An Anatomy of Power
The Social Theory of Michael Mann
Published on 30. January 2006
Book
Hardback
420 pages
978-0-521-85000-1 (ISBN)
Description
Michael Mann is one of the most influential sociologists of recent decades. His work has had a major impact in sociology, history, political science, international relations and other social science disciplines. His main work, The Sources of Social Power, of which two of three volumes have been completed, provides an all-encompassing account of the history of power from the beginnings of stratified societies to present day. Recently he has published two major works, Fascists and The Dark Side of Democracy. Yet unlike other contemporary social thinkers, Mann's work has not, until now, been systematically and critically assessed. This volume assembles a group of distinguished scholars to take stock, both of Mann's overall method and of his account of particular periods and historical cases. It also contains Mann's reply where he answers his critics and forcefully restates his position. This is a unique and provocative study for scholars and students alike.
Reviews / Votes
'... an intellectual biography of Mann that illuminates the evolving political goals underpinning his scholarship; it provides a progress report by his peers on the success of the enterprise to date, as well as Mann's response to his critics; and it furnishes clues about how the project will further develop.' Journal of PowerMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 29 mm
Weight
829 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-521-85000-1 (9780521850001)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
03/2006
1st Edition
Cambridge University Press
€44.49
Available for download
Persons
John A. Hall is Dean of the Faculty of Arts and James McGill Professor, Department of Sociology at McGill University, Montreal His books include Powers and Liberties (1985), Liberalism (1989), Coercion and Consent (1994) and (with Charles Lindholm) Is America Breaking Apart (2001). Ralph Schroeder is a Research Fellow at the Oxford Internet Institute at the University of Oxford. His books include Max Weber and the Sociology of Culture (1992) and, as editor, Max Weber, Democracy and Modernization (1998).
Content
Introduction: the IEMP model and its critics Ralph Schroeder; Part I. Theory, Practice, Method: 2. Mann's transformation of the classic sociological traditions Randall Collins; 3. Political questions John A. Hall; 4. Mann's microfoundations: addressing neo-Weberian dilemmas Edgar Kiser; 5. Grand yet grounded: ontology, theory and method in Mann's historical sociology Joseph Bryant; Part II. Types of Power: 6. Mann's theory of ideological power: sources, applications and elaborations Philip Gorski; 7. Political power un-manned: a defence of the holy trinity from Mann's military attack Gianfranco Poggi; 8. Mann, the state and war John Hobson; 9. Infrastructural power, economic transformation and globalization Linda Weiss; Part III. European Exceptionalism?: 10. From theory to history: 'the European dynamic' or 'from Feudalism to capitalism'? Robert Brenner; 11. The rise of the west Stephen Epstein; 12. A historical, not comparative method: breakthroughs and limitations in the theory and methodology of Michael Mann's analysis of power Jack Goldstone; Part IV. Promise and Perils of Modernity: 13. The 'British' sources of social power: reflections on history, sociology, and intellectual biography Frank Trentmann; 14. Networks and ideologies: the fusion of 'is' and 'ought' as a means to social power Jack Snyder; 15. Mann's dark side: linking democracy and genocide David Laitin; Part V. Response: 16. The sources of power revisited: a response to criticism Michael Mann.