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What Makes a Social Crisis?

The Societalization of Social Problems
By Jeffrey C. Alexander
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Jeffrey Alexander develops a sociological theory of social crisis, examining how crises emerge not from objective social problems but through civil sphere discourse and institutions. Through cases ranging from the church paedophilia scandal to the #MeToo movement, he explores how societal anguish about justice and democracy incites demands for institutional repair. This process provokes elite backlash, sparking a conflict between societally revered elites and civil authorities.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$3799
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for students and scholars in sociology, politics, and the social sciences seeking insight into social crises and contemporary democratic life.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In this book Jeffrey Alexander develops a new sociological theory of social crisis and applies it to a wide range of cases, from the church paedophilia crisis to the #MeToo movement. He argues that crises are triggered not by objective social strains but by the discourse and institutions of the civil sphere.

When strains become subject to the utopian aspirations of the civil sphere, there emerges widespread anguish about social justice and the future of democratic life. Once admired institutional elites come to be represented as perpetrators and the civil sphere becomes legally and organizationally intrusive, demanding repairs in the name of civil purification.

Resisting such repair, institutional elites foment backlash, and a war of the spheres ensues.

This major new work by one of the world’s leading social theorists will be of great interest to students and scholars in sociology, politics, and the social sciences generally.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

“This thrilling book starts with John Dewey’s puzzle: when and how does a problem troubling only a few become a moral crisis for all? Alexander offers elegant, complex answers revealing key mechanisms in modern societies.” – Axel Honneth, Columbia University

“Few concepts better describe our age than ‘crisis’. From the 2008 meltdown to #MeToo, Alexander shows these moments are not signs of collapse but of vitality and the quest for sacred order. Essential reading to understand a leading social theorist.” – Eva Illouz, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales, Paris

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781509538256

Publisher: John Wiley and Sons Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 13 September 2019

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Polity Press

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 15.0mm

Width: 137.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 249g

Pages: 180

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Education & Reference Jeffrey C. Alexander Non-Fiction

About the Author

Jeffrey C. Alexander is the Lillian Chavenson Saden Professor of Sociology at Yale University.

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