The Sociology of Anthony Giddens
Few would object to the view that Anthony Giddens is Britain’s foremost sociologist. The recent publication of a four-volume book set dedicated to his writings shows that his work not only carries an intrinsic significance, but perhaps, more importantly, that it continues to exert a considerable t...
| Main Author: | Steven Loyal |
|---|---|
| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | Bahasa Inggris |
| Published: |
Pluto Press
2003
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| Online Access: |
http://oaipmh-jogjalib.umy.ac.idkatalog.php?opo=lihatDetilKatalog&id=50748 |
| id |
oai:lib.umy.ac.id:50748 |
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oai:lib.umy.ac.id:507482021-06-16T13:06:03ZThe Sociology of Anthony GiddensSteven LoyalFew would object to the view that Anthony Giddens is Britain’s foremost sociologist. The recent publication of a four-volume book set dedicated to his writings shows that his work not only carries an intrinsic significance, but perhaps, more importantly, that it continues to exert a considerable theoretical influence on the direction and development of British sociology in general (Bryant and Jary 1997). Previous critiques of Giddens’s sociological works have tended to focus on the formal concepts and ideas underlying his contributions to the subject. In this respect this book offers nothing new. However, this emphasis on the abstract architecture of his work underplays the dynamic character of his texts and fails to elucidate the broader social and political rationale underlying his approach. This book seeks to fill this lacuna by focusing on the developmental nature of Giddens’s work drawing sparingly upon the sociology of knowledge. In contrast to immanent ahistorical approaches, the intention here has been to elaborate the historical emergence, structure and direction of sociological knowledge in relation to group dynamics and political interests.1 The central argument of this book is that Giddens’s sociology needs to be placed within the social, political and historical context within which it was constructed. His theoretical project makes sense only as part of a wider world-view which centres on an attempt to renew a progressive form of liberalism. The distinctive pattern of theoretical innovation, the eclectic derivation and combination of concepts, the inclusion and exclusion of certain principles and ideas, as well as the theoretical inconsistencies and contradictions which arise in consequence, derive ultimately from this commitment to progressive liberalism. Placing his ideas in a context of a broader political worldview allows us to make sense of a pronounced shift in the content of his work after 1989, in addition to his most recent and most overtly political work on the ‘Third Way’ – work which has served as both a basis for and a rationalisation of Tony Blair’s politics. Although this study is primarily concerned with Giddens’s structuration theory, it also incorporates an analysis of his work on modernity and politics, arguing for the interconnection of all three.Pluto Press 2003eBookebook 88Bahasa Inggrishttp://oaipmh-jogjalib.umy.ac.idkatalog.php?opo=lihatDetilKatalog&id=50748 |
| institution |
Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta |
| collection |
Perpustakaan Yogyakarta |
| language |
Bahasa Inggris |
| description |
Few would object to the view that Anthony Giddens is Britain’s
foremost sociologist. The recent publication of a four-volume book
set dedicated to his writings shows that his work not only carries an
intrinsic significance, but perhaps, more importantly, that it
continues to exert a considerable theoretical influence on the
direction and development of British sociology in general (Bryant
and Jary 1997). Previous critiques of Giddens’s sociological works
have tended to focus on the formal concepts and ideas underlying
his contributions to the subject. In this respect this book offers
nothing new.
However, this emphasis on the abstract architecture of his work
underplays the dynamic character of his texts and fails to elucidate
the broader social and political rationale underlying his approach.
This book seeks to fill this lacuna by focusing on the developmental
nature of Giddens’s work drawing sparingly upon the sociology of
knowledge. In contrast to immanent ahistorical approaches, the
intention here has been to elaborate the historical emergence,
structure and direction of sociological knowledge in relation to group
dynamics and political interests.1
The central argument of this book is that Giddens’s sociology needs
to be placed within the social, political and historical context within
which it was constructed. His theoretical project makes sense only as
part of a wider world-view which centres on an attempt to renew a
progressive form of liberalism. The distinctive pattern of theoretical
innovation, the eclectic derivation and combination of concepts,
the inclusion and exclusion of certain principles and ideas, as well
as the theoretical inconsistencies and contradictions which arise in
consequence, derive ultimately from this commitment to progressive
liberalism. Placing his ideas in a context of a broader political worldview
allows us to make sense of a pronounced shift in the content
of his work after 1989, in addition to his most recent and most
overtly political work on the ‘Third Way’ – work which has served as
both a basis for and a rationalisation of Tony Blair’s politics. Although
this study is primarily concerned with Giddens’s structuration theory,
it also incorporates an analysis of his work on modernity and politics,
arguing for the interconnection of all three. |
| format |
eBook |
| author |
Steven Loyal |
| spellingShingle |
Steven Loyal The Sociology of Anthony Giddens |
| author_sort |
Steven Loyal |
| title |
The Sociology of
Anthony Giddens |
| title_short |
The Sociology of
Anthony Giddens |
| title_full |
The Sociology of
Anthony Giddens |
| title_fullStr |
The Sociology of
Anthony Giddens |
| title_full_unstemmed |
The Sociology of
Anthony Giddens |
| title_sort |
sociology of
anthony giddens |
| publisher |
Pluto Press |
| publishDate |
2003 |
| url |
http://oaipmh-jogjalib.umy.ac.idkatalog.php?opo=lihatDetilKatalog&id=50748 |
| isbn |
ebook 88 |
| _version_ |
1702748393511583744 |
| score |
14.79448 |