The New American Cultural Sociology (Cambridge Cultural Social Studies)
Cambridge University Press, 7/30/1998
EAN 9780521584159, ISBN10: 0521584159
Hardcover, 298 pages, 22.9 x 15.2 x 2.1 cm
Language: English
Originally published in English
American Cultural Sociology presents a serious challenge to British Cultural Studies and European grand theory alike. This exciting volume brings together sixteen seminal papers by leading figures in what is emerging as an important intellectual tradition. It places them in the context of related work in Sociology and other disciplines, exploring the connections between cultural sociology and different approaches, such as comparative and historical research, postmodernism, and symbolic interactionism. The book is divided into three sections: Culture as Text and Code, The Production and Reception of Culture, and Culture in Action. Each section contains edited contributions, both theoretical and empirical, addressing the key debates in cultural sociology, including the autonomy of culture, power and culture, structure and agency and how to conceptualise meaning.
Notes on contributors
Preface
The new American cultural sociology
an introduction Philip Smith
Part I. Culture as Text and Code
Introduction
1. Textuality and the postmodern turn in sociological theory Richard Harvey Brown
2. The computer as sacred and profane Jeffrey C. Alexander
3. AIDS and the discursive construction of homosexuality Steven Seidman
4. Fundamentalism and liberalism in public religious discourse Robert Wuthnow
5. Analytic and concrete forms of the autonomy of culture Anne Kane
Part II. The Production and Reception of Culture
Introduction
6. The reception of Derrida's work in France and America Michèle Lamont
7. Censorship, audiences and the Victorian nude Nicola Beisel
8. The devil, social change and Jacobean theatre Wendy Griswold
9. Victorian women writers and the prestige of the novel Gaye Tuchman and Nina Fortin
10. The ambiguous and contested meanings of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Robin Wagner-Pacifici and Barry Schwartz
Part III. Culture in Action
Introduction
11. Culture and social action Ann Swidler
12. Culture, structure, agency and transformation William H. Sewell Jr
13. Discourse, nuclear power and collective action William A. Gamson
14. Moral boundaries, leisure activities and justifying fun Gary Alan Fine
15. Honour and conflict management in corporate life Calvin Morrill
16. The role of cultural capital in school success Paul DiMaggio
Index.
"The rise of cultural sociology has been one of the most important developments in recent American social science. Philip Smith's anthology does an admirable job of introducing the major lines of inquiry which have made cultural sociology flourish. His collection demonstrates both the analytic achievements and the breadth of the field." Craig Calhoun, New York University
"This is a much needed presentation of the best of American cultural sociology. Phil Smith enables us to appreciate the strong disciplinary character of American cultural sociology compared with its more interdisciplinary counterparts in Britain and Europe. European critics may not be appeased, but they will be better informed as a result." Kenneth A. Thompson, The Open University
"By bringing together papers that represent major issues in the field, Smith provides both a sophisticated introduction to the field for newcomers and a reference point for scholars working in the field. The book is a valuable resource for undergraduate and graduate courses in the sociology of culture." Contemporary Sociology