginalization 250 P. K. Shajahan and Dipannita Bhattacharjee 46 Social innovations in rural areas 258 Gabriela Christmann 47 Social innovation in services 263 Carla Cipolla 48 Social innovation in social work 268 Anne Parpan-Blaser and Matthias Hüttemann 49 Social innovation and territorial development 273 Alina Kadyrova 50 Social innovation research and practice for sustainable development 278 Jeremy Millard 51 Social justice and social innovation 285 Fergus Turner and Ella Scheepers 52 Welfare innovation for social cohesion 292 Benjamin Ewert 53 What ageing societies mean for social innovation 297 Ken Aoo and Fiona Henderson 54 Workplace innovation 302 Steven Dhondt PART VI BUSINESS AND ECONOMY 55 Cooperatives and social innovation 308 Gorka Espiau Idoiaga 56 Corporate social innovation 313 Philip H. Mirvis 57 Degrowth 319 Yves-Marie Abraham 58 The potential of social innovation for future employment trends 324 Antonia Caro-González and Marta Enciso-Santocildes 59 The revival of the commons 331 Tine de Moor 60 Social economy 336 Marie Bouchard and Benoît Lévesque 61 Social entrepreneurship 342 Anne de Bruin, Simon Teasdale and Michael J. Roy 62 Social value in management and social innovation research 347 Ghita Lkhoyaali and Emmanuel Raufflet 63 Socially inclusive businesses 351 Gabriel Berger and Leopoldo Blugerman PART VII SCIENCE AND RESEARCH 64 Citizen science 360 Christopher Kullenberg 65 Social innovation and its actors: the role of university research 364 Judith Sutz 66 Social innovation and social sciences 370 Klaus Schuch 67 Transformative research 376 Mandy Singer-Brodowski PART VIII INNOVATION POLICY 68 EU policy on social innovation 383 Nora Milotay 69 Next generation innovation policy 389 Jakob Edler 70 Responsible research and innovation as a social innovation 395 Lucien von Schomberg and René von Schomberg 71 Social innovation and the new role of the state 400 Uwe Cantner, Dirk Fornahl and Matthias Menter 72 Social innovation and public policy 408 Geoff Mulgan 73 Transformative innovation policy 414 Caetano C. R. Penna, Carla Alvial-Palavicino, Bipashyee Ghosh and Johan Schot PART IX RESOURCES AND MEASUREMENT 74 Impact bonds: beyond the hype? 421 Eleanor Carter and Andreea Anastasiu 75 Social impact measurement 427 Gorgi Krlev, Georg Mildenberger and Volker Then 76 Social innovation measurement 432 Judith Terstriep, Gorgi Krlev, Georg Mildenberger, Simone Strambach, Jan-Frederik Thurmann and Laura-Fee Wloka 77 Sustainable finance as a social innovation 441 Olaf Weber Index 446

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Book SynopsisDuring the last century humanity acquired the ability to destroy itself. The direct approach to destruction can be seen in such facts as the ever-present threat of nuclear war, but we have also developed the capacity to do indirect harm by altering conditions necessary for survival, including the looming cloud of climate change. How can we look forward and work past the dire position we now find ourselves in to achieve a sustainable future? This volume presents a new way of thinking about the future as it examines catastrophe and the human response. It examines different kinds of catastrophes that range from natural (e.g., earthquakes) to industrial (e.g., Chernobyl) and concludes that the traditional distinctions between them are only becoming blurrier by the day. This book aims to build a general theory of catastrophes—a new form of apocalyptic thinking that is grounded in science and philosophy. An ethics for the sake of the future is what is required, which in turn necessitates a new metaphysics of temporality. If a way out of the imminent danger in which we find ourselves is to be found, we must first look to radically alter our ethics.

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Book SynopsisJeffrey B. Ferguson is remembered as an Amherst College professor of mythical charisma and for his long-standing engagement with George Schuyler, culminating in his paradigm changing book The Sage of Sugar Hill. Continuing in the vein of his ever questioning the conventions of “race melodrama” through the lens of which so much American cultural history and storytelling has been filtered, Ferguson’s final work is brought together here in Race and the Rhetoric of Resistance.Trade Review“These essays have extraordinary range, they are deeply thoughtful, and the writing has verve. It is sometimes polemical, but always braced by suggestive intelligence.” -- Uday S. Mehta * Professor of Political Theory, Graduate Center, City University of New York *"In this collection, Jeff Ferguson has given us notes toward an intellectual project, now a collective one, that may move us beyond the constant sway between the extremes of unending suffering and explosive resistance as the only means for narrating Black life." -- Farah Jasmine Griffin * author of Harlem Nocturne: Women Artists and Progressive Politics During World War II *"Jeffrey Ferguson challenges us to see America for the weird experiment it has been. Broad ranging, and probing, Race and the Rhetoric of Resistance is a testament to Ferguson’s sorely missed elegance and wit." -- Glenda Carpio * author of African American Literary Studies *"These brief, insightful essays illustrate what the world of literary scholarship lost with the tragically early passing of Jeffrey B. Ferguson. In his work, Ferguson deftly explores the limitations and complications of some key terms and concepts—race and Enlightenment, the blues, resistance and suffering, sincerity and authenticity, memory and hope—that have governed scholarship on African American literature and culture over the past quarter of a century. With wit, intelligence, and erudition Ferguson traces the lines of inquiry that have led us into the impasses that have characterized discussions of race and democracy since the colonial era, and in doing so he demonstrates how this history, if we engage it without mystifications and evasions, may yet provide us resources with which to understand our present. Framed by Werner Sollor’s preface and an afterword by George Hutchinson, Race and the Rhetoric of Resistance confronts us with what Ferguson calls the 'uncomfortable ironies, unexpected continuities, and unsettling discontinuities' that constitute the history of race and inequality in our troubled Republic." -- Kenneth W. Warren * University of Chicago *"Race and the Rhetoric of Resistance is a rich, pathbreaking book, its pages weighed down by the gravity of the problems it addresses, the significance of the solution it suggests, as well as poignant awareness that what the author began here will forever remain unfinished." * Soundings *"In this collection of complex, rich and insightful essays, Ferguson positions himself on the edge looking inside African American communities, and their literary and cultural production from a sober distance." * Ethnic and Racial Studies *"While Ferguson’s astute critical lens is acutely missed in our current political moment, his paradigm-shifting provocations, incisive critiques, philosophical ruminations, and exhilaratingly wide-ranging use of sources in this book will inspire readers to move beyond resistance, and to think critically and in nuanced ways about race, nation, and foundational American myths, discovering new “intoxicating combinations” in our own Black study." -- Raquel Kennon * European Journal of American Studies *Table of ContentsTable of Contents Foreword 1. Race and the Rhetoric of Resistance 2. Freedom, Equality, Race 3. A Blue Note on Black American Literary Criticism and the Blues 4. Of Mr. W. E. B. Du Bois and Others Notes on Escape Afterword Editor's Acknowledgments

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