Making History: Agency, Structure, and Change in Social Theory"Making History" is about the question - central to social theory - of how human agents draw their powers from the social structures they are involved in. Drawing on classical Marxism, analytical philosophy, and a wide range of historical writing, Alex Callinicos seeks to avoid two unacceptable extremes: dissolving the subject into an impersonal flux, as poststructuralists tend to; and treating social structures as the mere effects of individual action (for example, rational-choice theory). Among those discussed are Althusser, Anderson, Benjamin, Brenner, Cohen, Elster, Foucault, Giddens, Habermas, and Mann. Callinicos has written an extended introduction to this new edition that reviews developments since "Making History" was first published in 1987. This republication gives a new generation of readers access to an important intervention in Marxism and social theory. |
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Making History: Agency, Structure, and Change in Social Theory Alex Callinicos No preview available - 2004 |
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actors agency Althusser analysis analytical Analytical Marxism Anderson Anthony Giddens argues argument behaviour beliefs and desires Benjamin bourgeois revolutions Brenner Callinicos Cambridge capitalism causal claim class struggle conceived conception of agents conflict consciousness consequences contradictions crisis Critique discussion distinction dominant economic Elster example existence explain explanatory exploitation feudal forces and relations Foucault G.A. Cohen G.E.M. de Ste Giddens historical materialism Ibid ideology interests interpretation involves kind labour labour-power language London Marx Marx’s Marxism means of production methodological individualism mode of production moral objective organisation orthodox conception particular peasants Perry Anderson philosophy political pre-capitalist problem production relations productive forces proletariat rational rational-choice reason relations of production relationship revolutionary Roemer role Section sense simply social formations social relations social structures social theory socialist society specific structural capacities structure and agency surplus-labour theory of history Therborn tradition transformation treat workers Wright