Phenomenological Sociology: Experience and Insight in Modern Society

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SAGE Publications, Mar 21, 2006 - Social Science - 248 pages
'This is an intriguing and impressively wide-ranging manuscript, one that offers a discussion of phenomenology as the philosophy of modern experience and then presents a phenomenological sociology of modernity. Contemporary society constitutes a different form of modernity and Ferguson's innovative and thoughtful analysis calling for a return to phenomenology demonstrates that a relatively neglected perspective within contemporary sociological thought continues to provide significant insights into modern experiences' - Barry Smart, Professor of Sociology, Portsmouth University

What is phenomenological sociology? Why is it significant? This innovative and thought-provoking book argues that phenomenology was the most significant, wide-ranging and influential philosophy to emerge in the twentieth century. The social character of phenomenology is explored in its relation to the concern in twentieth century sociology with questions of modern experience. Phenomenology and sociology come together a 'ethnographies of the present'. As such, they break free of the self-imposed limitations of each to establish a new, critical understanding of contemporary life. By reading phenomenology sociologically and sociology phenomenologically, this book reconstructs a phenomenological sociology of modern experience.

Erudite and assured, this book opens up a series of new questions for contemporary social theory that theorists and students of theory can ill-afford to ignore. The text contains a treasure trove of insights and propositions that will stimulate debate and research in both sociology and philosophy.

 

Contents

Phenomenology and Sociology
1
Explications
15
the Birth and Rebirth of the Phenomenal
17
Edmund Husserls Clarification of Experience
37
Method and Theme in Development of Phenomenology
62
Phenomenology in Social Theory
83
Implications
101
Historical Sociology of the Natural Attitude
103
Modern Trinitarian Conundrums
126
Sociological Reductions
159
Towards Contemporary Inexperience
183
Phenomenological Sociology
208
References
213
Name Index
231
Subject Index
234
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