Description
Book SynopsisFranco Ferrarotti's essays are of special interest to social scientists working in social theory and cultural sociology. His insights are far-reaching and applicable to those studying the areas of religion, immigration, violence, and social movements.
Trade ReviewSearching, independent, critical and passionate, Franco Ferrarotti writes with the keenest theoretical eye and with profound historical understanding. The remarkably wide-ranging studies collected here display the sociological imagination at its brightest. As a singular whole, this collection offers a veritable education in social theory and the logic of social inquiry. -- Sidney Plotkin, Professor of Political Science, Vassar College and President, International Thorstein Veblen Association
This book of essays provides an important contribution on a wide range of topics and problems of theory, culture, and society in the late 20th Century. It reflects the professional interest of a scintillating and insightful critic of contemporary cultural trends and sociological theories, Franco Ferrarotti, who is known on both sides of the Atlantic as a leading European sociologist and a foremost commentator on the crises of the Western European societies. -- Angela Zanotti, professor of sociology, University of Ferrara, Italy
Table of ContentsPart 1 Old and New Modernities Chapter 2 The Modern World and its Destiny Chapter 3 Counter-Cultures and Postmodernism Chapter 4 Beyond the Authoritarian Personality Chapter 5 Civil Society and State Structures in Creative Tension Chapter 6 The City and Civil Society Chapter 7 New Approaches to Social Movements in Western Europe Chapter 8 The Culture of Violence Chapter 9 Social Marginality and Violence in Neo-Urban Societies Part 10 Social Theories and Methodologies Chapter 11 Modern Rationality and the Paradox of the Sacred Chapter 12 History and Sociology Chapter 13 The Lessons of Positivism Chapter 14 American and European Social Science Chapter 15 Biography and the Social Sciences Chapter 16 Thorstein Veblen and his Critics Chapter 17 The Social Type of the Businessman Part 18 Sacred and Secular Modalities Chapter 19 Constantinian Christianity and the Future of the Catholic Church Chapter 20 The Media Pope Chapter 21 Reflections on America Chapter 22 Time and its Social Transformations Chapter 23 On Photography
