Bringing Class Back In : Contemporary and Historical Perspectives

In recent years, a flurry of "poststructuralist," "post-Marxist," and "statecentered" approaches have emerged in historical and sociological scholarship. Far from ignoring these developments, the study of class has shaped and been shaped by them. As the selections in this volume indicate, class analysis changes and develops, while sustaining itself as a powerful, refined working tool in helping scholars understand the complexities of social and historical processes. This volume provides a cross-section of the rich body of social theory and empirical research being produced by scholars employing class analysis. It demonstrates the variety, vibrancy, and continuing value of class analysis in historical and sociological scholarship. The work of promising young scholars is combined with contributions from well-established figures to produce a volume that addresses continuing debates over the relationship between structure and agency, the centrality of class relations, and the dynamics of class formation, class culture, and class consciousness.

In recent years, a flurry of "poststructuralist," "post-Marxist," and "statecentered" approaches have emerged in historical and sociological scholarship. Far from ignoring these developments, the study of class has shaped and been shaped by them. As the selections in this volume indicate, class analysis changes and develops, while sustaining itself as a powerful, refined working tool in helping scholars understand the complexities of social and historical processes. This volume provides a cross-section of the rich body of social theory and empirical research being produced by scholars employing class analysis. It demonstrates the variety, vibrancy, and continuing value of class analysis in historical and sociological scholarship. The work of promising young scholars is combined with contributions from well-established figures to produce a volume that addresses continuing debates over the relationship between structure and agency, the centrality of class relations, and the dynamics of class formation, class culture, and class consciousness.