The calling of social thought: Rediscovering the work of Edward Shils
Christopher Adair-Toteff and Stephen Turner
Abstract
Edward Shils was an important figure in twentieth century social theory, and a true transatlantic thinker who divided his time between the University of Chicago and the U.K. He was friends with many important thinkers in other fields, such as Michael Polanyi and Saul Bellow. He became known to sociologists through his brief collaboration with Talcott Parsons, but his own thinking diverged both from Parsons and conventional sociology. He developed but never finalized a comprehensive image of human society made up of personal, civic, and sacred bonds. But much of his thought was focused on confl ... More
Edward Shils was an important figure in twentieth century social theory, and a true transatlantic thinker who divided his time between the University of Chicago and the U.K. He was friends with many important thinkers in other fields, such as Michael Polanyi and Saul Bellow. He became known to sociologists through his brief collaboration with Talcott Parsons, but his own thinking diverged both from Parsons and conventional sociology. He developed but never finalized a comprehensive image of human society made up of personal, civic, and sacred bonds. But much of his thought was focused on conflicts: between intellectuals and their societies, between tradition and modernity, ideological conflict, and conflicts within the traditions of the modern liberal democratic state. This book explores the thought of Shils, his relations to key figures, his key themes and ideas, and his abiding interests in such topics as the academic tradition and universities. Together, the chapters provide the most comprehensive picture of Shils as a thinker, and explain his continuing relevance.
Keywords:
Edward Shils,
Michael Polanyi,
Tradition,
philosophical anthropology,
nations,
Michael Oakeshott,
Social theory,
sociology
Bibliographic Information
| Print publication date: 2019 |
Print ISBN-13: 9781526120052 |
| Published to Manchester Scholarship Online: September 2019 |
DOI:10.7228/manchester/9781526120052.001.0001 |
Authors
Affiliations are at time of print publication.
Christopher Adair-Toteff, editor
Fellow at the Center for Social and Political Thought at the University of South Florida, Tampa, and an Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Kent, Canterbury
Stephen Turner, editor
Distinguished University Professor at the University of South Florida, Tampa
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