ABSTRACT

Drawing on the work of Gadamer, the book demonstrates that a sociology which focuses on social relations does not imply a return to idealism, nor a retreat into individualism, nor a rejection of critique. Rather, a hermeneutic sociology which prioritises human social relations is the only coherent paradigm which is available today. The author argues that sociologists studying the dramatic social transformations which are currently occuring should focus on social relations between humans; they should not attempt to understand contemporary changes in terms of structure and agency.

part |85 pages

Contemporary Social Theory

chapter |17 pages

Structure and Agency

chapter |19 pages

The Relevance of Parsons

chapter |18 pages

The Reality of Realism

part |75 pages

Classical Sociology

part |76 pages

Towards a Hermeneutic Sociology