Introduction to the Sociology of Norbert Elias
Twentieth-century sociology experienced varied social and intellectual prestige.
Late 1960s: Students conflated scientific investigation in sociology with politics of emancipation.
Early 1960s: 'Systematic sociology' emerged, declaring sociology a 'mature science' (Parsons).
Real achievements of sociology were often disappointing; weak ties between theory (Talcott Parsons) and empirical observation.
Since the 1970s, the lack of a paradigmatic consensus shattered the notion of a unified sociological discipline.
Sociology is now a "multi-paradigmatic" field, marked by conflict and without overall consensus on concepts, theories, and methods (Dunning and Mennell 2003).
A significant portion of sociologists abandoned the idea of scientific investigation into social processes.
Recent debates have been driven by epistemological relativism stemming from postmodernist theory and Foucauldian discourse analysis.
'Post-Enlightenment' identity politics complicates the detached study of social dynamics.
The intellectual credibility of sociology is fragile, heightened by subdisciplinary fragmentation and proliferation of journals, leading to ad hoc specialization.
The Relevance of Norbert Elias
Despite sociology's current struggles, Norbert Elias offers a coherent paradigm for sociological investigation.
Autonomy of Sociology: Elias represents sociology as an independent discipline within human sciences.
Object of Investigation: Focus on long-term interdependence transformations between individuals and groups.
Elias's work can establish a 'central theory' that encompasses various sociological traditions:
Marxist and Weberian historical sociology of capitalism.
Symbolic interactionism (George Herbert Mead to Erving Goffman).
Pierre Bourdieu's contributions in France.
The theory of knowledge underpinning Elias's central theory allows for integration of findings across human sciences, including history, economics, psychology, and biology.