Description
CULTURAL SOCIOLOGY 2ND ED.
Book Summary
In this fundamental work, Jeffrey C. Alexander, a pioneer of cultural sociology, presents a series of essays that redefine the study of the relationship between culture and society. The author maintains that, despite the rationalization and differentiation typical of modernity, the contemporary world remains deeply "enchanted" by meanings, rituals, and narratives. This book offers an innovative sociological model for analyzing how symbolic codes and cultural structures shape social life, politics, and collective identity, providing a renewed perspective for understanding social phenomena from a cultural viewpoint.
What is it about?
The work brings together a series of wide-ranging essays that develop the cultural sociology approach proposed by Jeffrey C. Alexander. Throughout the text, the author argues that culture is not a simple reflection of social structure, but an autonomous and constitutive dimension of reality. Alexander explores how symbols, rituals, and collective narratives remain powerful forces in the modern world, challenging the idea that rationalization and secularization have eliminated the "enchantment" of social life. The essays address topics such as the construction of identity, the legitimation of power, collective memory, and the processes of social inclusion and exclusion, all within a theoretical framework that integrates sociology with cultural studies.
Main Topics
- Autonomy of culture in relation to social and economic structures.
- The process of "enchantment" of the modern world through symbols and rituals.
- Construction of collective identities and narratives of belonging.
- Legitimation of political and social power through cultural codes.
- Analysis of collective memory and processes of social exclusion and inclusion.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is intended for students and professionals in sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, and the social sciences in general. It is also of great interest to researchers and academics looking for a solid theoretical framework to analyze the symbolic dimension of contemporary social phenomena. Likewise, it is useful for readers with a background in the humanities interested in understanding how culture remains a central force in shaping political and social life.
What this book offers
- An innovative theoretical model for the analysis of culture as an autonomous dimension of social life.
- A critical perspective that questions the thesis of the disenchantment of the modern world.
- Conceptual tools to examine the relationship between symbols, power, and identity.
- A collection of essays that rigorously integrates sociology with cultural studies.
- Keys to understanding contemporary phenomena such as symbolic politics and identity conflicts.
Technical Specifications
- Author: ALEXANDER, JEFFREY C.
- Publisher: ANTHROPOS
- Language: Spanish
- Subject: SOCIAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY, SOCIETY AND CULTURE: GENERAL, CULTURAL STUDIES, SOCIOLOGY
- Collection: SOCIAL SCIENCES
- Binding: Paperback
- Edition date: March 2020
- Number of pages: 288
- Weight: 642 g
Editorial Assessment
This second edition of "Cultural Sociology" consolidates Jeffrey C. Alexander's work as an essential reference for those seeking a renewed and profound approach to the role of culture in society. The clarity of the arguments and the breadth of the essays allow the reader to delve into a theoretical model that challenges traditional conceptions, offering analytical tools of great utility for the study of complex social phenomena. It is a work that invites us to rethink modernity from a cultural perspective, being especially relevant in a context where debates on identity, memory, and political symbolism occupy a central place.