Idea person: A sociological study

Author: Lewis Coser
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-01-17
Features: Intellectuals are both guardians of ideas and enlighteners of ideology. Those who pursue ideas, though often rejected and discriminated against, have remained pioneers in the history of Western thought for many centuries. This book traces the social background of Western intellectuals, striving to reveal how social and political conditions either support or hinder the ideas of these men and women, and how they have influenced and shaped the world of Western ideas in the face of immense difficulties. The impact of social settings and backgrounds on the development of intellectuals, their relationship with power structures, the types, living conditions, and future prospects of contemporary intellectuals—many compelling and significant issues are analyzed with sharp insight, originality, and persuasive arguments in this book. For over 30 years since its publication, it has been highly regarded in Western sociology and has become a representative work on the history of Western intellectuals and the sociology of intellectuals.