On Civilization, Power, and Knowledge: An Elias Reader

Author: (German) Norbert Elias
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: Norbert Elias (1897—1990) was a great sociologist of the 20th century. He was born in Germany and, after the rise of the Nazis, emigrated abroad, spending half his life in Britain. In his seminal work The Process of Civilization, Elias outlined the subtle changes in lifestyle of the European upper class since the Middle Ages, pointing out that these seemingly trivial etiquette reforms were actually reflections of profound changes in social power relations. Following this line of thought, Elias expanded his process sociological research to broader fields, conducting creative analyses on issues such as art, culture, the formation of the state, the control of violence, sports sociology, the development of knowledge and science, and sociological methodology. On Civilization, Power, and Knowledge is a brilliant collection of Elias's important arguments on the aforementioned topics, condensing the thought essence of this highly original sociologist. It holds great significance for understanding these various issues and grasping the overall sociological ideas of Elias as a whole.