Community

Beschreibung

'Community' is one of those words that feels good: it is good 'tohave a community', 'to be in a community'. And 'community' feelsgood because of the meanings which the word conveys, all of thempromising pleasures, and more often than not the kind of pleasureswhich we would like to experience but seem to miss. 'Community' conveys the image of a warm and comfortable place, likea fireplace at which we warm our hands on a frosty day. Out there,in the street, all sorts of dangers lie in ambush; in here, in thecommunity, we can relax and feel safe. 'Community' stands for thekind of world which we long to inhabit but which is not,regrettably, available to us. Today 'community' is another name forparadise lost - but for a paradise which we still hope to find, aswe feverishly search for the roads that may lead us there. But there is a price to be paid for the privilege of being in acommunity. Community promises security but seems to deprive us offreedom, of the right to be ourselves. Security and freedom are twoequally precious and coveted values which could be balanced to somedegree, but hardly ever fully reconciled. The tension betweensecurity and freedom, and between community and individuality, isunlikely ever to be resolved. We cannot escape the dilemma but wecan take stock of the opportunities and the dangers, and at leasttry to avoid repeating past errors. In this important new book, Zygmunt Bauman takes stock of theseopportunities and dangers and, in his distinctive and brilliantfashion, offers a much-needed reappraisal of a concept that hasbecome central to current debates about the nature and future ofour societies.

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Zygmunt Bauman

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Contemporary Social Theory Social Identity Sociology Soziale Identität Soziologie Zeitgenössische Sozialtheorie

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"These books mark an important advance in Bauman's project. Heseems to be trying to bring the intellectuals back into the game,twitting them for their passivity. Bauman wants social critics totake a more active role, taking a lead by showing how therelationships between individuals and society and between theprivate and public spheres may be rearticulated and the spirit ofthe agora restored to social and political life." British Journal of Sociology "This book is an example of what social thought can be when itis carried out in terms of the highest of qualities. As such, itdemands to be read for two reasons; first, because of thefascinating and new light it casts on otherwise well-worn debatesand second, as a call to arms." Contemporary Sociology "Bauman's argument is convincing and well substantiated. Thisbook forms an interesting and stimulating starting point for anyonewishing to dig deeper into this field". Gary Pattison, University of Southampton.Network
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