John Holmwood Book order

The book explores the significant yet overlooked contributions of sociologist Herbert Adolphus Miller, who was a pioneering critic of eugenics and a staunch advocate for racial equality during the Jim Crow era. A close associate of W.E.B. Du Bois, Miller challenged assimilationist immigration policies and championed multiculturalism. His activism included support for global self-determination and involvement in various civil rights movements, while also critiquing imperialism. His political stance led to his dismissal from Ohio State University due to opposition from the Ku Klux Klan.

Modern society emerged in the context of European colonialism and empire. So, too, did a distinctively modern social theory, laying the basis for most social theorising ever since. Yet colonialism and empire are absent from the conceptual understandings of modern society, which are organised instead around ideas of nation state and capitalist economy. Gurminder K. Bhambra and John Holmwood address this absence by examining the role of colonialism in the development of modern society and the legacies it has bequeathed. Beginning with a consideration of the role of colonialism and empire in the formation of social theory from Hobbes to Hegel, the authors go on to focus on the work of Tocqueville, Marx, Weber, Durkheim and Du Bois. As well as unpicking critical omissions and misrepresentations, the chapters discuss the places where colonialism is acknowledged and discussed – albeit inadequately – by these founding figures; and we come to see what this fresh rereading has to offer and why it matters. This inspiring and insightful book argues for a reconstruction of social theory that should lead to a better understanding of contemporary social thought, its limitations, and its wider possibilities.

Talcott Parsons, a pivotal figure in 20th-century sociology, is recognized for his complex and often contentious theoretical framework, which has drawn both admiration and criticism. Despite being compared to luminaries like Weber and Durkheim, his work is frequently perceived as challenging and obscure. This book delves into his contributions, aiming to clarify misconceptions and highlight the significance of his theories within the sociological landscape.