The Future of Society

Is the notion of society obsolete? To answer this question, leading social theorist William Outhwaite first considers various critiques of the concept that have dominated recent debate, including the arguments of: Neo–liberals, who deny society′s existence Postmodernists, who argue that it has fragmented or dissolved Globalization theorists, who claim that it cannot survive the demise of the nation–state. Outhwaite takes a sympathetic look at these current theoretical trends, using them to explain why we have lost confidence in the concept of society. He argues, however, that we do still need the concept in order to make sense of the forces which structure our lives. Part of the prestigious Blackwell Manifestos series, this important book goes to the heart of contemporary social and political debate.

Preface.

1. The Origins of Society .

Part I: Critiques of Society.

2. Society and the Individual: Neoliberalism, Social Constructionism and Communitarianism.

3. Postmodernism.

4. Globalisation.

Part II: Reconstructing Society.

5. Modernity and Society.

6. Towards a Synthesis? Theory and Metatheory.

Part III: Implications.

7. Society Lite? Theories of Civil Society.

8. Is There a European Society?.

Postscript: A Defensible Concept of Society .

Notes.

Bibliography.

Index

William Outhwaite is Professor of Sociology at the University of Sussex. His previous publications include Habermas: A Critical Introduction (1994), New Philosophies of Social Science (1987), and Understanding Social Life (Second Edition, 1986). He is co–author of Social Theory and Postcommunism (Blackwell, 2004), editor of The Blackwell Dictionary of Modern Social Thought (2002) and The Habermas Reader (1996), and co–editor of The Sociology of Politics (1998).

"Written with the author s customary elegance and economy, this book invites us to take the concept of society seriously and to think about its future. This is a splendid and spirited work which will provoke a necessary debate." Krishan Kumar, University of Virginia

An original, challenging, and timely defense of the concept of society, this is an excellent introduction to contemporary sources and debates. David Frisby, London School of Economics

A subtle defense of the concept of society in the third millennium. Outhwaite convincingly undermines zero–sum thinking about the emergence of global society. Margaret S. Archer, University of Warwick