The essays in this volume discuss the various approaches to New Materialism in Sociology and Philosophy. They raise the questions of what New Materialism consists of and whether it in fact should be considered a radical change in Social Theory. Are the ideas of a material turn, as the theory is formulated and in its assumptions, foreshadowed by the classical philosophies of Spinoza and Tarde? Do these new approaches bring substantially new perspectives to Social Theory? A further goal of these essays is to formulate the methodological and methodical consequences for its empirical implementation. What conditions must an ethnography of things fulfill if it is to be sufficient? Which participant objects and bodies do the approaches of the various social theories and methodologies include or exclude?

Up to now only sociological overview on new materialism Emphasizes the relevance of matter for the production of knowledge Combines all perspectives without excluding a standpoint

Autorentext

Ulrike Tikvah Kissmann is Professor of Sociological Methodology of Qualitative Reconstructive Research at the University of Kassel.

Joost van Loon is Professor of General Sociology and Sociological Theory at the Catholic University Eichstätt-Ingolstadt.

Inhalt

Materialities in philosophy of science.- Materialities in posthumanism.- Materialities in conversation analysis.- Materialities and phenomenology of the subjective body.- Actor-network theory.- Feminist materialism.- Materialities in praxeology.- Materialities in ethnography.- Critique of New Materialism.