Against essentialism : a theory of culture and society / Stephan Fuchs.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fuchs, Stephan, 1958-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Culture.

Social groups.

Social structure.

Physical Description:

ix, 380 p.

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press, 2001.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Against Essentialism presents a sociological theory of culture. This interdisciplinary and foundational work deals with basic issues common to current debates in social theory, including society, culture, meaning, truth, and communication. Stephan Fuchs argues that many mysteries about these concepts lose their mysteriousness when dynamic variations are introduced. Fuchs proposes a theory of culture and society that merges two core traditions--American network theory and European (Luhmannian) systems theory. His book distinguishes four major types of social observers--encounters, groups, organizations, and networks. Society takes place in these four modes of association. Each generates levels of observation linked with each other into a culture--the unity of these observations. Against Essentialism presents a groundbreaking new approach to the construction of society, culture, and personhood. The book invites both social scientists and philosophers to see what happens when essentialism is abandoned.

Contents:

Frontmatter

Acknowledgments

Contents

Introduction

CHAPTER 1. Theory after Essentialism

CHAPTER 2. How to Sociologize with a Hammer

CHAPTER 3. Cultural Rationality

CHAPTER 4. Foundations of Culture

CHAPTER 5. Modes of Social Association I: Encounters, Groups, and Organizations

CHAPTER 6. Modes of Social Association II: Networks

CHAPTER 7. Realism Explained

Conclusion

Appendix: Theses

References

Index

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 341-365) and index.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

ISBN:

0-674-03741-3

OCLC:

1013956763