Simon Susen – författare

This book examines key trends, debates, and challenges in twenty-first-century sociology.  To this end, it focuses on significant issues surrounding the nature of sociology (‘What is sociology?’), the history of sociology (‘How has sociology evolved?’), and the study of sociology (‘How can or should we make sense of sociology?’). 

These issues have been, and will continue to be, essential to the creation of conceptually informed, methodologically rigorous, and empirically substantiated research programmes in the discipline.  Over the past years, however, there have been numerous disputes and controversies concerning the future of sociology. Particularly important in this respect are recent and ongoing discussions on the possibilities of developing new – and, arguably, post-classical – forms of sociology.  The central assumption underlying most of these projects is the contention that a comprehensive analysis of the principal challenges faced by global society requires the construction of a sociology capable of accounting for the interconnectedness of social actors and social structures across time and space.  

This book provides a cutting-edge overview of crucial past, present, and possible future trends, debates, and challenges shaping the pursuit of sociological inquiry.

‘Simon Susen – one of the most knowledgeable scholars in the contemporary social sciences – examines the key challenges with which sociology is confronted today. This book is a must-read for professional sociologists as well as for those studying the subject.’ – Luc Boltanski, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris, France

‘Simon Susen provides a balanced update on sociology’s theoretical, methodological, and institutional resources as well as challenges in today’s complicated local and global social worlds. Fortunately, he has innovative and practical recommendations for ensuring the cutting-edge relevance of sociological thinking. This book is an excellent choice for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as for the general reader.’ – Sandra Harding, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

‘A comprehensive and judicious account of the intellectual and material state of sociology, based on omnivorous reading and incisive analysis. The writing is beautifully clear, and the bookis a major contribution to the self-understanding of the discipline.’ – William Outhwaite, Newcastle University, UK

Focusing on the work of Hartmut Rosa, this book provides an in-depth account of the extent to which we, as humans, are obliged to face up to the uncontrollability of the world. Rosa is widely regarded as one of the most original contemporary European social theorists. Along with the concepts of ‘acceleration’, ‘alienation’, and ‘resonance’, the notion of ‘uncontrollability’ [Unverfügbarkeit] ranks among the most important reference points in Rosa’s critical theory, especially in his recent work. It is no accident, then, that – following his extensive inquiries into ‘acceleration’ and ‘alienation’ and the publication of his magnum opus on ‘resonance’ – Rosa has found it necessary to offer a brief, but powerful, account of the place occupied by the concept of ‘uncontrollability’ in his critical theory. The first half of this book comprises a detailed outline of Rosa’s central arguments on ‘uncontrollability’, before moving, in the second half, to a thorough assessment of the most significant limitations of his approach.

This book will appeal to students and scholars of the social sciences and humanities – particularly to those interested in social theory, social philosophy, and the history of ideas.