Towards a Figurational History of Leicester Sociology, 1954–1982

Lars Bo Kaspersen; Andreas Møller Mulvad

doi:10.1177/0038038516648550

Towards a Figurational History of Leicester Sociology, 1954–1982

Lars Bo Kaspersen^*, Andreas Møller Mulvad

^*Corresponding author for this work

Department of Political Science, Management

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

This article applies Norbert Elias’s ‘processual-relational approach’ to an empirical case: the influential Leicester Department of Sociology between 1954 and 1982. Based on 42 qualitative interviews and extensive archival materials, we identify two phases: the early phase of cohesion is characterised by a strong sense of purpose and a growing influence on British sociology. The second phase is characterised by social and intellectual fragmentation. In explaining this reversal, we argue that a critical juncture of youth rebellion around 1968 provided the portents of an anti-authoritarian civilisational trend, which increasingly put strains on the established power nexus: the autocratic leadership model embodied by the department’s inspirational leader, Ilya Neustadt.

Original language	English
Journal	Sociology
Volume	51
Issue number	6
Pages (from-to)	1186-1204
Number of pages	19
ISSN	0038-0385
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/0038038516648550
Publication status	Published - 1 Dec 2017

Keywords

history of British Sociology
Ilya Neustadt
institutional change
Leicester Sociology
Norbert Elias
Paul Hirst
process sociology
relational sociology

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title = "Towards a Figurational History of Leicester Sociology, 1954–1982",

abstract = "This article applies Norbert Elias{\textquoteright}s {\textquoteleft}processual-relational approach{\textquoteright} to an empirical case: the influential Leicester Department of Sociology between 1954 and 1982. Based on 42 qualitative interviews and extensive archival materials, we identify two phases: the early phase of cohesion is characterised by a strong sense of purpose and a growing influence on British sociology. The second phase is characterised by social and intellectual fragmentation. In explaining this reversal, we argue that a critical juncture of youth rebellion around 1968 provided the portents of an anti-authoritarian civilisational trend, which increasingly put strains on the established power nexus: the autocratic leadership model embodied by the department{\textquoteright}s inspirational leader, Ilya Neustadt.",

keywords = "history of British Sociology, Ilya Neustadt, institutional change, Leicester Sociology, Norbert Elias, Paul Hirst, process sociology, relational sociology",

author = "Kaspersen, {Lars Bo} and Mulvad, {Andreas M{\o}ller}",

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T1 - Towards a Figurational History of Leicester Sociology, 1954–1982

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AU - Mulvad, Andreas Møller

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N2 - This article applies Norbert Elias’s ‘processual-relational approach’ to an empirical case: the influential Leicester Department of Sociology between 1954 and 1982. Based on 42 qualitative interviews and extensive archival materials, we identify two phases: the early phase of cohesion is characterised by a strong sense of purpose and a growing influence on British sociology. The second phase is characterised by social and intellectual fragmentation. In explaining this reversal, we argue that a critical juncture of youth rebellion around 1968 provided the portents of an anti-authoritarian civilisational trend, which increasingly put strains on the established power nexus: the autocratic leadership model embodied by the department’s inspirational leader, Ilya Neustadt.

AB - This article applies Norbert Elias’s ‘processual-relational approach’ to an empirical case: the influential Leicester Department of Sociology between 1954 and 1982. Based on 42 qualitative interviews and extensive archival materials, we identify two phases: the early phase of cohesion is characterised by a strong sense of purpose and a growing influence on British sociology. The second phase is characterised by social and intellectual fragmentation. In explaining this reversal, we argue that a critical juncture of youth rebellion around 1968 provided the portents of an anti-authoritarian civilisational trend, which increasingly put strains on the established power nexus: the autocratic leadership model embodied by the department’s inspirational leader, Ilya Neustadt.

KW - history of British Sociology

KW - Ilya Neustadt

KW - institutional change

KW - Leicester Sociology

KW - Norbert Elias

KW - Paul Hirst

KW - process sociology

KW - relational sociology

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DO - 10.1177/0038038516648550

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85037351576

SN - 0038-0385

VL - 51

SP - 1186

EP - 1204

JO - Sociology

JF - Sociology

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ER -

Towards a Figurational History of Leicester Sociology, 1954–1982

Abstract

Keywords

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