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International Studies in Phenomenology and Philosophy

Book | Chapter

209547

From Elias back to Simmel

Leopoldo Waizbort

pp. 179-188

Abstract

Ever-growing interest in Norbert Elias has given rise to countless studies on significant aspects of his work, thought, life, themes and concepts, texts, and contexts. However, I believe not enough attention and care has been given to the relations of continuity between his work and that of Georg Simmel. To redress this, I would like to propose the thesis that founding and fundamental elements of Norbert Elias's sociology derive from the work of Georg Simmel. More precisely, I hope to show how, and in what measure, the concept of the social that emerges from Elias's writings is very (if not too) similar to Simmel's own formulation, with the necessary consequence that so is everything else he erects upon it—in other words, an essential and determinant strata of Elias's thought bears striking resemblances to Simmel's.

Publication details

Published in:

Dépelteau François, Savoia Landini Tatiana (2013) Norbert Elias and social theory. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.

Pages: 179-188

DOI: 10.1057/9781137312112_12

Full citation:

Waizbort Leopoldo (2013) „From Elias back to Simmel“, In: F. Dépelteau & T. Savoia Landini (eds.), Norbert Elias and social theory, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 179–188.