Confronting Culture

"This is a most satisfying book! It covers so much, so well – the entire field of culture and its various interpretations. I do not know of any book quite like it." Charles Lemert, Wesleyan University

"This original and admirable textbook fills an important gap in the literature. The “sociology of culture” has crucial implications for our understanding of the concept of culture itself, so the book should appeal not just to students of sociology, but also to that far wider constituency, the area of “cultural studies”. No other text, to my knowledge, fulfils this function and the authors have risen to the challenge of covering such a large compass of material very successfully." John Tomlinson, Nottingham Trent University

"Confronting Culture is a truly excellent contribution to the enhancement of the sociology of culture. It combines beautifully a direct appreciation of the significance of culture with an acute analytical perspicuousness." Roland Robertson, University of Aberdeen

"This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the sociology of culture. The authors argue that the sociological study of culture is crucial for understanding what goes on both within and between particular groups and societies, and more generally for understanding human social life. They provide a detailed definition of culture, and relate it to sociological approaches developed in Germany, France, Great Britain and the United States. In particular, attention is paid to the Frankfurt School, British and American mass cultural theorists, the work of Bourdieu, and poststructuralist and postmodernist thought. The impact of globalisation and reflexivity upon culture and its study is also addressed. The authors conclude that the sociology of culture will continue to make an important contribution to understanding fundamental aspects of the human condition." Sage Race Relations