The Individual After Modernity

Book excerpt: Moving beyond the individualisation paradigm in sociological theory, this book develops an approach to the analysis of human activities and the social phenomena produced by them that centres on the processes that generate coordinated behaviours among individuals. Emphasising the relational and processual character of social phenomena, as well as the importance of a broader cultural and historical context for analysing them, the author questions the view of contemporary society that sees individuals acting in a context in which social bonds are dissolving, and unveils the rationale hidden behind the chaos of everyday activities. Through an analysis of the continued importance of cooperation and the consequent emergence in society of various kinds of communities, this volume examines the changing character of social ties. An overview of transformation of social bonds and the intensification of mutual influences among individuals as they seek to address social dilemmas in new contexts, The Individual after Modernity will appeal to social scientists with interests in social theory.