{"product_id":"jeffrey-alexander-and-cultural-sociology-hardback-9781509555550","title":"Jeffrey Alexander and Cultural Sociology (Hardback) 9781509555550","description":"\u003cfont face=\"Georgia\"\u003e\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"6\"\u003eJeffrey Alexander and Cultural Sociology\u003c\/font\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"4\"\u003eJean-François Côté (Author)\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e9781509555550, Polity Press\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eHardback, published 21 April 2023\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e192 pages\u003cbr\u003e21.8 x 14.2 x 2.3 cm, 0.363 kg\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Jeffrey Alexander’s ‘strong program’ for cultural sociology is a major effort to revitalize the classical sociological tradition – and challenge both materialist and instrumental perspectives. It has evolved over many years, shifting among theoretical syntheses, programmatic statements, and analyses of practical issues in democratic culture. Fully understanding it calls for a guide, and Jean-Francois Côté performs this role with clarity and insight. Whether you wish to follow Alexander or challenge him, you will find Côté’s analysis invaluable.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eCraig Calhoun, Arizona State University and LSE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“An essential overview of Jeffrey Alexander’s cultural sociology, Côté’s important critical synthesis connects its many contributions to illuminate one of the most ambitious, sustained, and useful projects in contemporary sociology.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLyn Spillman, University of Notre Dame\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp align=\"justify\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis book presents the first comprehensive and critical account of Jeffrey Alexander’s cultural sociology. Alexander has proposed a “strong program” in cultural sociology that analyses the cultural pragmatics of social performance, and his hermeneutical approach connects meaningful political action with deeper symbolic structures of social life. His highly original account of the civil sphere, as an institutionalized domain that is shaped by the discourse of liberty and solidarity and that sustains universalizing cultural aspirations provides an illuminating perspective on how democracy functions, and fails to function, in contemporary societies. \u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis book charts the development of Alexander’s thought in all its complexity. Through its critical readings, it also opens up a dialogue with other contemporary approaches in sociology, situating Alexander’s work in relation to others and highlighting alternative views that challenge his ideas. It is an invaluable introduction for anyone who wishes to learn more about the work of one of the most creative sociologists of our time. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003ePreface\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Introduction\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eChapter 1: The “strong program” of cultural sociology\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Alexander’s “post-positivist” approach to sociology\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e From Parsons to neofunctionalism\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e From Neofunctionalism to Cultural Sociology\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A new analysis of the relative autonomy of culture based on reflexivity\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eChapter 2: A rereading of Durkheim: social ritual and cultural significance\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The presence of the religious in cultural life\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A sociology of religion in social life: politics and technology\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Symbolic forms of meaning in contemporary society\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eChapter 3: A critique of Marx, Cultural Studies, and Bourdieu\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The rejection of Marxian critique\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Critique of Cultural Studies\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Critique of Bourdieusian determinism\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Critical theory and reflexivity: the power of representation\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eChapter 4: Culture, Politics and Civil Religion: Weber and beyond\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e With Weber and beyond: a sociology of religion in modernity\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Weberian analysis reassessed by pragmatics and hermeneutics\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The civil sphere and political debates: reconstruction of civil religion\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eChapter 5: The Civil Sphere and the “Societal Community:” beyond Parsons\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e From Parsons to Touraine and beyond: analysis of performative social movements\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Cultural pragmatics and the challenges of symbolic codification\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Social and cultural trauma theory: social claims of identity\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eChapter 6: The power of representation and the representation of power\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Empirical analysis of political life: the representation of power\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Power of representation: performance and dramatic action in the civil sphere\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The power of the symbolic and the iconic\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A generalized social theatricality: the dramatic aesthetics of social action\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Conclusion\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cfont size=\"3\"\u003eSubject Areas: Sociology \u0026amp; anthropology [\u003ca title=\"See our other books on Sociology \u0026amp; anthropology\" href=\"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/search?q=%22Sociology%20\u0026amp;%20anthropology%20%5BJH%5D%22\"\u003eJH\u003c\/a\u003e]\u003c\/font\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\r\n\r\n\r\n\u003c\/font\u003e","brand":"Polity","offers":[{"title":"Brand New","offer_id":52441812566296,"sku":"9781509555550","price":42.59,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0730\/2037\/5320\/files\/9781509555550.jpg?v=1785026643","url":"https:\/\/freshlyprintedbooks.co.uk\/products\/jeffrey-alexander-and-cultural-sociology-hardback-9781509555550","provider":"Freshly Printed Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}