The future of social theory : [Zygmunt Bauman, Ulrich Beck, Judith Butler, Scott Lash, Bruno Latour, Nikolas Rose, Saskia Sassen, John Ury, Françoise Vergès

The basic concept of society has come under attack - political acts, critical theory, new media and even history itself have undermined what we think of as the social. The Future of Social Theory brings together new interviews with the world's leading social theorists on what society means today: Zygmunt Bauman, John Urry, Saska Sassen, Bruno Latour, Scott Lash, Nikolas Rose, Judith Butler and Francoise Verges. The topics covered include: liquid modernization and the individualization of the society; the shift towards global forms of chaos and complexity; the displacement of the social into global city networks; the shift away from a theory of the social to a theory of space; the transformation of society with the rise of new technology; the continuing influence of historical forms of political power; society as a gendered idea; and society as a product of Empire. Contents Acknowledgements Notes on Contributors 1. Introduction: Rethinking Social Theory 2. Zygmunt Bauman: Liquid Sociality 3. Judith Butler: Reanimating the Social 4. Bruno Latour: The Social as Association 5. Scott Lash: Information is Alive 6. John Urry: Complex Mobilities 7. Saskia Sassen: Space and Power 8. Ulrich Beck: The Cosmopolitan Turn 9. Nikolas Rose: Governing the Social 10. Françoise Vergés: Postcolonial Challenges Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y Z Introduction: Rethinking Social Theory -- Zygmunt Bauman: Liquid Sociality -- Judith Butler: Reanimating The Social -- Bruno Latour: The Social As Association -- Scott Lash: Information Is Alive -- John Urry: Complex Mobilities -- Saskia Sassen: Space And Power -- Ulrich Beck: The Cosmopolitan Turn -- Nikolas Rose: Governing The Social -- Françoise Vergès: Postcolonial Challenges. Nicholas Gane. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This title brings together interviews with the world's leading social theorists on what society means today. The topics covered include: liquid modernization and the individualization of the society; the displacement of the social into global city networks; and society as a gendered idea