Group Life

An Invitation to Local Sociology

Gary Alan Fine, Tim Hallett

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Hardback

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English

Polity Press
07 October 2022

Sociology & anthropology

Sociological analysis is replete with debates about “micro” and “macro,” individual and society, but all too often these miss the point: interacting groups are the hinge that connects the two. To understand how structures matter and how individuals navigate them, we must take groups and people in local communities seriously.

Gary Alan Fine and Tim Hallett skillfully argue that sociologists have the obligation to examine the role of small communities in the creation of both the interaction order and structural realities. With novel concepts and rich ethnographic examples, this book describes how group commitments shape selves and society, emphasizing the importance of a meso-level approach to social organization. Fine and Hallett provide new models of identity, culture, conflict, and control, and consider how a network of groups can provide insight into extended communication channels and social media lattices. Ultimately, they show that, despite the importance of institutions and individuals, group life is the fundamental building block of community.

This timely book makes the case for a local sociology that includes sociality. It will be a welcome resource for students and sociologists, and a necessary call to action for the discipline as a whole.

By: Gary Alan Fine, Tim Hallett
Imprint: Polity Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 218mm, Width: 142mm, Spine: 23mm
Weight: 408g
ISBN: 9781509554133
ISBN 10: 1509554130
Pages: 224
Publication Date: 07 October 2022
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Opening Chapter One: Believing in Groups: The Possibility of a Local Sociology Part I: The Individual in the Group Chapter Two: Being in Groups: Reflective and Collective Identities Chapter Three: Belonging to Groups: The Power and Benefits of Commitment Part II: The World of the Group Chapter Four: Building Groups: The Power of Idioculture Chapter Five: Bonding by Groups: The Basis for Collective Action Part III: The Group in the World Chapter Six: Battling Groups: The Minuet of Conflict and Control Chapter Seven: Bridging Groups: Extending the Local Chapter Eight: Better Sociology: A Call to Small Arms References

Gary Alan Fine is James E. Johnson Professor of Sociology at Northwestern University. Tim Hallett is Professor of Sociology at Indiana University Bloomington.

Reviews for Group Life: An Invitation to Local Sociology

“Fine and Hallett make a persuasive case for a 'local' sociology that treats seriously the significance of groups, their routines and cultures. A major contribution to the broadly interactionist tradition in contemporary sociology.” Paul Atkinson, Cardiff University “Extending their discipline-defining contributions, Fine and Hallett broaden our understanding of the social dimension of human interactions as they impact meaning-making and action. They propose an original and encompassing sociological approach to group life that will be widely referenced in years to come.” Michèle Lamont, Harvard University