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[xmca] Reflections on Sociological hermeneutics or sociological imagination of Zugmunt Bauman



Hi Tony

I'm still exploring Zygmunt's project which I personally find fascinating.
I'm currently reading chapters from an edited book on Zygmunt titled "The
Sociology of Zygmunt Bauman Challenges and Critique

Chapter 4 "Bauman on Genocide  Modernity and Mass Murder From
Classification to Mass to Annihilation" by  Sophia Marshman is exploring
the core sociological theme of social order and social integration.

Zygmunt rejects notions of "social system" as totalizing. H explores the
concept of "habitat" which acknowledges chaos in the context of
historically constituted social relations. The constant changes in habitat
cannot be explained OBJECTIVELY without reference to the subjective actions
of the actors involved. If some of the actors act differently the habitat
would turn out differently. The states of the habitat are contingent and
therefore the habitat is chaotic and AMBIVALENT for ALL the actors.
However, the most powerful and thereby free actors can handle this
ambivalence along the lines of their interests in highest degree [reality
of class]  Society does NOT DETERMINE in advance the meanings and actions
of the actors. [the classical sociological paradigm]  The classical
soiological paradigm is a paradigm that favours the CREATION and ECLUSION
OF STRANGERS.  Bauman stresses an understanding of integration with freedom
at the center.

Interesting sociological "imagination". Zygmunt uses metaphors and poetic
language as a way to link sociology and literature.

Larry
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