A Theory of Catastrophe
Book
Turner, Bryan Stanley. (2023). A Theory of Catastrophe De Gruyter. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110772364
Authors | Turner, Bryan Stanley |
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Abstract | Sociology has developed theories of social change in the fields of evolution, conflict and modernization, viewing modern society as essentially unstable and conflict driven. However, it has not seriously studied catastrophe. A Theory of Catastrophe develops a sociology of catastrophes, comparing natural, social and political causes and consequences, and the social theories that might offer explanations. A catastrophe is a general and systematic breakdown of social and political institutions resulting, among other things, in what we could call a catastrophe consciousness. The Greek ‘cata-strophe’ formed the conclusion to a dramatic sequence of strophes. The cata-strophe was the final act of a drama, namely its denouement. Catastrophic denouements are without hope: genocides, military occupations, plagues, famines and earthquakes. A Theory of Catastrophe analyzes Pompeii, the Black Death, colonial genocide in North America, WWI and the Spanish Flu, and Nazi Germany and finally this century: terrorism, new wars, climate change and pandemics. As a study of sociological theory, Bryan Turner discusses Spengler’s Decline of the West, Marxism as a theory of catastrophic capitalism, messianic movements, Weber on modernity, and risk society. He concludes by comparing optimism and pessimism, and the idea of inter-generational justice. |
Keywords | social change; disaster; catastrophe; genocide; conflict; modernity; Oswald Spengler; sociological theory |
ISBN | 9783110772364 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110772364 |
Web address (URL) | https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783110772364/html |
Open access | Published as non-open access |
Research or scholarly | Research |
Page range | 1 |
158 | |
Publisher's version | License All rights reserved File Access Level Controlled |
Output status | Published |
Publication dates | |
08 May 2023 | |
Online | 08 May 2023 |
Publication process dates | |
Deposited | 24 May 2024 |
Additional information | © 2023 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston |
Year | 01 Jan 2023 |
Publisher | De Gruyter |
Place of publication | Germany |
Edition | 19 |
Series | De Gruyter Contemporary Social Sciences |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/9066x/a-theory-of-catastrophe
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