Beyond the Knowledge Crisis

"Although not about Norbert Elias, Beyond the Knowledge Crisis is very much in Eliasian spirit. Broad in sweep, Kasper's book examines the ecological crisis-the practical issue of politics and policy now and in the near future. The author's stress throughout is on the word synthesis, recognizing that a theoretical and empirical intellectual synthesis of history and the social and natural sciences is necessary to tackle the global problems of the age. This very synthesis is that which Elias himself was seeking to achieve, especially in his late writings." -Stephen Mennell, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University College Dublin, Ireland In the face of complex, interwoven, planet-scale problems, many cite the need for more integrated knowledge-especially across the natural and social sciences. Excessive specialization, they argue, gets in the way of knowing what we know, much less being able to use it to address urgent socio-environmental crises. These concerns, it turns out, go back centuries. This book picks up where most leave off, exploring the history of how we got here and proposing a way forward. Along the way, readers find that the synthesis long called for depends on theoretical advancements in social science. Fortunately, the author argues, we have everything we need to achieve those advancements, thanks largely to the contributions of Norbert Elias. Integrating his insights with history, science, sociological theory, and more, this book neatly packages the upgraded paradigm we need to be able to meaningfully address complex socio-environmental problems and more intentionally shape humanity's collective future.

Auteur
Debbie V.S. Kasper is a sociologist and Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Hiram College, in northeast Ohio. She specializes in sociological theory, environmental sociology, community resilience, and social change and teaches a wide variety of courses related to these themes.

Texte du rabat

Although not about Norbert Elias, Beyond the Knowledge Crisis is very much in Eliasian spirit. Broad in sweep, Kasper's book examines the ecological crisisthe practical issue of politics and policy now and in the near future. The author's stress throughout is on the word synthesis, recognizing that a theoretical and empirical intellectual synthesis of history and the social and natural sciences is necessary to tackle the global problems of the age. This very synthesis is that which Elias himself was seeking to achieve, especially in his late writings. Stephen Mennell, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, University College Dublin, Ireland
In the face of complex, interwoven, planet-scale problems, many cite the need for more integrated knowledgeespecially across the natural and social sciences. Excessive specialization, they argue, gets in the way of knowing what we know, much less being able to use it to address urgent socio-environmental crises. These concerns, it turns out, go back centuries. This book picks up where most leave off, exploring the history of how we got here and proposing a way forward. Along the way, readers find that the synthesis long called for depends on theoretical advancements in social science. Fortunately, the author argues, we have everything we need to achieve those advancements, thanks largely to the contributions of Norbert Elias. Integrating his insights with history, science, sociological theory, and more, this book neatly packages the upgraded paradigm we need to be able to meaningfully address complex socio-environmental problems and more intentionally shape humanity's collective future.

Résumé
In the face of complex, interwoven, planet-scale problems, many cite the need for more integrated knowledgeespecially across the natural and social sciences. Excessive specialization, they argue, gets in the way of knowing what we know, much less being able to use it to address urgent socio-environmental crises. These concerns, it turns out, go back centuries. This book picks up where most leave off, exploring the history of how we got here and proposing a way forward. Along the way, readers find that the synthesis long called for depends on theoretical advancements in social science. Fortunately, the author argues, we have everything we need to achieve those advancements, thanks largely to the contributions of Norbert Elias. Integrating his insights with history, science, sociological theory, and more, this book neatly packages the upgraded paradigm we need to be able to meaningfully address complex socio-environmental problems and more intentionally shape humanity's collective future.

Contenu

Introduction

Chapter 1: The Crisis of the Librarian

Chapter 2: Moving Toward Synthesis

Chapter 3: A Science of Human Social Life? Present State, Future Prospects

Chapter 4: Mapping the Territory

Chapter 5: The Medium of Human Social Life

Chapter 6: The Human Condition

Chapter 7: Second Nature

Chapter 8: Actions and Reactions

Chapter 9: The Only Constant

Conclusion: Insights, Applications, and Possibilities