Postmodern(ized) Simmel

252 Pages·2011·3.597 MB·English

by  Deena Weinstein, Michael Weinstein

Routledge Revivals
Postmodern(ized) Simmel
Originally published in 1993, this book opens a new and major line of
interpretation, showing that Georg Simmel is the essential sociologist
of the postmodern age. The authors trace the important contributions
that Simmel's writings can make to current studies of intellectual
ethics, textual methodology, sociological theory, philosophy of history
and cultural theory.
‘Postmodern(ized)Simmel provides an ambitious, adventurous and
at times audacious analysis that situates Simmel at the centre of
current debates over modernity and its consequences. Original
and provocative.’ – Barry Smart
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Postmodern(ized) Simmel
Deena Weinstein
and
Michael A. Weinstein
!• Routledge
Cl Taylor & Francis Group
Firstpublishedin1993
byRoutledge
Thiseditionfirstpublishedin2011byRoutledge
2ParkSquare,MiltonPark,Abingdon,Oxon,OX144RN
SimultaneouslypublishedintheUSAandCanada
byRoutledge
270MadisonAvenue,NewYork,NY10016
RoutledgeisanimprintoftheTaylor&FrancisGroup,aninformabusiness
©1993DeenaWeinsteinandMichaelA.Weinstein
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthisbookmaybereprintedorreproducedor
utilisedinanyformorbyanyelectronic,mechanical,orothermeans,now
knownorhereafterinvented,includingphotocopyingandrecording,orinany
informationstorageorretrievalsystem,withoutpermissioninwritingfromthe
publishers.
Publisher’sNote
Thepublisherhasgonetogreatlengthstoensurethequalityofthisreprintbut
pointsoutthatsomeimperfectionsintheoriginalcopiesmaybeapparent.
Disclaimer
Thepublisherhasmadeeveryefforttotracecopyrightholdersandwelcomes
correspondencefromthosetheyhavebeenunabletocontact.
ALibraryofCongressrecordexistsunderLCControlNumber:92039589
ISBN13:978-0-415-60925-8(hbk)
Postmodern(ized) Simmel
Working on multiple levels of analysis the authors present a
reading of Simmel which shows how his writings can have a
constituent role in current postmodernist discourses. By staging
encountersbetweenSimmelandsuchculturetheoristsandcritics
as Jacques Derrida, Michel Foucault, Claude Levi-Strauss and
Friedrich Nietzsche, the authors reveal the many ways in which
modernists can make the transition to postmodernism or atleast
understand that process. Postmodern(ized) Simmel shows readers
how they mightpostmodernizethemselves.
The book addresses the uses of Simmel's writings as post
modern discourses in the areas of intellectual ethics, textual
methodology, sociological theory, philosophy of history and
cultural theory. It is the first sustained attempt to show the
significance of Simmers writings for postmodernism and it
challenges the prevailing view that Simmel was a 'sociological
impressionist.' It provides fresh ideas on postmodernity and a
remarkable new interpretation ofone ofthe majorfigures in the
developmentofsociology.
Deena Weinstein is Professor of Sociology, DePaul University,
Chicago, Illinois; Michael A. Weinstein is Professor of Political
Science, Purdue University,WestLafayette, Indiana.
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Postmodern(ized) Simmel
Deena Weinstein and
Michael A. Weinstein
I~
London and New York
Firstpublished 1993
byRoutledge
11 NewFetterLane,London EC4P4EE
Simultaneouslypublishedinthe USAand Canada
byRoutledge
29West35thStreet, NewYork, NY 10001
© 1993DeenaWeinsteinand MichaelA. Weinstein
TypesetinBaskervilleby
NWLEditorialServices,Langport,Somerset
Printed andboundinGreatBritainby
T.]. Press(Padstow)Ltd, Padstow,Cornwall
Allrightsreserved. Nopartofthisbookmaybereprinted
orreproduced orutilizedinanyformorbyanyelectronic,
mechanical,orothermeans, nowknownorhereafter
invented,includingphotocopyingand recording,orinany
informationstorageorretrievalsystem,withoutpermission
inwritingfrom thepublishers.
BritishLibraryCataloguinginPublicationData
Acataloguerecordfor thisbookisavailablefrom the
BritishLibrary
LibraryofCongressCataloginginPublicationData
Weinstein, Deena. Postmodern(ized)SimmeVDeenaand
MichaelWeinstein
p. cm.
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
1.Simmel,Georg, 1858-1918. 2. Sociology
Germany- History. 3. Postmodernism- Social
aspects. I. Weinstein, MichaelA. II.Title.
HM22.G3S525 1993 92-39589
301'.0943- dc20 CIP
ISBN 0-415-08269-2
0-415-08270-6 (pbk)
Contents
Acknowledgements VI
Areader's guide to style Vll
Permissions Xl
1 Introduction(s) 1
PartI Simmelaspostmodernist
2 GeorgSimmel: sociological~bricoleur 53
3 SimmeVDerrida: Deconstructionassymbolicplay 71
Part II Postmodem Simmel
4 Simmeland the dialecticofthe doubleboundary:
Thecase of'themetropolis and mentallife' 101
5 Dimensions ofconflict: GeorgSimmelon modern life 115
6 Simmeland the theory ofpostmodern society 130
PartIII Postmodem(ized) Simmel
7 Deconstruction as culturalhistory/thecultural
historyofdeconstruction 149
8 SimmeVNietzsche: the historic(al) disease 171
9 Subjectand history: Foucault(Simmel) Foucault 187
lOASimmelian postmodern 203
Notes 225
References 227
Name index 232
Subjectindex 234