William Outhwaite 
European Society [PDF ebook] 

Does it make sense to speak of a European society, above and beyond
its component states and regions? In this major new book William
Outhwaite argues that it does. He goes beyond the study of
individual states and specific regions of Europe to examine the
changing contours of the continent as a whole, at a time when
Europe is beginning to look and act more like a single entity.

In what we have come to call Europe there developed distinctive
forms of political, economic, and more broadly social organisation
– many of course building on elements drawn from more
advanced civilisations elsewhere in the world. During the centuries
of European dominance these forms were often exported to other
world regions, where the export versions often surpassed the
original ones.

In the present century many features of European life remain
distinctive: the European welfare or social model, a substantially
secularised culture, and particular forms of democratic politics
and of the relations between politics and the economy. This book
provides a concise overview and analysis of these features which
continue to make Europe a relatively distinctive region of global
modernity.

The book will become a key text for students taking courses on
contemporary Europe, whether these are in departments of politics,
sociology, literature or European Studies. It will also be of great
interest to anyone living in, or concerned with, Europe today.

Tabela de Conteúdo

List of Maps, Figures and Tables vi

Acknowledgements vii

1 European Culture and Society 1

2 Europe: East, West, North, South 23

3 The European Economy 44

4 The European Polity 72

5 Social Divisions and Social Identities 99

6 Conclusion: Europe in its Place 133

Notes 142

Bibliography 158

Index 193

Sobre o autor

William Outhwaite is Professor of Sociology at the University of Sussex.His previous publications include Habermas: A Critical Introduction, New Philosophies of Social Science, Understanding Social Life, second edition, 1986, and The Future of Society. He is co-author of Social Theory and Postcommunism, editor of The Habermas Reader, and co-editor of The Sociology of Politics.