Essentials of Sociological Café. Volume One

Author: Zhang Lisheng, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-02-01
Features: For the high-profile lectures in academia, "The Tea House" holds the due respect. However, according to the research of the contemporary sociological theorist Habermas, the public sphere he values most does not originate from the academic halls of Gaohuayan but rather emerges from the "tea houses" of France—those small and large cafes scattered across the streets of Paris. In this sense, discussing sociology and social theory under the name "The Tea House" is most fitting. In the author's view, sociology is not a profession, though it can become one, but rather a perspective—a "sociological eye" that observes people, things, the mortal world, and the vast universe, while also reflecting upon oneself. Adopting such a perspective, the length of the writing can vary, the tone can shift between fast and slow, the style can blend solemnity with humor, and the principles should be explained in both depth and simplicity—"within the realm of daily life," "thinking amidst the changing tides of the world." Whether the author is a professional sociologist or not, they are all guests at the "tea house." Gathering with friends over tea, chatting over a cup of tea, the grandeur of the universe and the triviality of a fly, the joy of the rich and the sorrow of the poor—all are sociology, all can be woven into the casual talk of scholars after tea. The ancients spoke of the delightful aspects of tea, saying, "There is a world apart within the teapot." Let the learned and the brilliant, both seasoned scholars and rising stars, gather in scholarly camaraderie!