Social Theory and Human Reality

Additional Book Details

′This is a smart and compelling book. Difficult ideas are presented in an accessible manner, with plenty of supporting illustrations…Students will enjoy the research material and other supporting material. A definite winner!′-</p>
<p>Professor Jay Gubrium, University of Missouri</p>
<p></p>
<p>This book gets to the heart of what the social sciences really know about the elusive and contradictory object of research: human reality.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Drawing on a wide range of international examples and scenarios, Social Theory and Human Reality examines key sociological concepts that we use to understand human behaviour such as: norms, rules and meanings; language and discourse; ritual; and personality and identity construction.</p>
<p></p>
<p>Alasuutari clearly and convincingly demonstrates:</p>
<p>- The constant interplay between routines and reflexivity that grounds social order </p>
<p>- how the body and our bodily experiences mediate our social reality</p>
<p>- that language plays a multi-faceted role as it describes, reflects and constructs human reality</p>
<p></p>
<p>Building on the work started by Berger and Luckmann in The Social Construction of Reality, this book is a lucid and contemporary analysis of the premises shared across the social sciences, and of the kaleidoscope of ′human reality′.</p>
<p></p>
<p>This important book will be welcomed by students and scholars alike in the fields of Cultural Studies, Sociology and Anthropology.