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From Societas to World Society offers a genealogy of what is arguably sociologyâs most important concept, that of âsociety.â The book covers this conceptâs entire intellectual history from its first systematization in Roman law 2,500 years ago to its crystallization in what Schmidt calls today's default model, informing both empirical research and theoretical logic in the social sciences, which he shows to be highly problematic. As an alternative, Schmidt suggests a conceptualization building upon Niklas Luhmannâs theory of world society, which can be utilized for overcoming the formerâs Eurocentrism and to lay the groundwork for a genuinely global social science.
Volker H. Schmidt, Ph.D. (1995), University of Bremen, is currently a Professor of Sociology at the National University of Singapore. His main areas of specialization are social theory, conceptual analysis and history, and global social change.
Acknowledgements
List of Figures
Conventions
1 Introduction: Society as a Social Science Concept
Introduction
2 The Roman Societates
â1 The Economic Societas
â2 The Military Societas
â3 Societas Civilis
3 After the Collapse of Empire: Societas and Societas Civils in the Medieval Age
4 The Medieval Theory of Civil Society: Law, Theology, and Philosophy
â1 The Evolution of Roman Law
â2 The Evolution of Christian Theology and Canon Law
â3 The Evolution of Civil Society Theory
5 Fast Forward: Societas in the Modern Age
Concluding Summary
Introduction
6 Social Contract Theories: Althusius, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Spencer
7 Society and Community: Ferdinand Tönnies
â1 Society
â2 Community
8 Two Classical Sociologists: Max Weber and Ãmile Durkheim
â1 Weber
â2 Durkheim
Concluding Summary
Introduction
9 Talcott Parsons
10 Niklas Luhmann
11 Jürgen Habermas
12 Pierre Bourdieu
Concluding Summary
Introduction
13 Challenges to Sociologyâs Default Model of Society
14 Responses: the World Society Theories of Immanuel Wallerstein and John W. Meyer
â1 Wallerstein
â2 Meyer
15 A Comprehensive Alternative: Luhmann Again â and Beyond
Concluding Summary
16 Conclusion: Toward a Tenable Concept of Society
Bibliography
Index
List of Figures
Conventions
1 Introduction: Society as a Social Science Concept
PART 1: Foundations: Fifth Century BCE to the Late Middle Ages
Introduction
2 The Roman Societates
â1 The Economic Societas
â2 The Military Societas
â3 Societas Civilis
3 After the Collapse of Empire: Societas and Societas Civils in the Medieval Age
4 The Medieval Theory of Civil Society: Law, Theology, and Philosophy
â1 The Evolution of Roman Law
â2 The Evolution of Christian Theology and Canon Law
â3 The Evolution of Civil Society Theory
5 Fast Forward: Societas in the Modern Age
Concluding Summary
PART 2: Political Theories of Society and the Emergence of Sociology, 17th to Early 20th Centuries
Introduction
6 Social Contract Theories: Althusius, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Spencer
7 Society and Community: Ferdinand Tönnies
â1 Society
â2 Community
8 Two Classical Sociologists: Max Weber and Ãmile Durkheim
â1 Weber
â2 Durkheim
Concluding Summary
PART 3: 20th Century Theories of Society
Introduction
9 Talcott Parsons
10 Niklas Luhmann
11 Jürgen Habermas
12 Pierre Bourdieu
Concluding Summary
PART 4: Globalization and the Emergence of âWorld Societyâ
Introduction
13 Challenges to Sociologyâs Default Model of Society
14 Responses: the World Society Theories of Immanuel Wallerstein and John W. Meyer
â1 Wallerstein
â2 Meyer
15 A Comprehensive Alternative: Luhmann Again â and Beyond
Concluding Summary
16 Conclusion: Toward a Tenable Concept of Society
Bibliography
Index
The book draws on philosophy, law, theology, historiography, political science/theory, economics, and sociology. It should be of interest to both advanced students and practitioners from all of the above disciplines, as well as, indeed, any educated reader taking an interest in âsocietyâ.