Dennis Smith 
Norbert Elias and Modern Social Theory 

Offering a fascinating survey of Norbert Elias′s life and writings, Dennis Smith traces the growth of his reputation. He is the first author to confront Elias′s work with the contrasting theories of Talcott Parsons, Hannah Arendt, Michel Foucault and Zygmunt Bauman. He also illustrates how Elias′s insights can be applied to understand Western modernity and social and political change. Smith shows why Elias is important for sociology, but he is also clear sighted about the limitations of Elias′s approach.

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PART ONE: MODERNITY AND ELIAS

The Sound of Canon-Fire

Culture and Civilization

PART TWO: THE WIDER DEBATE

Arendt and Elias

Parsons and Elias

Foucault and Elias

Bauman and Elias

PART THREE: TOWARDS GLOBAL MODERNITY

Europe

Shame

A Civilized Debate

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Dennis Smith is Professor of Sociology at the University of Loughborough