Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory
- The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Preface
- 1 Rational Choice Theory and Methodological Individualism
- 2 Network Theories
- 3 Cultural Sociology
- 4 Identity
- 5 Emotions Theory
- 6 Theorizing Sex/Gender: Feminist Social Theory
- 7 Intersectionality as Critical Social Theory
- 8 Modernity
- 9 Realism
- 10 Globalization: Not Good, Bad, or Over
- 11 Time/Space
- 12 Social Theory in the Anthropocene: Ecological Crisis and Renewal
- 13 Embodiment
- 14 Sexualities
- 15 Multiculturalism
- 16 Risk
- 17 Trust and the Variety of Its Bases
- 18 Unities Within Conflict: Mapping Biology’s Relevance to Sociological Theory
- 19 Civil Society
- 20 Social Movements: Sequences vs Fuzzy Temporality
- 21 Immigration
- Index
- References
19 - Civil Society
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 December 2020
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Edited by
Book contents
- The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory
- The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Figures
- Tables
- Contributors
- Preface
- 1 Rational Choice Theory and Methodological Individualism
- 2 Network Theories
- 3 Cultural Sociology
- 4 Identity
- 5 Emotions Theory
- 6 Theorizing Sex/Gender: Feminist Social Theory
- 7 Intersectionality as Critical Social Theory
- 8 Modernity
- 9 Realism
- 10 Globalization: Not Good, Bad, or Over
- 11 Time/Space
- 12 Social Theory in the Anthropocene: Ecological Crisis and Renewal
- 13 Embodiment
- 14 Sexualities
- 15 Multiculturalism
- 16 Risk
- 17 Trust and the Variety of Its Bases
- 18 Unities Within Conflict: Mapping Biology’s Relevance to Sociological Theory
- 19 Civil Society
- 20 Social Movements: Sequences vs Fuzzy Temporality
- 21 Immigration
- Index
- References
Summary
The main purpose of this chapter is to provide a comprehensive introduction to the concept of civil society.To this end, it offers (1) some preliminary reflections on the concept; (2) provides an overview of influential accounts of civil society; (3) sheds light on the recent revival of the idea; and (4) provides an outline of a critical theory of civil society.In the final section, it explores the limitations of civil society, drawing attention to issues arising from its referential centrality in contemporary social theory.
Civil society, critical theory, economy, social capital, social theory, state (the state)
Simon Susen is Professor of Sociology at City University of London.He is an Associate Member of the Bauman Institute, and, together with Bryan S. Turner, is editor of the Journal of Classical Sociology.
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- The Cambridge Handbook of Social Theory , pp. 379 - 406Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2020
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