Trust: A Sociological Theory (Cambridge Cultural Social Studies) [Kindle Edition]

Piotr Sztompka (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Piotr Sztompka presents a comprehensive theoretical account of trust as a fundamental component of human actions. Professor Sztompka's detailed and systematic study takes account of the rich evolving research on trust, and explains its meaning, foundations and functions. He illustrates and supports his claims with statistical data and his own impressive empirical study of trust, carried out in Poland after the collapse of communism. This conceptually creative and elegant work will be of interest to scholars and students of sociology, political science and social philosophy.

Book Description

Piotr Sztompka here presents a comprehensive theoretical account of trust as a fundamental component of human actions. Professor Sztompka's detailed and systematic study takes account of the rich evolving research on trust, and explains its meaning, foundations and functions. Piotr Sztompka illustrates and supports his claims with statistical data and his own impressive empirical study of trust, carried out in Poland after the collapse of communism. This conceptually creative and elegant work will be of interest to scholars and students of sociology, political science and social philosophy.

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 2188 KB
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (February 28, 2000)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B001G8X6G0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #297,703 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good for a start, March 7, 2007

By 

V. Lirio Do Valle (Brasil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trust: A Sociological Theory (Cambridge Cultural Social Studies) (Paperback)

This is an intersting book to open a general view in the subject of trust, and it's interface with the social system, and the relations that are stablished in it. It may be a good star to one who is interested in a deeper dive in the subject - but just a start, something to get you familiar with the basics ideas.

4 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Sociological Trust in Post Communism, February 13, 2006

By 

Charles Watson (Falls Church, Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trust: A Sociological Theory (Cambridge Cultural Social Studies) (Paperback)

The author presents this book as a cumulative effort to clarify sociological issues surround the study of trust in contemporary society providing a theoretical review of trust as a fundamental component of human actions. Sztompka discusses the foundation and functions of sociological trust theory, the emergence and decay of trust within cultures and identifies functional substitutes for trust. The discussion of trust is presented from the sociological paradigm of communism and postcommunist social order. The book defines several trust phenomena: Sztompka presents several trust "dimensions": trust is an dimension of civic culture; trust becomes an important aspect of civil society, once the concept is given cultural meaning, trust fares is an important dimension of culture and social capital, and trust is linked to post materialistic values. The researcher defines trust as: "a bet about the future contingent actions of others". Sztompka defines three functional substitutes when interpersonal and institutional trust collapses: providentialism: a resigned acceptance of existing conditions; corruption: which replaces all normal channels of power and influence to develop trust purchasing favor, and ghettoization: where individuals escape into enclaves of closeness, familiarity, and security.