Understanding Society and Knowledge

Understanding Society and Knowledge proposes that knowledge rather than nature, violence, or power provides the basis of and the driving force behind human action in modern society. It demonstrates how the legally enforced restricted use of knowledge enables the transformation of the knowledge society into knowledge capitalism.
Understanding Society and Knowledge proposes that knowledge, rather than nature, violence, or power, provides the basis of and driving force behind human action in modern society. It demonstrates how the legal containment of knowledge enables the transformation of the knowledge society into knowledge capitalism.

Providing an overview of the history of knowledge societies, Nico Stehr analyses the concept of knowledge as well as the nature of post-industrial societies. Chapters examine the genealogy of social scientific theories of modern society; the role of knowledge as a capacity to act or as an intersubjective resource; and recent changes in the structure of the material economy. The book concludes by discussing the political challenges of the knowledge society, highlighting the ways in which discoveries in modern knowledge and subsequent political responses continue to generate controversies.

This illuminating book will be an essential resource for students and scholars of economics, political science, sociology and sociological theory, as well as science and technology studies.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK within 48 hours of receipt during working hours.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-5 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 21 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.