Everyday Life and the State (Great Barrington Books) [Paperback]

Peter Bratsis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2007 | ISBN-10: 1594512191 | ISBN-13: 978-1594512193

Nearly four centuries ago, liberal political thought asserted that the state was the product of a distant, prehistorical, social contract. Social science has done little to overcome this fiction. Even the most radical of theories have tended to remain silent on the question of the production of the state, preferring instead to focus on the determinations and functions of state actions. Bratsis argues that the causes of the state are to be found within everyday life. Building upon insights from social, political, and anthropological theories, his book shows how the repetitions and habits of our daily lives lead to our nationalization and the perception of certain interests and institutions as "public". Bratsis shows that only by seeking the state’s everyday, material causes can we free ourselves from the pitfalls of viewing the state as natural, inevitable, and independent from social relations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Peter Bratsis breaks new ground, forcing us to think of the connections between big structures and our most intimate inner lives. A fascinating and erudite book. --Frances Fox Piven, CUNY

From the Publisher

"Peter Bratsis breaks new ground, forcing us to think of the connections between big structures and our most intimate inner lives. A fascinating and erudite book." —Frances Fox Piven, CUNY --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 150 pages
• Publisher: Paradigm Publishers (March 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1594512191
• ISBN-13: 978-1594512193
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,497,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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