Is the well-being of a society dependent on the well-being of its citizenry? Does individual self-esteem play a causal role in chronic social problems such as child abuse, school drop-out rates, teenage pregnancy, alcohol and drug abuse, welfare dependency? In an attempt to answer these questions, t[...]

These skillfully written essays are based on the Georg Simmel Lectures delivered by Neil J. Smelser at Humboldt University in Berlin in the spring of 1995. It is a distillation of Smelser's reflections after nearly four decades of research, teaching, and thought in the field of sociology, the essays[...]

This bold and innovative book traces the phenomenon of the 'odyssey' experience as it shapes, informs, and defines our lives. Drawing on an astonishing range of examples, Neil J. Smelser focuses on how such experiences enhance our lives and provide us with meaning and dignity. The odyssey experience[...]

Presenting substantive social science knowledge and indicating its relevance and applicability to decision-making, problem-solving and policy-making, this title looks at the big picture of why society at large demands and needs social-science knowledge, and how the academy actually supplies relevant[...]