Norbert Elias on civilization, power, and knowledge

Nobert Elias (1897-1990) is among the great sociologists of the twentieth century. This volume is a carefully chosen collection of Elias's most important writings and includes many of his most brilliant ideas. The development of Elias's thinking during the course of his long career is traced along with a discussion of how his work relates to other major sociologists and how the various selections are interconnected. The result is a consistent and stimulating look at one of sociology's founding thinkers.