Table Of ContentTheorizing European
Societies
Marinus Ossewaarde
Theorizing European Societies
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Theorizing European
Societies
Marinus Ossewaarde
University of Twente, Netherlands
© Marinus Ossewaarde 2013
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work in accordance with the Copyright,Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First published 2013 by
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Contents in Brief
Analytical Contents vii
List of Boxes ix
Acknowledgements x
Introduction 1
1 The Idea of Europe: Past and Present 9
2 Sociology and the Image of European Societies 30
3 The Modernization of European Societies 54
4 The Individualization of European Societies 84
5 The Industrialization of European Societies 114
6 The Rationalization of European Societies 146
7 The Globalization of European Societies 177
8 Conclusion 211
Glossary 220
Bibliography 227
Index 245
v
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Contents
Analytical Contents vii
List of Boxes ix
Acknowledgements x
Introduction 1
Chapter outlines 4
1 The Idea of Europe: Past and Present 9
Europe in crisis 9
A crisis of European values 11
Ideas of Europe 13
The concept of European society 16
The diversity of European societies 18
The diversity of Eastern and Western European societies 20
Formal European institutions 23
Conclusion 26
2 Sociology and the Image of European Societies 30
Positivist sociology 30
Positivist theory and method 30
European societies in the third stage of civilization 32
Functionalist sociology 35
Functionalist theory and method 35
European societies as diversity in unity 37
Historical materialist sociology 40
Historical materialist theory and method 40
European societies as permanent revolutions 42
Interpretative sociology 45
Interpretative sociological theory and method 45
European societies as cultural complexes 47
Conclusion 50
vii
viii CONTENTS
3 The Modernization of European Societies 54
The social order of modernizing European societies 55
The city-state as the cradle of European civilization 55
Christian Europe 57
The nation-state as modernizer 59
Identities in modernizing European societies 62
The family stage 62
The European politics of identity achievement 64
Social inequalities in modernizing European societies 67
The European aristocracy 67
The European bourgeoisie 69
Power in modernizing European societies 72
Subsidiarity and the city-state 72
Sovereignty and the nation-state 74
European societies moving ‘beyond’ modernization? 76
Postmodern states 77
Alternative modernities 78
Conclusion 81
4 The Individualization of European Societies 84
The social order of individualizing European societies 84
The European communities 85
Individualizing European societies 86
The dark side of individualized Europe: the fragility of norms 89
Identities in individualizing European societies 91
The values of individualizing European societies: autonomy
and emancipation 91
The struggle for recognition 93
Social inequalities in individualizing European societies 97
The rise of the meritocrats 97
The paradox of the mass society 99
Power in individualizing European societies 102
The authority of the contract 102
The exercise of sovereign power through the constitutional state 104
European societies moving beyond individualization? 107
Liquid ties 107
Restoring community bonds 109
Conclusion 111
Contents ix
5 The Industrialization of European Societies 114
The social order of industrializing European societies 114
Peasantry and slavery in ancient Europe 115
Second sector Europe 117
The dark side of industrialized Europe: the alienation of
European selfhood 119
Identities in industrializing European societies 122
Ancient and modern European craftsmanship 123
Commodification as an anti-European force 124
Social inequalities in industrializing European societies 126
Theclass consciousness of the European mind 127
The Matthew effect 129
Power in industrializing European societies 132
The provision of care 132
The exercise of sovereign power through the welfare state 134
European societies moving beyond industrialization? 137
The post-industrial society 137
The post-materialist society 139
Conclusion 142
6 The Rationalization of European Societies 146
The social order of rationalizing European societies 146
Ideal types of European rationality 147
The caging of European societies 150
The dark side of rationalized Europe: the loss of European values 152
Identities in rationalizing European societies 155
The monitoring of identities 155
Total institutions 157
Social inequalities in rationalizing European societies 159
Rationalized inequalities 159
Inequalities of mind 161
Power in rationalizing European societies 164
Rational leadership 164
The exercise of sovereign power through the bureaucratic state 165
European societies moving beyond rationalization? 168
The post-rational condition 169
The promise of reflexivity 170
Conclusion 173
