The New Bauman Reader - by Tony Blackshaw (Paperback)

About the Book

This book presents a wide range of important, lively and engaging readings, aiming to capture the originality of Bauman's special way of doing sociology and all the complexity of his core ideas, in a way that connects with twenty-first century minds.

Book Synopsis

Zygmunt Bauman has written more than seventy books over five decades, most taking a single subject and finding doors to open it in all directions. His work is an essential reference point in sociology, but it is time that everyone caught up with him. In this book Tony Blackshaw doesn't just tell us that Bauman is a massive star in sociology, he demonstrates why his light shines brighter than that of almost any other intellectual figure in the world today by offering his readers deep insights into the 'Bauman Effect'.

The new Bauman reader is two books in one. On the one hand, it is a critical introduction to a vital and inspiring sociologist who stands against the predictable in 'majority' sociology to draw out daring and new insights from which we can all learn. On the other, it is an anthology of his work chosen with the specific aim of guiding readers, whether undergraduates, postgraduates, academics or general readers to Bauman's original way of 'thinking sociologically', which is as irresistible as the 'liquid' metaphor that guides it.

From the Back Cover

Zygmunt Bauman is one of the leading social and political thinkers of the modern world. He is a classic thinker in the sense that his books possess the two qualities laid out by the founding fathers of the social sciences - the moral basis and the artistic touch - but his greatest interest is in showing how personal troubles are inextricably connected to public issues. He turns his critical eye on just about any social issue, event or institution from shopping to the state and from sex to social inequality. To read Bauman is to see how the rhythms of everyday life may be turned into an erudite and critical practice that burns itself into the sociological imagination.

Bauman is an immensely prolific writer and his work can be demanding of the reader. This book presents a wide range of important, lively and engaging readings, aiming to capture the originality of Bauman's special way of doing sociology and all the complexity of his core ideas in a way that connects with twenty-first century minds. It is an ideal student introduction to Bauman's work, offering a mix of book chapters and essay discussions, excerpts from interviews and snapshots on life from Bauman's pocket books. The ultimate aim of the reader is to show students how to 'think sociologically' with Bauman.
Organised in three parts, with a substantive introduction by the editor, the book concludes with a new chapter written by Zygmunt Bauman especially for this reader.

Review Quotes

'Learned, questing and fearlessly alive to what it means to live in a shelterless world, there is only one Zygmunt Bauman. This astute selection, edited by one of the sharpest and shrewdest commentators in the field, provides a button bright introduction to Bauman. Newcomers will quickly see what all the fuss is about. While seasoned readers, conversant with the awesome range and multi dimensionality of his writings, will find something surprising and worth cherishing here. Readers have found the route master to Bauman's extraordinary oeuvre.'

Chris Rojek, Professor of Sociology, City University, London

'The new Bauman reader is the book on Zygmunt Bauman. In Bauman's lifetime we have moved from a state of solid modernity to an era of liquid modernity - Bauman invented these terms and this book explains why they matter more than ever. As Blackshaw shows, Bauman's work has evolved to such an extent that in these times of global celebrity intellectual culture Zygmunt Bauman is in the Top Five.'

Steve Redhead, Professor of Jurisprudence, Charles Sturt University, Australia

'With the term "liquid modernity" Zygmunt Bauman fired new thought about the circumstances of our everyday lives. The new Bauman reader contains an important new reflection on the liquid modernity debate by Bauman himself, and has been expertly compiled by Tony Blackshaw. It is an accessible tool kit with which we can all think with Bauman about the times we share.'

Keith Tester, Adjunct Professor, Thesis Eleven Centre for Cultural Sociology, LaTrobe University, Melbourne

About the Author

Tony Blackshaw is Reader at Sheffield Hallam University