'Problems of involvement and detachment'

Norbert Elias and the investigation of contemporary social processes

John Lever, Ryan Powell

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

Abstract

In this paper, we seek to move beyond dominant interpretations of Elias by drawing attention to an increasing body of work in the fields of social and public policy. We engage with debates about secondary forms of involvement to facilitate an appreciation of how this as yet undocumented tranche of empirical work can lead to greater understanding of the negative effects of state/elite policies in the current period. We conclude that by adopting a position of ‘detached involvement’ figurational sociologists can generate reality-congruent knowledge that allows them to make concrete statements about contemporary social processes.
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages14
JournalHuman Figurations
Volume6
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sep 2017

Fingerprint

social process
sociologist
public policy
elite
interpretation
Social Policy

Cite this

Lever, John ; Powell, Ryan. / 'Problems of involvement and detachment' : Norbert Elias and the investigation of contemporary social processes. In: Human Figurations. 2017 ; Vol. 6, No. 2 .
@article{f8b5145a058748e9893155d6148d3151,
title = "'Problems of involvement and detachment': Norbert Elias and the investigation of contemporary social processes",
abstract = "In this paper, we seek to move beyond dominant interpretations of Elias by drawing attention to an increasing body of work in the fields of social and public policy. We engage with debates about secondary forms of involvement to facilitate an appreciation of how this as yet undocumented tranche of empirical work can lead to greater understanding of the negative effects of state/elite policies in the current period. We conclude that by adopting a position of ‘detached involvement’ figurational sociologists can generate reality-congruent knowledge that allows them to make concrete statements about contemporary social processes.",
keywords = "Contemporary social processes, Involvement-detachment, Policy, Politics, Sociology of knowledge",
author = "John Lever and Ryan Powell",
year = "2017",
month = "9",
day = "1",
language = "English",
volume = "6",
journal = "Human Figurations",
issn = "2166-6644",
publisher = "University of Michigan Press",
number = "2",

}

Lever, J & Powell, R 2017, ''Problems of involvement and detachment': Norbert Elias and the investigation of contemporary social processes', Human Figurations, vol. 6, no. 2 .

'Problems of involvement and detachment' : Norbert Elias and the investigation of contemporary social processes. / Lever, John; Powell, Ryan.

In: Human Figurations, Vol. 6, No. 2 , 01.09.2017.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

TY - JOUR

T1 - 'Problems of involvement and detachment'

T2 - Norbert Elias and the investigation of contemporary social processes

AU - Lever, John

AU - Powell, Ryan

PY - 2017/9/1

Y1 - 2017/9/1

N2 - In this paper, we seek to move beyond dominant interpretations of Elias by drawing attention to an increasing body of work in the fields of social and public policy. We engage with debates about secondary forms of involvement to facilitate an appreciation of how this as yet undocumented tranche of empirical work can lead to greater understanding of the negative effects of state/elite policies in the current period. We conclude that by adopting a position of ‘detached involvement’ figurational sociologists can generate reality-congruent knowledge that allows them to make concrete statements about contemporary social processes.

AB - In this paper, we seek to move beyond dominant interpretations of Elias by drawing attention to an increasing body of work in the fields of social and public policy. We engage with debates about secondary forms of involvement to facilitate an appreciation of how this as yet undocumented tranche of empirical work can lead to greater understanding of the negative effects of state/elite policies in the current period. We conclude that by adopting a position of ‘detached involvement’ figurational sociologists can generate reality-congruent knowledge that allows them to make concrete statements about contemporary social processes.

KW - Contemporary social processes

KW - Involvement-detachment

KW - Policy

KW - Politics

KW - Sociology of knowledge

M3 - Article

VL - 6

JO - Human Figurations

JF - Human Figurations

SN - 2166-6644

IS - 2

ER -

Lever J, Powell R. 'Problems of involvement and detachment': Norbert Elias and the investigation of contemporary social processes. Human Figurations. 2017 Sep 1;6(2 ).

Access to Document