Meanings of Life in Contemporary Ireland: Webs of Significance (Cultural Sociology)

Cultural sociology is widely acknowledged as one of the most vibrant areas of inquiry in the social sciences across the world today. The Palgrave Macmillan Series in Cultural Sociology is dedicated to the proposition that deep meanings make a profound difference in social life. Culture is not simply the glue that holds society together, a crutch for the weak, or a mystifying ideology that conceals power. Nor is it just practical knowledge, dry schemas, or knowhow. The series demonstrates how shared and circulating patterns of meaning actively and inescapably penetrate the social. Through codes and myths, narratives and icons, rituals and representations, these culture structures drive human action, inspire social movements, direct and build institutions, and so come to shape history. The series takes its lead from the cultural turn in the humanities, but insists on rigorous social science methods and aims at empirical explanations. Contributions engage in thick interpretations but also account for behavioral outcomes. They develop cultural theory but also deploy middle-range tools to challenge reductionist understandings of how the world actually works. In so doing, the books in this series embody the spirit of cultural sociology as an intellectual enterprise. "The struggle to create and sustain meaning in our everyday lives is fought using cultural ingredients to spin the webs of meaning that keep us going. To help reveal the complexity and intricacy of the webs of meaning in which they are suspended, Tom Inglis interviewed one-hundred people in their native home of Ireland to discover what was most important and meaningful for them in their lives. Inglis believes language is a medium: there is never an exact correspondence between what is said and what is felt and understood. Using a variety of theoretical lenses developed within sociology and anthropology, Inglis places their lives within the context of Ireland's social and cultural transformations, and of longer-term processes of change such as increased globalisation, individualisation, and informalisation"-- "Meaning makes social life possible. It is the air that enables everyday life to take place, from love, to bonding, communication and collaboration. Using a variety of theoretical lenses developed within sociology and anthropology, I explore the meanings of live of 100 ordinary people living around Ireland"-- "The struggle to create and sustain meaning in our everyday lives is fought using cultural ingredients to spin the webs of meaning that keep us going. To help reveal the complexity and intricacy of the webs of meaning in which they are suspended, Tom Inglis interviewed one-hundred people in their native home of Ireland to discover what was most important and meaningful for them in their lives. Inglis believes language is a medium: there is never an exact correspondence between what is said and what is felt and understood. Using a variety of theoretical lenses developed within sociology and anthropology, Inglis places their lives within the context of Ireland's social and cultural transformations, and of longer-term processes of change such as increased globalisation, individualisation, and informalisation"-- Provided by publisher "Cover" -- "Title" -- "Copyright" -- "Dedication" -- "Contents" -- "Series Editorâ#x80;#x99;s Preface" -- "Preface" -- "Acknowledgments" -- "Chapter 1 Webs of Significance" -- "Chapter 2 Culture as Meaning" -- "Chapter 3 Place, Family, and Identity" -- "Chapter 4 Money and Success" -- "Chapter 5 Politics" -- "Chapter 6 Sport" -- "Chapter 7 Religion" -- "Chapter 8 Love" -- "Chapter 9 Conclusion" -- "Appendix: The Study" -- "Notes" "Meaning makes social life possible. It is the air that enables everyday life to take place, from love, to bonding, communication and collaboration. Using a variety of theoretical lenses developed within sociology and anthropology, I explore the meanings of live of 100 ordinary people living around Ireland"-- Provided by publisher Front Matter....Pages i-xviii Webs of Significance....Pages 1-16 Culture as Meaning....Pages 17-39 Place, Family, and Identity....Pages 41-63 Money and Success....Pages 65-85 Politics....Pages 87-105 Sport....Pages 107-121 Religion....Pages 123-153 Love....Pages 155-179 Conclusion....Pages 181-192 Back Matter....Pages 193-250 Inglis explores the meanings of life as told by one-hundred ordinary people living around Ireland