Sociological Discourse(s) on Freedom

Publikation: KonferencebidragPaperForskningpeer review

Abstract

The concept of freedom is often thought of as antithetical to sociology. The discipline is more prone to detect and unveil forms of unfreedom, as Zygmunt Bauman (1988) has pointed out. The question remains if any academic discipline, however, including sociology can do away with the concept of freedom al together! In matters of science, the problem of determinism vs. chance and spontaneity is essential. Hence, freedom, in one sense or the other, is necessarily at bottom also of sociological discourse. This text is an attempt to map the predominant forms of freedom found in sociological discourses. While starting out with the classic liberal concept informing theories of modernity followed by the various critiques directed against liberalism, not the least the most recently occurring (Lyotard, Agamben), the aim here is to spot possible trajectories in our comprehension of freedom, also after the nation-state. Globalizing the social also means that new assemblages are likely to occur, challenging the concept of the social as well as that of freedom.
OriginalsprogEngelsk
Publikationsdato2009
Antal sider25
StatusUdgivet - 2009
BegivenhedAmerican Sociological Association Annual Meeting - San Fransisco, USA
Varighed: 7 aug. 200911 aug. 2009
Konferencens nummer: 104

Konference

KonferenceAmerican Sociological Association Annual Meeting
Nummer104
Land/OmrådeUSA
BySan Fransisco
Periode07/08/200911/08/2009

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