Tradition and Revolt
Tradition and Revolt by Robert A. Nisbet, published by Transaction Publishers in 1999, explores the significant social issue of the conflict between traditionalism and modernism. This edition spans 308 pages and is presented in English. Nisbet examines themes such as power, community, culture, and the university, addressing the values of authority, tradition, hierarchy, and community in contrast to individualism, secularism, and revolt. His analysis highlights the historical relationship between the distribution of power in democratic societies and the displacement of social structures like class, kinship, and neighborhood.
Readers will find a thorough investigation into the basic conflicts facing contemporary society, as Nisbet’s work challenges them to engage with these pressing issues. The book reflects on value conflict, leadership, and technology, providing insights that are relevant to sociologists, cultural historians, and political theorists. The introduction by Robert G. Perrin contextualizes the chapters within Nisbet’s broader sociological vision, showcasing how these writings have contributed to ongoing debates in the field.
Official synopsis Publisher
This classic volume deals with a crucial contemporary social issue: the conflict between traditionalism and modernism. Nisbet considers such subjects as power, community, culture, and the university. He deals directly with the values of authority, tradition, hierarchy, and community on the one hand, and individualism, secularism, and revolt on the other. Nisbet’s underlying argument is that there is a close historical relationship between the distribution of power in democratic society and the displacement of social class, kinship, neighborhood, and the church. The book challenges concerned Americans to understand and address the basic conflicts confronting contemporary society.
In his introduction, Robert G. Perrin shows how the chapters in this volume reflect Nisbet’s sociological vision exemplified throughout his career. Perrin notes that when these writings first appeared, they stimulated and informed debate on a broad range of topics such as value conflict, leadership, community, sociology, social class, technology, and the university. They also foreshadowed works yet to come in Nisbet’s long and distinguished intellectual journey.
Originally published in 1968, Tradition and Revolt was greeted with thoughtful reviews in leading sociology journals. Writing in the American Journal of Sociology, Joseph R. Gusfield called it “so welcome a publication,” one containing “remarkable contributions to the analysis of modern society.” Nisbet’s vision of Western social life as shaped by the struggle between the dialectically opposed values of tradition and modernity illuminates contemporary issues. Tradition and Revolt will be of particular value to sociologists, cultural historians, and political theorists.
Robert A. Nisbet (1913-1996) was Albert Schweitzer Professor Emeritus of the Humanities at Columbia University, and before that, dean of the School of Humanities at the University of California at Riverside. Among his many books are History of the Idea of Progress, The Sociological Tradition, The Degradation of the Academic Dogma, and Teachers and Scholars, all available from Transaction.
Robert G. Perrin is professor of sociology and director of graduate studies at the University of Tennessee.
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