Against Essentialism: A Theory of Culture and Society [Hardcover]

Stephan Fuchs (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0674006100 | ISBN-13: 978-0674006102 | Publication Date: October 23, 2001

Against Essentialism presents a sociological theory of culture. This interdisciplinary and foundational work deals with basic issues common to current debates in social theory, including society, culture, meaning, truth, and communication. Stephan Fuchs argues that many mysteries about these concepts lose their mysteriousness when dynamic variations are introduced.

Fuchs proposes a theory of culture and society that merges two core traditions--American network theory and European (Luhmannian) systems theory. His book distinguishes four major types of social "observers"--encounters, groups, organizations, and networks. Society takes place in these four modes of association. Each generates levels of observation linked with each other into a "culture"--the unity of these observations.

Against Essentialism presents a groundbreaking new approach to the construction of society, culture, and personhood. The book invites both social scientists and philosophers to see what happens when essentialism is abandoned.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Fuchs...has synthesized systems theory...and network theory into a comprehensive sociology of knowledge and culture...This work will be much discussed by sociologists and is essential for any library supporting programs in social thought. (J. L. Croissant Choice )

Stephan Fuch's Against Essentialism is the most important work of general theory that has appeared in the last 10 years or more. It is grand theory on the level with Luhmann, Habermas, and Giddens, encompassing society, culture, knowledge, and philosophy. It is general theory both in the sense of giving a framework for all of sociology and in the sense that the word "theory" is now used in humanistic and especially literary fields, the orienting perspective on what cultural knowledge consists in. . . Among works of general theory, Fuchs stands out as remarkably well written. Against Essentialism is full of clever phrases, sharply worded titles and subtitles that point up the keys to the argument, lapidary formulations that could serve as catchwords. Fuchs is surely one of the wittiest writers in sociology and many other fields. Through rather complex arguments he retains a crisp and clear writing style, making the book eminently readable. (Randall Collins Sociological Theory )

In Against Essentialism, Stephan Fuchs offers a clever, intelligent, and robust defense of the deep structural properties of capital-S Sociology. (Charles Lembert Sociological Theory )

Review

Against Essentialism is an original contribution. Realists about science go to war against the social constructionists to defend the traditional meaning of science. Fuchs steps into this battle zone and does a beautiful job of dissecting and defining the nature of the sociological problems involved. The result is a confident, provocative critique of various positions in the science wars. By employing system theory and dynamic network thinking, Fuchs provides a highly coherent, forceful, and persuasive account of how to think about sciences from a sociological point of view. (Thomas J. Fararo, University of Pittsburgh 20020501)

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (October 23, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674006100
• ISBN-13: 978-0674006102
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,949,936 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting, January 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Against Essentialism: A Theory of Culture and Society (Hardcover)

I've had Stephan Fuchs for two classes at the University of Virginia. Not only is he a great professor, but also a great writer. Against Essentialism presents his views on cultural systems in as clear a manner as is possible given the complexity of the subject. This is a book that should be required reading for sociology courses, but is probably a little deep for those who have never taken a social theory course.